/
Puppetry
Inside a giant buffalo project as a puppeteer on Iniskim with the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry’s collaboration with the Blackfoot Tribe on Treaty 7 territory. Photo by Mike Tan.
Puppetry is an inherently interdisciplinary artform, which is why I’m wild about puppets. I was bit by a puppet bug at Open Eye theater in 2012 and my work has never been the same. Whether it’s shadow, large-scale, or hand puppets, they often appear in my work as a director and collaborator. In addition to creating and performing, I also teach puppetry at Interact Center for Performing and Visual Art as well as at the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota.
Puppetry Work Samples
The Cradle Will Rock with AOT (An Opera Theater)
I designed shadow puppets as a part of a performance of Blitzstein’s 1930s musical that critiqued capitalism and was ahead of it’s time in many ways! I also performed the role of “Moll” in this piece in addition to designing and puppeteering. Many thanks to Kelly Turpin (producer) and Christina Baldwin (director)!
Song of the Underworld is a retelling of the myth, Orpheus and Eurydice. I crafted these shadow puppets and soundscape with support from the Calgary Animated Objects Festival.
My recent puppetry/movement piece uses archetypal characters to explore consent and boundaries. I crafted this puppet mask using a needle-felting technique.
Excerpt from Ensemble dal Niente’s Pierrot Lunaire sung by Carrie Shaw. I created the shadow puppets in collaboration with Carrie for this performance in 2018.
Puppets made by Lizz for the 2022 Pickup Truck Opera
Image from Windnagel’s original shadow puppet short, “Song of the Underworld” performed at Heart of the Beast’s puppet cabaret