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Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium

The 2026 Festival

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The Ellen Van Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium
and Book Talk Series

The Ellen Van Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium brings together practicing Festival artists with scholars to consider the intersection of puppetry with other disciplines and ideas. Before 1912, the year the Little Theater of Chicago was founded in the historic Fine Arts Building, the term “puppeteer” did not even exist. Little Theater director Ellen Van Volkenburg needed a program credit for the actors she had trained to manipulate marionettes while speaking the text of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and she coined the word “puppeteer.” That marked the dawn of the movement that has brought us to the rich art form now practiced around the world. This year’s educational programming also includes a free Book Talk Series presenting three moderated discussions with leading national puppet scholars, discussing books and topics including race, gender and disability in puppetry.

All Events Located at:

Fine Arts Building Little Studio, 7th Floor
410 S. Michigan Ave

Please Note: A recording of these events will be made available in the weeks following the events. The Symposium will not be live streamed.

Artist Panel Discussions

Events

Today

  • Chicago Puppet Lab 2026

    Various Locations Chicago, IL, United States

    The Chicago Puppet Lab is a puppet theater incubator and residency program that supports artists in bringing to life new works of puppet theater. Join us in August for a works-in-progress showing (details coming soon)

  • Toy Theater 1 (Level 1) with Roberto Rossi

    Spring 2026 Workshops

    Toy Theater 1 is an introduction to the form and the basic skills concluding with a showing. Make your first toy theater stage using recyclable materials.

    $250

  • Hand Puppetry 1 (Level 1) with Chad Williams

    Spring 2026 Workshops

    150 Hand Puppet Techniques is great for beginners or puppetry pros! Participants will create their own hand puppets and learn the best techniques and secrets from a hand puppetry expert.

    $300

  • Hand and Rod (Level 1) with Joshua Holden

    Spring 2026 Workshops

    This workshop will cover the basics of hand and rod style puppeteering including technical skills, such as lip synch, focus, and emotional truth.

    $65

  • The Spring Living Room Tour

    Featured
    Various Locations Chicago, IL, United States

    The Living Room Tour events are intimate fundraisers in special settings. Always a wonderful time, each event takes place at a unique, private location.

    $150 – $500

  • Puppet Design Strategies (Level 1) with Tom Lee

    Spring 2026 Workshops

    This in-person workshop taught by Chicago Puppet Studio Co-Director Tom Lee focuses on bringing puppet and theater designs into workable reality.

    $65

Book Talks

This year’s free Book Talks series presents three moderated discussions with leading national puppet scholars. All talks will be held at Fine Arts Building Little Studio (7th Floor),
410 S. Michigan Ave.

 

Monday, January 26, 5:30 p.m.
Making Meaning in Puppetry, Materials, Practice, Perception
Edited By Dassia N. Posner, Claudia Orenstein, Alissa Mello

Moderator Paulette Richards interviews Dassia Posner and Claudia Orenstein

Tuesday, January 27, 5:30 p.m.
Race, Gender, and Disability in Puppetry and Material Performance
Edited By Paulette Richards, Hazel Briar, Alissa Mello, Laura Purcell-Gates/Associate Editor Katherine Kipkiss

Moderator Claudia Orenstein interviews Paulette Richards

Wednesday, January 28, 5:30 p.m.
A Practical Guide to Puppetry
By Mark Down of Blind Summit

Moderator Ana Díaz Barriga interviews Author Mark Down