Northeast Regional Festival: Puppet Homecoming

Ithaca, NY Nov. 1-3, 2024

Puppet Homecoming is a bi-annual festival of puppet arts, with shows and workshops for all ages. 

The festival runs from Nov 1 - 3. The first event will be on Friday Nov 1 at 4pm and the final event will end by 5pm on Sunday Nov 3. In addition, there will be a professional day for Puppetry in Education and Therapy on Monday Nov 4th. This is an optional extra day of presentations. For more info on The Day for Puppetry in Education and Therapy, see the description below.  All events will happen within walking distance of the Ithaca Commons. 

How does it work?

If you have registered for the full festival you get a pass to see all the shows in the line-up. You also get entry into workshops on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Registration for the entire festival is now FULL - but you can buy individual tickets for many of the events. Tickets available are listed below:

Come on Back! Creatures of Yes movie on Fri Nov 1, 4pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

Still Life by Matt Sandbank on Sat Nov 2, 8:30pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

String Theory Theater Puppet show on Sat Nov 2, 4pm & 5:30pm at the Community School of Music and Arts, 3rd floor - HERE.

Workshops at the Festival are being added starting now - Click HERE. All workshops at on Sat and Sun mornings at The Community School of Music and Arts.

Click HERE for available WORKSHOPS!

Click Here to Register for Nov 4 Professional Day!

What if I didn't register for the full festival? 

On Saturday Nov 2, there will be a bunch of free public shows on The Commons from 1-4pm! There will also be a puppet exhibit at The History Center, and a Puppet Arts Market at Center Ithaca. You can also join our puppet parade on Sunday Nov 3 at 1:30pm on The Commons (starting at Bernie Milton Pavilion). 

Individual tickets currently available are below:

Come on Back! Creatures of Yes movie on Fri Nov 1, 4pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

Still Life by Matt Sandbank on Sat Nov 2, 8:30pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

String Theory Theater Puppet show on Sat Nov 2, 4pm & 5:30pm at the Community School of Music and Arts, 3rd floor - HERE.

Workshops at the Festival are being added starting now - Click HERE. All workshops at on Sat and Sun mornings at The Community School of Music and Arts.

What is the day for Puppetry in Education and Therapy?

Join teaching artists, educators and therapists for a hands-on day of teaching and learning puppetry techniques for use in the classroom, the community and beyond.  The day, hosted by Cheryl Capezzuti, will feature workshops from Honey Goodenough, Carol Sterling and Darlene Thompson alongside a series of short, inspiring presentations by puppeteers, artists and teachers highlighting their work with puppetry in education and therapy from around the country.  CPE credit provided for educators that attend this session.  Sessions will take place between 9am and 4pm on Monday November 4th at The Community School of Music and Arts, 3rd floor. See MORE INFO here.

 

What fabulous shows will you see at the festival?!!

Still Life & Other Stories by Matt Sandbank

Saturday Nov 2, 8:30pm at Cinemapolis.

Funded in part by the Puppeteers of America Rose Endowment and featured at the National Puppetry Festival, Still Life is a collection of wordless shadow shorts that surprises and delights audiences with visual storytelling! Ages 10 and up.

For individual tickets (if you are not registering for the full festival) go here.

Creatures of Yes - Come On Back!

The Movie film premiere and Q&A

Nov 1, 4pm at Cinemapolis  

Come On Back! The Movie is The Creatures of Yes’ first feature length film and is the culmination of a storyline that has been years in the making; a beloved character was put to death by the censors of film and television for living openly as a homosexual in 1975, and now the inhabitants of The Village of Yesterday’s Promise are attempting to bring him back with science, sorcery, or by any means necessary. 

This event will be the premiere screening of Come On Back! The Movie, and then feature a short performance and Q&A session with Jacob & Stoph. See the trailer HERE.  For individual tickets (if you are not registering for the full festival) go here.

Puppet Runway by Lilypad Puppet Theatre & Friends

Puppet Runway is a fashion show inspired by the art of puppetry and a puppet show inspired by fashion! We collaborate with puppeteers, puppet builders, fashion artists, actors and musicians to create this unique variety show! In this show, human models will wear clothing that will come alive. Puppets and humans will come together to create something that has never been done before. Surprising birds, dancing cats, talking boots…lots of surprises!

Friday, Nov 1st, 7:30pm at CSMA 3rd floor. Ages 21+. SOLD OUT.

Wordplay by Goodhearted Entertainment

"Word Play" uses clowning and puppetry to take audiences on an adventure through the alphabet. Words come to life in the hands of two skilled performers, who clown around with sounds and letters to create dozens of interactive characters and imaginative scenes. Audiences can make friends with vowels, teach tricks to a “C-A-T” and “D-O-G,” and visit a whole ZOO full of surprises. It’s the perfect blend of education and entertainment—a play on words, literally!

Sat, Nov 2nd 4 & 5:30pm at Circus Culture. Tickets may be available at the door only.

MAKEorBREAK by Laurencio Carlos Ruiz

MAKEorBREAK is the story of a Wailing Mother who oversees the madness and horrors of war and gun culture. She is fed up with losing her children to gun violence inflicted by the everlasting Boneheaded Beast. Determined to stop him, she devises an unexpected strategy in pursuit of peace for one and all. Without spoken words, MakeorBreak’s lyricism is created by the combination of visual language, physical movement, body language, ephemeral puppetry, sound, song and music. All characters are inspired by Picasso's Gernica to express the outrage over our current history of ‘war’ at home and abroad, and the culture of guns and mass killings.

Sat, Nov 2nd 7:30pm at CSMA, 3rd floor. SOLD OUT.

String Theory Theater Puppet Show

Sat, Nov 2nd 4pm & 5:30pm at the Community School of Music and Arts, 3rd floor.

A double feature from String Theory Theater! In Kitty's Corner kitty and puppy put on a talk show with a line up of special guests, including The Moon, a toothbrush, and a roll of toilet paper! In Colab story, two bored kids take a trip into their imagination. Both shows are for all ages.

For individual tickets (if you are not registered for the full festival) go here.

Epidermis Circus by snafu

A spicy puppet cabaret, hosted by a sassy grandma who keeps trying to steal the show. This beautifully twisted variety show is performed by Ingrid Hansen, who also puppeteers for Jim Henson Company’s Fraggle Rock. Watch behind-the-scenes as Hansen performs a live puppet film, animating cheeky vignettes in the palm of her hand and projecting them onto a huge screen.

An “enormously entertaining, one-hour madcap vaudeville show. It is chock full of riotous, naughty, and mystifying vignettes using her bare hands, her face, her mouth, tiny toys, and a doll’s head. Hansen's hands-in-motion have the kind of presence that is often attributed to the greatest stage performers -- transfixing the audience, and creating pin-drop silence interspersed with spontaneous bursts of laughter.” - Culture Catch NYC

Sun, Nov 3rd 3:30pm at CSMA 3rd floor. SOLD OUT.

Puppet Slam!

See the best in short form puppetry. Hosted by Toybox America's Favorite Cartoon Witch. Intended for adults.

See what goes on at the Galaxy Laundromat, meet the Grim Weeper, experience the perils of online dating and so much more! 

Fri, Nov 1st 9:30pm at CSMA, 3rd floor. Ages 21+. SOLD OUT.

Puppet Parade!

Join us for a parade and dance party through the Ithaca commons, a pedestrian street in downtown Ithaca. Bring your puppet, or make a parade puppet in the "Parade Puppets for Your Community" workshop, and then join the fun! Sun, Nov 3, 1:30pm Ithaca Commons.

To join the parade puppet class click here.

FREE Outdoor Busking Performances!

Puppeteers will take over downtown Ithaca to perform free public shows in various locations on Sat Nov 2 from 1-4pm. See the Marionettes of Madison Cripps, The Yeti Village of Paperheart Puppets, puppeteers and clowns Keith Shubert, Honey Goodenough, Harry LaCoste as well as a puppet tea party with Puppet Whatwhat.

SEE THE FULL SCHEDULE HERE.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Puppet Potpourri!

Sat Nov 2, 9:45pm CSMA 3rd floor. It’s your favorite Puppet Open Mic night! Sign up to present your own puppet piece of 5 minutes or less.  See the weird, the strange, and the unexpected with your host Liz Joyce.

SOLD OUT

FAQ:

Where will shows and workshops be located?

All events will happen within walking distance of the Ithaca Commons.  The Commons is a four-block pedestrian area jam-packed with more than 100 independently owned and operated shops and boutiques, gift shops, restaurants, art galleries, service providers, street vendors, and entertainers.

Venues include:

Community School of Music and Arts -  330 E State St, Ithaca, NY 14850 

Cinemapolis - 120 E. Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850

The History Center - 11o N. Tioga St, (on the Ithaca Commons), Ithaca NY 14850

Circus Culture - 116 W. Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850

Center Ithaca - 171 E. State St., Downtown Ithaca, NY 14850 (on The Commons)

How Do I Get Around if I'm coming in from out-of-town?

Buses

The #67 city TCat bus runs from the Quality Inn to the Commons. It’s an 8 minute trip, the bus stop is across the street at the Fairfield Inn (stop number 568). Saturday departures are 7:47AM, 10:25AM, and 7:40PM with return trips at 9:45AM and 7:00PM. Sunday departures are 7:47AM, 1:27PM, and 7:10PM with return trips at 12:55PM and 6:30PM. Please be aware that the buses stop running early on Sunday evenings! 

If you’re staying elsewhere, Google Maps does reliably show bus routes. 

At any bus stop, you can text 321123 with the stop number and it will tell you when the next bus is coming.  

Rental Cars

If you are flying and would like to rent a car, Budget and Hertz both rent cars out of the Ithaca Airport. 

Enterprise has a location downtown, about 1 mile from the Commons. 

There are Ubers and taxis available: 

Ithaca Dispatch 607-277-7777 

College town Taxi 607-588-8888 

Parking

The Green Street and Seneca Street garages are free on the weekends, but cars must be moved every 24 hrs. There is also street parking around downtown. Some parking is 2 hr max, or 2 hr max on weekdays, so check the signs before parking. Street parking requires            payment Monday-Friday but is free on weekends. 

Carpooling from the hotel is recommended.

What if I missed registration or don't want to attend the entire weekend? 

On Saturday Nov 2, there will be a bunch of FREE public shows on The Commons from 1-4pm! There will also be a puppet exhibit at The History Center, and a Puppet Arts Market at Center Ithaca. You can also join our puppet parade on Sunday Nov 3 at 1:30pm on The Commons (starting at Bernie Milton Pavilion). 

Individual tickets to shows and workshops will go on sale separately. Individual tickets currently available are below and MORE will be added SOON:

Come on Back! Creatures of Yes movie on Fri Nov 1, 4pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

Still Life by Matt Sandbank on Sat Nov 2, 8:30pm at Cinemapolis - HERE.

String Theory Theater Puppet show on Sat Nov 2, 4pm & 5:30pm at the Community School of Music and Arts, 3rd floor - HERE.

Workshops at the Festival are being added starting now - Click HERE. All workshops at on Sat and Sun mornings at The Community School of Music and Arts.

How does the Puppet Market Work?

The Puppet Market will take place on Saturday November 2nd between 1 and 4 pm at Center Ithaca.  For a small fee ($20), vendors will be provided with a table, and/or space to set up their puppet wares.  The market will be open to festival attendees and the general public.  During this time there will also be free "busking" performances taking place nearby.  Vendors will not be required to vend the entire time.  The fee to vend will be the only payment that goes towards the PofA.  All proceeds from selling your wares will be yours to keep. 

MORE INFO ON PUPPET MARKET HERE.

For other questions email the festival director - eric.weiss@homeslicepuppetry.com

This program is made possible (in part) with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the office of the Governor and NYS Legislature, administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.

This program was also made possible in part by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.