Puppeteer courses
Explore 24 ways to develop your puppetry practice. Open a card for the course description, lessons and assignments.
Choose your pathway
- Community Puppeteer: complete 12 courses, including PUP-01 Formation, PUP-02 Safe Handling, PUP-03 Voice Found, PUP-08 Primary Character Demonstrated and PUP-15 Community Debut. Choose seven more from the other 19.
- Company Puppeteer: complete all 24.
Your Troupe Guide can help you choose the next course. Community Puppeteers are welcome to take any elective and contribute to a company troupe.
PUP-01 Community core
Formation
Find your place in the troupe through Craft, Troupe and Community lessons, each with its own assignment and Troupe Guide review.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-02 Community core
Safe Handling
Inspect your puppet and workspace, practise supported handling and movement, and recognise when discomfort or a defect means you should stop.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-03 Community core
Voice Found
Find a clear, sustainable Character voice through pace, emphasis and responsive dialogue.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-04
Wardrobe Sorted
Check costume fit and freedom of movement, then organise an agreed wardrobe and storage plan.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-05
Craft Deliverable
Design, make and test an agreed puppet, prop, costume or useful troupe item, choosing suitable materials and construction methods.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-06
Movement and Focus
Give your puppet a clear focus and intention through gaze, breath, posture, weight and controlled movement.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-07
Stagecraft and Cues
Plan blocking and sightlines, then rehearse entrances, exits and coordinated lighting, music or sound cues.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-08 Community core
Primary Character Demonstrated
Bring your primary Character’s biography, voice, movement and motivation together in a short scene.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-09
Community Partner Chosen
Choose a community partner and agree a theme whose message the troupe will shape with them.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-10
Secondary Character Demonstrated
Develop a distinct secondary Character and show how its voice, movement and purpose complement the ensemble.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-11
Knowledge Shared
Prepare a small demonstration, invite someone to try the skill and adapt your explanation to their feedback.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-12
Table Read
Read and mark the script, attend to cues and help the ensemble agree useful revisions.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-13
Script Written
Shape a performable skit with clear action, dialogue, stage directions and an audience in mind.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-14
Bard in Training
Develop a story through an opening, turning point and close, rehearsing its timing and audience connection.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-15 Community core
Community Debut
Prepare your role, equipment and cues, take part in a public Community Debut and join the debrief.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-16
Bard on the Road
Adapt a story segment to a venue and audience, then review the choices that helped it communicate.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-17
Steward’s Turn
Carry out an agreed shared duty, record what happened and hand over the work clearly.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-18
Repair Kept
Agree a safe repair, test the result and update the item’s care record.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-19
Company Debut
Work with your community partner on the intended message, perform your part and review the engagement together.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-20
Attendance Held
Keep a dated contribution record covering at least five of the first seven monthly sessions after your troupe’s Charter is sealed.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-21
Creating Shown
Develop an original contribution through design trials, improvisation or shared experiments, then refine it for a production.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-22
Performing Shown
Rehearse an agreed scene with direction, timing and coordinated movement, then perform it for review.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-23
Responding Shown
Describe specific performance choices and their effect, offer useful observations and apply feedback to your own work.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore coursePUP-24
Connecting Shown
Bring together the courses you have completed, your Character development and your contribution to the troupe.
3 lessons · 3 assignments
Explore courseHow to take part
- Open the course agreed with your Troupe Guide and read its preparation notes.
- Follow the Craft lesson with its practical assignment, then do the same for Troupe and Community. Each lesson has at least one submission of its own.
- Upload your evidence or provide a link in the relevant BuddyBoss form. Keep other people’s private information out of your work.
- Return to read feedback and revise when asked. Approval of every required assignment is needed before the Troupe Guide confirms completion.
A page visit, upload, quiz result or activity percentage does not establish an approved course. Your learning record draws on the review of your work.
Practice and support
Bring course work into the projects agreed with your Establishment team. Keep your next action and review date in your notes, and arrange live demonstrations with your Troupe Guide. If you have chosen your Village Character already, you do not need to select it again.
Community Members need administrator approval for learning access. Ask for assistance if your eligible membership does not open a course.
Browse the course catalogue · Return to your learning record