Puppet Theater at Evergreen

Welcome! For more than twelve years, Evergreen has been offering a unique and innovative approach to the study of Puppet Theatre directed by Professor Ariel Goldberger (see link for past programs on the right). Learning is based on the development of experimental performances, rather than traditional works, and on the exploration of alternative & non-mainstream forms of puppet theatre and performance. The pedagogy seeks to offer students a chance to develop an innovative and relevant artistic vision that balances theory and practice, while pursuing a rich liberal arts education. THE NIGHT IS ENORMOUS: Student originated performance. Puppets by Paul Lessard (L) and Dianne Ferrer (R)

The artistic and educational vision revolves around the development of imaginative performances that grant equal attention to poiesis, tekne and logos (roughly translated as artistic process, technique, and theory), while examining critical and cultural theory and connections to many disciplines in the Evergreen interdisciplinary context. This way, we integrate puppet and object theatre with the study of the connections between all genres of performance (dance, music, and theatre), new trends in the arts, new technologies, and disciplines outside of the arts.

Puppet Theatre Studies are incorporated into many different kinds of academic offerings. Courses with Puppet Theatre content range from full-time sixteen credit inter-disciplinary studies academic programs, and individual learning contracts ("Evergreenese" for independent study), to full-time academic programs with a main focus on Puppet Theatre and Performance.

Evergreen is a fabulously rich environment for students who are passionate about their educational experience, and who are not satisfied with a run-of-the-mill education. Because of the college's focus on inter-disciplinarity, and blending theory and practice, our puppet theater programs are very different from a traditional "Conservatory" style education. Generating equally rigorous learning environments based on student self-motivation, most teaching uses non-traditional pedagogies.

NOTE: There are no curricular offerings that repeat exactly the same way year after year as in other colleges. Many classes happen only once!

Shadow and Projection Surround: For the production of "The Night is Enormous" for the program Shadowlands, Students and faculty created a 360 degree immersive environment for the audience using screens, projected shadows, and projections.

You may find that you may be able to manage your education around a very intense focus on the Puppet Theatre! Evergreen offers faculty that are passionate about offering classes with a Puppet Theatre component (select link at right), unusual and strong performing arts classes focusing on blending theory and practice, a great set of performing arts spaces that include a studio designed specifically for the study of Puppet Theatre and Animation, many other spaces and equipment, and a generous policy for student access to equipment and facilities. This is a unique and exciting environment for those who figure it out early. Puppet Theatre is very popular on campus, too, so classes with a component in Puppet Theatre tend to be filled (see link on the right).

Students interested in pursuing focused studies in puppet theatre or object theatre and/or research in the field are invited to contact Ariel Goldberger during the academic year, or the other faculty closer to their general interests, after consulting the links on the right, and our catalog.