The 2025 Chicago Puppet Fest will span 12 days and dozens of Chicago venues, presenting  an international pageant of puppet artists sharing more than 100 puppetry activities. Get set for all-ages spectacle shows in landmark theaters, intimate works on smaller stages, and the always popular, adults-only, late night puppet cabarets.

Schedule of Events:

10:00 pm: Volkenburg Puppetry Symposium - Panel 2 - Humans and Objects

The visibility or invisibility of puppeteers manipulating the puppets provokes phenomenological reflection on the nature of human consciousness. What is our relationship to the material world outside of ourselves? In this panel Pam Arciero (Aanika's Elephants), Julian Crouch (Birdheart), Choiti Ghosh (Maati Katha), and Gildwen Peronno (I Killed the Monster) extend this reflection by commenting on how their shows interrogate humans' roles in a variety of ecosystems. Moderated by Dr. Paulette Richards.

2:00 pm: Plexus Polaire: Dracula: Lucy's Dream

In her visual adaptation of the famous myth of Dracula, Yngvild Aspeli freely draws inspiration from Bram Stoker's story to tell the story of Lucy. As the character fights against her inner "Dracula-esque" demon she surfaces and reveals an inclination toward domination, dependence, addiction and destructive force. A metaphor of control, both forced and desired, seductive and deceptive. From the makers of Moby Dick and Chambre Noire, Plexus Polaire returns flaunting its mastery of the form and serving up large-scale spectacle, human size bunraku puppets, hypnotic video projection and their signature style of imbuing the puppet with storytelling power.

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10:00 pm - 4:00 pm: The Puppet Hub

In addition to the incredible pageant of international and U.S. puppetry artists, the Puppet Hub is back and open throughout the festival. It's the perfect place to relax between shows, get a bite to eat, meet up with friends, make new ones, and learn more about contemporary puppetry. Attractions include:           

Lessons in Puppetry by Myra Su
In this exhibit, Myra Su shares her various puppetry experiments (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and lessons she's learned along the way.

Puppetry Under the Sea
Inspired by coastal parades and spectacles, over 20 puppets that were designed and built by the Chicago Puppet Studio, for Drury Lane Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid", will be on display.

Pop-Up Puppet Shop
The perfect spot to stock up on your newest Chicago Puppet Fest swag.

The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe
Stop by The Spoke and Bird Pop-Up Cafe if you're coming to a show at the Studebaker Theater, workshops, readings and special events in the Fine Arts Building, or any Puppet Fest show downtown. Enjoy coffee, tea, winter soups and baked treats in a cozy, puppet-inspired setting, and check out the surrounding exhibits.

3:00 pm: RoiZIZO theatre: I Killed the Monster

In a small village in France's Ardennes Forest, peace reigns, and yet, Daniel is a little agitated. Now that he has a new medicine though, some blue pills made by an American pharmaceutical laboratory, everything should be fine…right? A pitch perfect show packed with humor and farcical discoveries, on a simple table using everyday objects. Small-scale grandiose art in a clever, tabletop fable dedicated to the right to be different.

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3:00 pm: Cabinet of Curiosity: The Cabinet

It has been 15 years since Chicago audiences last saw critically-acclaimed, The Cabinet. This story of the murderous Dr. Caligari and his somnambulist slave Cesare is set in an off-kilter world of puppetry and intricate machinery. Evoking the 1919 German Expressionist silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and created by Frank Maugeri, it was Redmoon Theater's longest running show, now reinvented for the larger stage. Cabinet of Curiosity revives it with another distinctive "cabinet of curiosities" in which puppeteers manipulate the characters and objects, just as Caligari controlled Cesare's plight.

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4:00 pm: Tortoise in a Nutshell: Concerned Others

Tortoise in a Nutshell, a Scottish puppetry company, creates visually engaging theater that tackles contemporary social issues. Known for its multimedia approach, the company blends puppetry with reflective storytelling. Their festival piece, Concerned Others, encourages audiences to reflect on the dynamics of modern human relationships and society.

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4:00 pm: Theatre de l'Entrouvert and Chicago Puppet Fest: Anywhere

Theatre de l'Entrouvert and the Chicago Puppet Festival collaborate to create minimalist puppet theater with a philosophical edge. Through performances that explore human connection and solitude, they bring subtle narratives that resonate deeply. At this year's festival, Anywhere invites audiences into a quiet, reflective space of universal themes.

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5:00 pm: Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre: Made in Macau

Rolling Puppet Alternative Theater from Macau celebrates Chinese culture through both traditional and modern puppetry styles. Known for visually vibrant storytelling, they combine classic puppetry styles with contemporary narratives. At the festival, Made in Macau offers a glimpse into Macau's rich heritage and diverse artistic influences.

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