PUPPETS IN PARADISE

A celebration of outdoor puppetry and collective place-making presented by Sandglass Theater and Retreat Farm.

Giant Lantern Puppet Workshop, September 30th- October 10th, 2025 @ Sandglass Theater

Opening Evening of Shadow and Light, 6pm - 8pm, October 10th, 2025 @ Retreat Farm

Puppets in Paradise,10am-4pm, October 11th and 12th, 2025 @ Retreat Farm

Puppets in Paradise 2025 brought together artists and audiences for a two-day celebration of puppetry and theater arts set in the beautiful agrarian landscape of Southern Vermont. The 2025 edition of Puppets in Paradise was during peak foliage celebrating Vermont’s most famous and colorful season. This premier biennial family event is produced in collaboration with Retreat Farm, a prominent feature of the Brattleboro landscape for 180 years. At Puppets in Paradise audiences walked around the farm and encountered short-form puppet performances, theater artists and musicians amidst the fields, historic barns and animals. Food and refreshments from local vendors added to the delight of a beautiful day.  This year’s program also featured a special community Giant Lantern Puppetry Project with Master Puppet Builder, Andrew Kim, and an evening of outdoor shadow puppetry in the ancient Indian tradition of deerskin puppets lit by coconut oil lamps.

2025’s weekend festival welcomed an exciting roster of first-time and returning performers including Heather Henson,Puppet Motion, Andrew Kim, recent graduate of UConn Masters in Puppetry Arts Program, Tom Tuke, and Sandglass Theater, among others.

2025 Puppets in Paradise Performers

Tholpavakoothu by The Tholpavakoothu and Puppet Centre

The opening evening to the Puppets in Paradise weekend (October 10th 6:15pm onwards, entry by donation) will feature a magical parade of giant lantern puppets followed by an outdoor shadow puppetry performance from Kerala, India.

  • This traditional form of puppetry features 60 deerskin puppets placed in front of coconut oil lamps that cast shadows behind screens as the puppeteers enact the story with myriad characters. Puppets in Paradise 2025 will be the first festival in Vermont to feature a performance of Tholpavakoothu: The Ramayana. Created by The Tholpavakoothu and Puppet Centre and co-produced with BreakFAST Puppets.

Mermaid Life Story by Charlotte Lily Gaspard

A mermaid follows a sailing ship in pursuit of love. Told with a hand-painted crankie, an expressive puppet, and original songs, this wistful tale flows between ocean and longing.

  • Charlotte Lily Gaspard leads Midnight Radio Show, a Brooklyn-based shadow puppetry and sci-fi fairytale collective. Known for her whimsical, multi-sensory stage works, she collaborates with a team of musicians, puppeteers, and visual artists. Their shows mix original scores, storytelling, and dance, creating magical, avant-garde performances that reimagine myths and fantastical worlds.

Party Animals by Sarah Nolen

Four young animals face a major life event—their first party. Set to the driving beat of rock’n’roll, they navigate nerves, excitement, and friendship through rhythm, fun, and fuzzy flair.

  • Sarah Nolen is a filmmaker, puppeteer, and resident artist at Puppet Showplace Theater. Known for her inventive style and witty performances, she creates shows for youth and family audiences and teaches extensively. A recipient of the Mister Rogers Memorial Scholarship, she developed Treeples, a girl-empowerment TV pilot featured at national festivals. Sarah holds an MFA in Puppet Arts.

Tales of Kimi: The New Death by Tom Tuke with Melissa Carter

In this comic tale, the Grim Reaper, the laziest deity in the land, and his hapless assistant Kimi journey across the River Styx. The journey takes an unexpected turn in a playful twist on mortality and misadventure.

  • Tom Tuke is a puppeteer from Aotearoa/New Zealand, currently based in Connecticut. A graduate of the UConn Puppet Arts Program, Tom has performed at puppet slams across the U.S. Northeast, and with Bread and Puppet and the Pulavar shadow puppet family from Kerala. In New Zealand, he’s worked as a teacher, gardener, and artist.

    Melissa (Mel) Carter is a Seattle-born puppeteer and MFA candidate at the University of Connecticut. She has performed with companies including Pointless Theatre Co., Imagination Stage, and Theatre J. Her puppet-building work includes collaborations with Pilobolus Dance Theater and Mosaic Theatre. Mel regularly performs original short-form puppetry at New England puppet slams.

Along The Way by Andrew Kim

A lone traveler is at the crossroads between worlds. A poetic reflection on change and compassion created by Andrew and Kathy Kim of Thingumajig Theatre.

  • Andrew Kim of Thingumajig Theatre is a puppet maker and performer based in West Yorkshire, England with over 30 years of experience creating parades, giant puppets, and performances worldwide. He started at In the Heart of the Beast (Minneapolis) and Bread and Puppet, and studied traditional Korean and Balinese forms. Founder of the Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade and the Lamplighter Festival, Andrew also teaches large-scale puppet building and performance internationally, including at Sandglass Theater.

The Loose Caboose by Harry LaCoste

When a train engineer is separated from his train, he's left with only the caboose and some mysterious luggage. Each suitcase reveals a puppet story or character in this playful, imaginative performance especially suited for young audiences.

  • Harry LaCoste is a puppeteer, emcee, magician, and singer whose joyful performances star Good News Gus, a lovable yellow monster. Starting with a camcorder and creativity, Harry’s puppet journey took off in college with educational TV and later, a stint on Sesame Street. He deepened his craft at Puppet School and began making his own characters. What started as a birthday video project soon grew into a beloved puppet persona, now spreading cheer and positivity to audiences of all ages.

Sharing Update by Stoph Scheer

A well-meaning father tries to explain his child’s gender transition but keeps stumbling over his words. A comedic monologue that highlights the tension between good intentions and harmful missteps, performed by a puppet and a visibly trans puppeteer.

  • Stoph Scheer is a puppeteer, writer, and performer known for original works with Doppelskope and The Creatures of Yes. A frequent Sandglass Theater collaborator, she’s also worked with The Jim Henson Company, The Muppets, and even appeared in a project by Banksy. Stoph recently earned her MFA in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut.

Hugo and Claude by Sandglass Theater

High atop a French cathedral, two gargoyles—Hugo and Claude—watch the world below. Alike in stone only, one dreams of flying with pigeons; the other grumbles at them. One day, a miracle happens.

  • Kirk Murphy is a Vermont-based puppeteer and musician closely connected with Sandglass Theater. Since 2005, he has toured internationally with the company, performing in collaborations with Cambodian shadow puppeteers and in the award-winning D-Generation, which explores dementia through puppetry. His work highlights cross-cultural storytelling and the emotional depth puppets can evoke in performance.

    Shoshana Bass is Artistic Director of Sandglass Theater and a second-generation puppeteer continuing her family’s legacy. Trained across dance, puppetry, circus, and theater, she tours internationally with original and legacy works. Her solo show When I Put On Your Glove has toured globally. She co-created Babylon: Journeys of Refugees and Feral, both acclaimed pieces supported by major foundations. Shoshana works as a performer, choreographer, director, and educator.

Cabbage Leaf Summit by The Elderberries

This crankie performance brings to life a song by Eric Bass, as a Mole, a Vole, and a Nasty Old Troll gather under a cabbage leaf to discuss their dreams for a better world. Their summit is full of hope, humor, and ultimately, hunger.

  • Eric and Ines Zeller Bass, founders of Sandglass Theater, have developed a unique style of crankie performance combining Ines’ vivid illustrations with Eric’s musical compositions. Their pieces range from humorous folk tunes to poignant refugee stories, presented with simplicity and heart. Over 12 years, they’ve cultivated a mini-festival of crankies in Vermont, blending low-tech storytelling with artistic elegance. Together with Matt Scharff, they explore the emotional and metaphorical power of song, image, and movement.

Remember The Way: Fish & Flow Experience by Green Feather Foundation

Join Heather Henson and friends for a multi-sensory journey that connects participants to their local body of water.

  • Using movement, craft, natural materials, and place-based meditation, all ages can explore their role in the flow of the world’s waters and the beings that dwell within them.

    Founded by Heather Henson in 2020, Green Feather Foundation is a multi-platform nonprofit supporting the artistic, educational, and philanthropic work of IBEX Puppetry, Puppet Slam Network, Handmade Puppet Dreams, and more. With roots dating back to 2000, the foundation promotes the health of the planet through puppetry, artistic spectacle, and immersive educational programming. Its mission is to foster healing and environmental stewardship by reconnecting communities with nature through performance, storytelling, and cultural arts.

Madame Manouche by Kimberly Cotter-Lemus

Madame Manouche claims to see the future—but can she be trusted? This fortune teller’s flair and flash raise the question: oracle or opportunist? A world-renowned fortune teller - or an unscrupulous charlatan. You be the judge!

  • Kimberly Cotter-Lemus is a Rhode Island-based puppeteer, musician, and educator known for designing, building, and performing her own puppets across multiple styles. Her work often brings spontaneous street theater to community spaces like markets and fairs, where she engages passersby in playful, imaginative interactions. Her performances blend art, education, and direct audience connection.

Many Thanks To Our Supporters

Puppets in Paradise is presented in collaboration with Retreat Farm, a prominent feature of the Brattleboro landscape for 180 years. Project funding is provided in parts by grants from the National Performance Network (NPN) Artist Engagement Fund, The Thomas Thompson Trust, The Windham Foundation, and the New England States Touring program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies. 

Puppets in Paradise is sponsored by Landmark College, Oak Meadow, M&T Bank, and Guilford Sound. Additional support provided by Brattleboro Savings & Loan and The Richards Group.