PAPERHAND PUPPET INTERVENTION

CREATING. INSPIRING. RESISTING.
NOW IN OUR 20th YEAR!

Celebrate twenty years of puppetry, art, and activism at Radicackalacky Puppet Convergence, a multi-day festival of puppetry!

Announcing our Summer 2019 Pageant of Unlikely Proportions:

Want to be a part of the summer show? Join us as a performer volunteer or a front of house volunteer — fill out this form to get started! We need your help!

And stay tuned for more information about the Radicackalacky Puppet Convergence happening in the Triangle September 25-28, hosted by Paperhand and celebrating the art of puppetry in our 20th year!

ABOUT US

Paperhand Puppet Intervention is a puppet theater company based out of Saxapahaw, NC. For over eighteen years we have been creating original large-scale puppet extravaganzas complete with giant puppets, masks, shadow puppets, stilt dancing, painted flats, live music and so much more to help promote social change, peace and hope for a better world.

Our shows tell stories of the human heart, illuminate myths from around the world, and inspire young and old alike through their unique brand of creative expression. We create extraordinary puppets that entertain, bring joy, instigate wonder, and inspire contemplation about the incredible world around us.

A humongous THANK YOU to all of our donors, Patreon supporters, and everyone who has pitched in as part of our Paperhand Family! THANK YOU for keeping Paperhand Puppet Intervention alive and thriving!

Cast of 2017 'Of Wings and Feet'!
Pigeon Flight School Scene from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", photo by Lee Capps
Herons from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", photo by Lee Capps
Shadow Tortoise from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", photo by Lee Capps
Giant Tortoise from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", Photo by Lee Capps
Living Land, Sea and Sky from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", photo by Lee Capps
Strong Man from Paperhand's 2017 Summer Show "Of Wings and Feet", photo by Lee Capps
"Enkidu" from Paperhand's 2016 summer show "The Beautiful Beast"
Image from Paperhand's 2016 summer show "The Beautiful Beast". Photo by Lee Capps.
"The Wumpaflump" from Paperhand's 2016 summer show "The Beautiful Beast"
"Enkidu" from Paperhand's 2016 summer show "The Beautiful Beast"

SUMMER SHOW

“The Painted Bird” 2014. Photo by Joshua Gira.

Each year we write, create, build and perform a large summer pageant-play-extravaganza. These performances last about an hour, include an ensemble of professional musicians who create an original score of music and involve a cast of puppeteers, which has included as many as twenty-eight performers. Our summer extravaganza is attended by over 18,000 people!

Through our annual summer performance, Paperhand Puppet Intervention helps create a community that shares picnic blankets, ideas, experiences and a love of wonder.

Take a look at our past Summer Shows here.

From Paperhand’s 2016 summer show “The Beautiful Beast”. Photo by Lee Capps.

WE ARE ACTIVE YEAR ROUND!

Throughout the year we are deeply steeped in our community and take part in public celebrations, parades, weddings, civil support (“interventions”) and general acts of vivacity! We also create learning opportunities, host workshops and spread knowledge of the great world of puppetry!

Centro’s annual Day of the Dead 5k & Street Festival

PAPERHAND IS AVAILABLE FOR…

Parades * Puppet Roving * Events * Celebrations * Puppet Rental * Puppet Installations * Performances * Collaborations * Commissions * Workshops * Educational Opportunities * Residencies

Visit our Hire Us page for more details!

IntraHealth International, SwitchPoint Artivism Crawl

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST

Come along with us on our puppet adventure!

The puppets don’t sleep, so keep in touch with us and join us year round as we bring puppet love to the world: parades, performances, art installations and some years even a winter show!

“A Drop in the Bucket”. Photo by Lee Capps

OUR FULL YEAR CALENDAR

	September 2019
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
1 Matinee: We Are Here Matinee: We Are Here Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: 4:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 2:20 pre-show before each 3 PM matinee performance! More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... • •	2 Labor Day Performance: We Are Here Labor Day Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... •	3	4	5	6 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh. Bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! Tickets available from NCMA: https://ncartmuseum.org More details... •	7 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh. Bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! Tickets available from NCMA: https://ncartmuseum.org More details... •
8 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at the NC Museum of Art in Raleigh. Bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! Tickets available from NCMA: https://ncartmuseum.org More details... •	9	10	11	12	13 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... •	14 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... •
15 Matinee: We Are Here Matinee: We Are Here Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: 4:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 2:20 pre-show before each 3 PM matinee performance! More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... • •	16	17	18	19	20 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... •	21 Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... •
22 Matinee: We Are Here Matinee: We Are Here Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: 4:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 2:20 pre-show before each 3 PM matinee performance! More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... • •	23	24	25 Radicackalacky: A Festival of Radical Puppetry Radicackalacky: A Festival of Radical Puppetry Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: 9:30 pm Location: The ArtsCenter, 300-G E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA Description: Radicackalacky A Festival of Radical Puppetry Brought to you by Paperhand Puppet Intervention Wednesday 9/25 at The ArtsCenter Doors at 7:30, show begins at 8:00pm. abandoned ships presents “Waiting: Two Experimental Puppet Tales” abandoned ships is puppet artist Milissa Orzolek and the talented beings she has been able to gather together. In the past, Milissa has worked with Cirque Du Soliel and Wayne White and many other companies in Detroit, New Orleans, and Durham, North Carolina. She has performed in slams and festivals around the country. In 2016, abandoned ships received a Jim Henson Foundation Family grant for its original production What Keeps Us. Edwin Salas presents “Frijolito and the Orange Monster” Edwin Salas is a puppeteer and performer with a background in dance from Mexico City. He is currently based in Asheville, NC. He has toured all over the world, and was most recently seen at the National Puppetry Festival in Minneapolist. Frijolito is made in the style of glove-puppet influenced by the tradition of the Comedia del Arte le Guarattele Napolitane. Toybox Theatre presents “Toybox Theatre” Toybox Theatre - America’s favorite cartoon witch - is a multi-award-winning company, performing for audiences of all ages for 20 years. Awards include “Fan Favorite and Best Performance at the National Puppetry Festival, funding from the Jim Henson Foundation, and a UNIMA Citation for excellence in The Art of Puppetry, the highest award given in the field. More details... •	26 Radicackalacky Showcase Radicackalacky Showcase Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: 9:30 pm Description: Thursday 9/26 at The ArtsCenter Doors at 7:30, show begins at 8:00pm. Miranda Elliot Rader presents “Creation” Miranda Elliot Rader is a puppeteer and performer from the west coast and former Paperhand intern. She currently lives in Charlottesville, VA. Rae Red presents “Shadow Ballads” Rae Anna hample is a puppeteer, animator, visual artist, and musician, encouraging laughter in the face of darkness by translating every day realities into play. They have presented their work in every type of space imaginable from dive bars and the backs of donut shops to The Museum of Human Achievement, High Concept Labs, and The Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. She is currently based in Baltimore, MD. Lyon Hill presents “Tales of Woe” Lyon Forrest Hill has been a practicing puppet-maker and puppeteer for 20 years. He is the Artistic Director for the Columbia Marionette Theater in South Carolina. In addition to family-friendly entertainment, Lyon has enjoyed recognition for his work in puppetry for adults. He has performed at the Puppeteers of America’s Regional and National Festivals, as well as a number of National Puppet Slams at the Center for Puppetry Arts. He has also attended the O’Neil Puppetry Conference in Waterford, CT, and the Puppets in Prague workshop in the Czech Republic. More details... •	27 Radicackalacky: Studio Tours and Workshops Radicackalacky: Studio Tours and Workshops Starts: 12:00 pm Ends: 4:00 pm Description: Friday 9/27 Studio Tours and Workshops at The Paperhand Studio in Saxahapaw, NC - 12-4pm PAPERHAND STUDIO TOUR Led by Donovan Zimmerman 12-12:45pm By Donation Come tour 20 years of giant puppets at the Paperhand Studio in Saxahawpaw, NC with founder and co-director Donovan Zimmerman. Wayang, The Puppetry of Indonesia Instructor: Gordon Henley 1-2pm Free The centuries-old culture of puppetry in Indonesia has been shaped by multiple influences resulting in diverse and colorful puppetry practices. See a demonstration of wayang kulit shadow puppetry and have hands-on exploratory time with kulit and golek puppets from Indonesia. PAPERHAND STUDIO TOUR Led by Donovan Zimmerman 2-2:45pm By Donation Come tour 20 years of giant puppets at the Paperhand Studio in Saxahawpaw, NC with founder and co-director Donovan Zimmerman. Shadows and Light: How to Make Your Own Shadow-Puppet Show Instructors: Rae Hample and Emily McHugh $10 (Suggested Donation) 2:30-4pm Ever wanted to make your own shadow-puppet show? This workshop will explore the idea of a shadow through the lenses of shadow puppetry and "shadow-self," guiding participants through the creation of their own shadow puppet character. More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... Radicackalacky: Late Night Puppet Cabaret Radicackalacky: Late Night Puppet Cabaret Starts: 10:00 pm Ends: 1:00 am Location: The ArtsCenter, 300-G E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA Description: Late-Night Puppet Cabaret 10pm at The ArtsCenter Participating artists: Sol Ramirez, Zola Ramirez, Sophie Joy, Callie Waugh-Stewart, Jasper Schmoock, Cameron Prevatte, Rae Red, Katie Rebich, Miranda Elliot-Rader, Anna Wagner, Kelley Feeman, Jaclyn Bowie, Nyssa Collins, Alan Best, Nina Plocek, Ansel Dow, Adhiti Bandlamudi, Jonah Collins, Zach Foley, Mickenzie Lee, Michael Reddy, Eva Rubin, Mackenzie Volpert, Lillian Shoji, Ivan Jermyn, Peyton Smith, Mary Kate Korbisch, Donovan Zimmerman, Lyon Hill... More details... • • •	28 Radicackalacky Workshops Radicackalacky Workshops Starts: 12:00 pm Ends: 5:00 pm Location: Paperhand Puppet Intervention, 6079 Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Rd, Saxapahaw, NC 27340, USA Description: Saturday 9/28 Open Studio and Workshops at The Paperhand Studio in Saxapahaw, NC - 10am-5pm Open Studio! 10am-5pm Come explore the Paperhand Studio in beautiful Saxapahaw, NC. Building Puppets on the Fly: The Endless Possibilities of Cardboard Construction Instructor: Donovan Zimmerman 10am-1pm $25 Cardboard puppet-building and skill share with co-director/founder of Paperhand. Clowning for the Stage Instructor: Benjamin Sota 1pm-3pm $20 Studying clown is to embrace a personal humility and a personal absurd. Laughter is universal and the clown is an ancient archetype. Through playful guidance, we will begin to learn how clowning lives on stage. Juggling Workshop Instructor: Cameron Prevatte 1pm-2:30pm $10 Learn how to juggle three balls as well as other ball tricks. BYOB (Bring Your Own Balls - lacrosse balls, beanbags, or tennis balls filled with sand and duct-taped recommended). Kid friendly! (Recommended 7+) Object Theater Workshop Instructor: Milissa Orzolek 3pm-5pm $10-$20 sliding scale Pre-Registration Required! Delve into the world of object theatre through a series of games and exercises geared to help us understand the stories that are hidden away in everyday objects. We will learn how to work collaboratively to develop impromptu storylines as we explore our individual relationships with personal objects. Emphasis will be placed on play and process. Puppet Fit: How to Take Care of your Body as a Puppeteer Instructor: Katie Rebich 3pm-4pm $10 Puppeteering is tough work but no need to work your body harder when you can work smarter! Learn warm-ups, cool downs, self-care, and injury prevention specifically for puppeteers. Adaptable for every body, participants can expect to do some light exercise. More details... Opening for Paperhand: The Zany Umbrella Circus presents "Beppe's Elephant" Opening for Paperhand: The Zany Umbrella Circus presents "Beppe's Elephant" Starts: 6:15 pm Ends: 6:55 pm Description: The Zany Umbrella Circus presents “Beppe’s Elephant” 6:15pm at the Forest Theater The Zany Umbrella Circus’ Benjamin Sota is an assistant professor of movement and the director of the B.F.A. Physical Theater program at Coastal Carolina University. He holds a M.F.A. in physical theater from the Academia dell'Arte school in Tuscany, Italy and a M.F.A. in directing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Ben has toured his original work with the Zany Umbrella Circus to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, NYC's Summer Stage, The White House, among others. More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... Paperhand's 20th Anniversary Bash Paperhand's 20th Anniversary Bash Starts: 9:00 pm Ends: 11:00 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s 20th Anniversary Bash Celebrating 20 years of puppetry and magic in the Triangle 9pm at The Forest Theater DJ Gemynii will spin the night away! Catered by Vimala’s Curry Blossom Café More details... Radicackalacky: Late Night Puppet Cabaret Radicackalacky: Late Night Puppet Cabaret Starts: 10:00 pm Ends: 1:00 am Location: The ArtsCenter, 300-G E Main St, Carrboro, NC 27510, USA Description: Late-Night Puppet Cabaret 10pm at The ArtsCenter Participating artists: Sol Ramirez, Zola Ramirez, Sophie Joy, Callie Waugh-Stewart, Jasper Schmoock, Cameron Prevatte, Rae Red, Katie Rebich, Miranda Elliot-Rader, Anna Wagner, Kelley Feeman, Jaclyn Bowie, Nyssa Collins, Alan Best, Nina Plocek, Ansel Dow, Adhiti Bandlamudi, Jonah Collins, Zach Foley, Mickenzie Lee, Michael Reddy, Eva Rubin, Mackenzie Volpert, Lillian Shoji, Ivan Jermyn, Peyton Smith, Mary Kate Korbisch, Donovan Zimmerman, Lyon Hill... More details... • • • • •
29 Matinee: We Are Here Matinee: We Are Here Starts: 3:00 pm Ends: 4:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 2:20 pre-show before each 3 PM matinee performance! More details... Performance: We Are Here Performance: We Are Here Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: 8:30 pm Location: The Forest Theatre, 123 S Boundary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA Description: We will be performing We Are Here at Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Pack a picnic, bring the family, and arrive early for a 6:20 pre-show before each 7 PM performance! More details... • •	30

Thank you, thank you, for making this world a better place by bringing so much joy, inspiration and creative thinking as we watched fabulous productions. All ages share this together, and that’s another bonus!

Robert and Janice
Marveling for ten years with you