What is Youth Puppet Club?
Puppets a la Carte’s youth puppet club is recommended for kids from 6-18. We meet once a month to play with puppets, practice puppeteering skills, learn about puppet traditions around the world, and express ourselves creatively. Members have the opportunity to perform in our yearly fall show that alternates between Halloween and Día de los Muertos. We also go on at least one field trip a year. Throughout the year we play with a variety of puppets (e.g. object puppets, paper puppets, doll puppets, marionettes, hand and rod puppets, shadow puppets, black light puppets, etc.)
Puppets a la Carte strives to engage the imagination through child led improvisation. Our program offers lots of opportunity for problem solving, team work, and individual expression.
Members receive a discount on summer camp. Membership is $125/year or $50 per trimester.
Puppet play dates meet from 3:00-4:30 and may take place at any of the following venues: Andulka Park (Chicago Ave. 92506), Home of the puppets (92506), RStudios (3737 Main Street, 92501)
This coming year we will be exploring our theme of A Journey with Puppets through exploration of: Home, Community, Migration Adventure, Welcoming. As always, we will learn about puppets from around the world, practice our puppeteering skills, find our voices, and show off our skills.
In addition to once a month meetings, children who wish to perform in our Day of the Dead show will have rehearsal more frequently in September and October.
Tentative Itinerary:
For Club members only
Free to Public
Service Project
WINTER & SPRING : Skills Building (technique, story-telling, meaning making, purpose)
January
1/14 Puppet Playdate: Introduction to Journey with Puppet.
Journey focus: HOME
Puppet Movie Night
February
2/11 Puppet Playdate: Journey focus: COMMUNITY
Tentative First Sundays (Creatures of Comfort): Lunar New Year: Running of the Giant Dragon Puppet
March
3/10 Puppet Playdate: Journey focus: MIGRATION
Field Trip to Bob Baker Marionette Theater (fyi World Puppetry Day, March 12)
Tentative First Sundays (Creatures of Comfort): Dog & Cat Show with marionettes
April
4/14 Puppet Playdate: Journey focus: ADVENTURE
Tentative First Sundays (Creatures of Comfort): Earth Day, celebrate animals of the earth.
May
5/19 Puppet Playdate: Journey focus: WELCOMING
Tentative First Sundays (Creatures of Comfort): Petting Zoo & Sensory Experience
Puppet Movie Night
May 13 – Great American Clean Up
SUMMER : Camps
June
(dates tbd) 5 day SUMMER CAMP – discount and priority for club members
(1 week for ages 7-10, 1 week for 11-14) (weekend intensive 15 and up)
SUMMER CAMP – open enrollment
July
SUMMER BREAK
August
8/11 10-3, DAY CAMP Vietnamese Water Puppetry/Pool Party for families
Free PALC production/workshop/open house (sign up kids for Fall programming)
FALL/WINTER : Show Time
September
9/8 Puppet Play Date: Day of the Dead
Field Trip: (TBD)
Begin rehearsing Day of the Dead Show (dates tbd)
Arts Walk – Marionettes
Puppet Movie Night
October
Rehearse Day of the Dead Show (dates tbd)
November
11/3 Perform Day of the Dead Show
December
12/8 End of year party – puppet lantern making
Festival of Lights Puppet Lantern Walk
2023-2024 Membership:
Yearly Membership: $125 for first child, $100 for additional sibling
You may choose to pay per tri-mester
January – April = $50
May – August = $50
September – December = $50