Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Sigmon Theatrical present Puppet Palooza. This free, all-day celebration of puppets on Saturday, February 3, 2024. It’s ImaginOn’s first puppet festival!
It takes place at ImaginOn, 300 E 7th Street, Charlotte, North Carolina from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Shows will be running all day throughout ImaginOn, and there will be much more.
- Meet giant roving puppets
- Explore a balcony exhibit of past puppets from Children’s Theatre of Charlotte shows
- Puppet karaoke
- Make a paper bag puppet to take home
- Enjoy the puppet parade at 4:30 p.m.
Puppet Palooza Schedule
10:00-11:00 – Wells Fargo Theatre
Center for Puppetry Arts’ International Puppetry Presentation
Ages 5+
See the Global Art of Puppetry! Learn about different puppet traditions from around the world in this entertaining and interactive International Puppetry Presentation! Celebrate the intersection of geography, history, social studies, and the arts and experience the magic of puppetry through demonstrations, stories, music and more. Teaching Artist Jeff Domke from the Jim Henson Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA will be doing a presentation for all ages.
10:00-10:30 – StoryJar
Ed’s Dinosaurs Live Show
PreK+
Ed Bounds brings with him a gang of prehistoric friends including Dakota, Baby T, Little Quon and of course, those Triceratops Triplets- Trixie, Trey and Trouble. Pet a baby dinosaur, interact with a Stegosaurus, and maybe even see a dinosaur being hatched!
10:30-11:00 – Spangler Library
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Puppet Storytime
Ages 0-5
Your whole family can enjoy stories, songs, and movement activities that support early literacy skill development and help foster a love of books and reading in your child. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate. Today’s storytime will feature songs and activities with bonus puppets popping in to visit!
11:00-11:35 – The Round
The Lurnsters’ The Sing Along!
PreK+
Join The Lurnsters on a magical musical journey through the world of feelings and imagination. Sing songs, dance, and play games, and lose yourself in all the fun! The Lurnsters’ The Sing Along musical adventure is a fun-filled and heartwarming story that will teach children about the power of friendship, courage, and innovation. Smoke machine and occasional strobe lighting will be used during this performance.
11:00-12:20 – McColl Family Theatre
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s Pinocchio
Ages 6+
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte presents a new take on this classic tale. High among the scaffolding, a group of painters begin the day’s work. Using the objects around them, they bring the story of Pinocchio to life in real-time, creative fashion. Kind-hearted Geppetto carves a little puppet from wood to call his own. But Pinocchio dreams of being a “real boy” and seeks adventure unaware of the danger it brings. When he learns his papa is in trouble, Pinocchio sets his selfishness aside learning that he doesn’t need to be real to be brave. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
11:15-11:45 – Rehearsal Room B
CML Frontline Puppeteers’ Sing a Song of Friendship
PreK+
Join us for a very music-filled puppet show presented by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Frontline Puppeteers. We will focus on friendship through three hilarious stories. This is a 30-minute puppet show based on children’s picture books, geared toward children ages PreK-Gr. 2.
11:30-12:00 – McGuire Woods Boardroom
Ms. Melanie’s Frank and Betty Show
PreK+
Join Ms. Melanie for a family puppet show filled with laughs and literacy on trying your best! Best friends, Frank and Betty are learning about failure and effort in a hilarious show for all ages.
12:15-1:00 – Spangler Library
Grey Seal Puppets’ Tangle of Tales
PreK+
Three favorite folks tales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, “The Frog Prince” from Germany, “Three Billy Goats Gruff” from Scandinavia and “The Three Little Pigs” from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. In between each of the tales there’s a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. A skinny ant dances a lively jig; “block heads” learn how to get along; and the zaniest creatures of all, the “Wobblies”, open the forty-five minute performance with an extraordinary ballet choreographed to Kablevsky’s “The Comedian’s Suite”. Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone!
12:45-1:15 – Wells Fargo Playhouse
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s The Lion and the Little Red Bird
PreK+
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is reviving its popular preschool puppet show for today’s festival and making it free to the public. This delightful play tells the story of an inquisitive bird and a compassionate lion, an unlikely friendship to say the least. Why does Lion’s tail keep changing colors? Little Red Bird’s curiosity is piqued, and she sets out to unravel the mystery! Preschoolers will love this charming story, told with a mix of actors and puppets.
12:45-1:45 – Rehearsal Room B
Jeghetto’s Workshop
PreK+
Bring family and friends to enjoy a magical and interactive live performance while learning the art, history, and mechanics of puppetry from teaching artist Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins. Pipkins is master builder and puppeteer residing in North Carolina and his puppets are made of mostly found and recycled materials.
1:00-1:30 – McGuire Woods Boardroom
Ms. Melanie’s Frank and Betty Show
PreK+
Join Ms. Melanie for a family puppet show filled with laughs and literacy on trying your best! Best friends, Frank and Betty are learning about failure and effort in a hilarious show for all ages.
1:30-2:00 – StoryJar
Ed’s Dinosaurs Live Show
PreK+
Ed Bounds brings with him a gang of prehistoric friends including Dakota, Baby T, Little Quon and of course, those Triceratops Triplets- Trixie, Trey and Trouble. Pet a baby dinosaur, interact with a Stegosaurus, and maybe even see a dinosaur being hatched!
2:00-2:45 – Spangler Library
Grey Seal Puppets’ Tangle of Tales
PreK+
Three favorite folks tales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, “The Frog Prince” from Germany, “Three Billy Goats Gruff” from Scandinavia and “The Three Little Pigs” from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. In between each of the tales there’s a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. A skinny ant dances a lively jig; “block heads” learn how to get along; and the zaniest creatures of all, the “Wobblies”, open the forty-five minute performance with an extraordinary ballet choreographed to Kablevsky’s “The Comedian’s Suite”. Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone!
2:15-3:00 – McGuire Woods Boardroom
Meet a Master Puppet Builder
Ages 12+
Join us for a 45-minute presentation for older children and adults where Magda Guichard, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s Master Puppet Builder, will highlight some of her favorite puppet creations that have graced the stage here at ImaginOn, including Rupert the Dragon from The Reluctant Dragon, the Gingerbread Man and Petunia the Dragon from Shrek, Aslan from Narnia the Musical, the Pigeon from Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and many others. She will discuss materials and process, reveal early prototypes and plans, allow attendees to handle samples, and answer any remaining questions about becoming a Master Puppet Builder.
2:30-3:10 – Wells Fargo Playhouse
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s The Lion and the Little Red Bird
PreK+
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is reviving its popular preschool puppet show for today’s festival and making it free to the public. This delightful play tells the story of an inquisitive bird and a compassionate lion, an unlikely friendship to say the least. Why does Lion’s tail keep changing colors? Little Red Bird’s curiosity is piqued, and she sets out to unravel the mystery! Preschoolers will love this charming story, told with a mix of actors and puppets.
2:45-3:20 – The Round
The Lurnsters’ The Sing Along!
PreK+
Join The Lurnsters on a magical musical journey through the world of feelings and imagination. Sing songs, dance, and play games, and lose yourself in all the fun! The Lurnsters’ The Sing Along musical adventure is a fun-filled and heartwarming story that will teach children about the power of friendship, courage, and innovation. Smoke machine and occasional strobe lighting will be used during this performance.
3:00-3:30 — Rehearsal Room B
CML Frontline Puppeteers “Sing a Song of Friendship”
PreK+
Join us for a very music-filled puppet show presented by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Frontline Puppeteers. We will focus on friendship through three hilarious stories. This is a 30-minute puppet show based on children’s picture books, geared toward children ages PreK-Gr. 2.
3:00-4:20 – McColl Family Theatre
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte’s Pinocchio
Ages 6+
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte presents a new take on this classic tale. High among the scaffolding, a group of painters begin the day’s work. Using the objects around them, they bring the story of Pinocchio to life in real-time, creative fashion. Kind-hearted Geppetto carves a little puppet from wood to call his own. But Pinocchio dreams of being a “real boy” and seeks adventure unaware of the danger it brings. When he learns his papa is in trouble, Pinocchio sets his selfishness aside learning that he doesn’t need to be real to be brave. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
3:45-4:30 – Spangler Library
Puppet Karaoke
Ages 5+
This fun, inclusive activity will be facilitated by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Frontline Puppeteers and will be an opportunity for children (and adults) at the festival to take the “stage” with their puppet of choice and let their inner rock star out to a variety of Kids’ Bop, Motown, and Disney classics. It’s a great opportunity to learn and practice basic puppetry skills like mouth manipulation and expressive movement of puppets.
4:30 – ImaginOn
Puppet Parade
All Ages
Participating puppetry troops from the day will line up at the top of the ImaginOn ramp and conduct a puppet parade throughout the building, led by Sigmon Theatrical’s entertainers. PuppetPalooza participants will have the experience to interact and take photos galore to celebrate the end of the festival day.
Charlotte on the Cheap is a member of 
