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Inspiring creativity, engineering, sustainability and mindfulness through the art of puppetry!
Shapes and Colors is an abstract expressionist puppetry performance designed to engage children in the principles of design, movement, and artistic experimentation. Using bold, giant shapes, dynamic choreography, real-time video projection, and jazz-infused soundscapes, this performance immerses children in a world of art in motion.
Long Island Sounds is an immersive puppetry experience that uses found-object puppets to explore the ecology of the Long Island Sound. Performed in a water-filled fish tank and projected onto a large screen, this show highlights native marine life, the dangers of pollution, and how they can protect the environment.
Campfire Shadows immerses audiences in a multi-screen shadow puppet performance replicating the imaginative storytelling of a child listening to tales around a campfire. Using three distinct styles of shadow puppetry, each screen presents a different vignette exploring the natural world.
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An explosion of puppets tall, small, and otherwise! Dancing giraffes, lion dentistry, juggling whales, and much more come together for a unique live theatrical experience.
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On a chilly spring morning, a young girl plants six lima beans in a vacant lot. From this small gesture in hopes of connecting with her father, a community garden flourishes! Friendships form, prejudices are dissolved and hearts are healed. Witness the classic book by Paul Fleischman brought to life with puppetry, voice actors, and original music.
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A young mapmaker sets out on a voyage to unchartered waters, falling overboard into strange seas. Will he end the Terror of the Big Stinky Fish or be transformed into an uncanny creature himself! Silliness and Suspense brought to audiences through a variety of intersecting styles of puppetry!
Stepping Stones is a vital “third space” providing children with a safe, inclusive environment to learn and build literacy skills in the landscape that exists between school and home.
Uncover their own capabilities and interests, and discover they can use their voices to contribute to their communities and improve the world around them.
Become lifelong learners and build confidence, social-emotional skills and the resiliency needed to overcome challenges.
Learn critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and teamwork that will help them become innovators and leaders in adulthood.
Develop a sense of stewardship and agency for the environment.
Enter a wacky, whimsical (and somewhat warped) time machine to meet resident paleontologists that introduce lead dinosaur, Dolly Dilophosaurus and her amazing family and friends.
Experience a free fall of family fun in this kid-powered television network featuring a live green screen and video feed along with a variety of costumes and props.
Get busy, get wet and get energized at Energy Lab®, a multi-storied trek into the Earth's layers and systems to investigate the ENERGY that all living things need and use.
TJ Jacobs (he/him) is a professional puppeteer, teaching artist, and meditation teacher based in the northeast region of the United States. He studied Theatre, education, acting/directing, design/technology, and musical theatre with honors at Rowan University.
He directs, designs, and performs our puppet productions andPuppet Place programs. Along with managing the Puppet Lab team, TJ’s day-to-day includes coming up with new productions, workshops, exhibitions, and interactive experiences.
Outside of Stepping Stones, TJ is the founder of BasicallyGood Puppet Theatre, which travels throughout the east coast, doing performances and meditation courses. TJ specializes in dharma art, mindfulness meditation [Certified by Dharma Moon + Tibet House], and cardboard butchery.
Kaz Grigg (he/him) is the Museum Puppetry Arts Fabricator. That means he builds puppets, sets, and props for all the puppet shows at the museum. Kaz is most interested in the technical and engineering aspects of puppetry.
He likes to go down little rabbit holes and collect apparently random techniques to apply to our puppets in novel and interesting ways.
Riley Zappala(he/him/his) is a professional performer, puppeteer and is the mascot lead, bringing our Storytellers to life.
He grew up as a navy kid, traveling coast to coast with his family, gaining skills and knowledge to engineer in abstract, out of the box ways.
His favorite part of creating art is when people say “wow!”
Ava Sabloff (she/her) is a Museum Puppeteer at Stepping Stones Museum for Children. She works in both puppet making and puppet performance. Her favorite part of puppet making is painting, she loves adding little details that make her laugh. When performing, she likes meeting visitors in character after the show.
Outside of the museum, she is a student, studying the arts and psychology. She would like to be an art therapist someday.
Open daily: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Mathews Park
303 West Avenue
Norwalk, Connecticut 06850
203 899 0606
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