Puppetry Arts
Inspiring creativity, engineering, sustainability and mindfulness through the art of puppetry!
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Upcoming Performances
11:00 am • 2:00 pm
BLOOM!
May 16 – 17
BLOOM! is an immersive sensory adventure where you’ll meet mystical creatures, discover the wonders of plants, listen to the sounds of the landscape and play alongside curious gnomes. Join Laurel the Fairy in this flowering forest and tune in to the magic of your senses.
Accessibility note: With gentle sensory engagement and flexible participation, this experience is designed to welcome children with sensory sensitivities and diverse needs.
11:00 am • 2:00 pm
Earth Songs
June 13 – 14
Oceans, forests, skies, and giant puppets oh my! Learn about the biomes of our Earth, the animals that live there and dance along to this large scale show with puppets tall and small. Nurture your curiosity about ecology and the beautiful balance of nature as we rejoice in the harmony that surrounds us!
11:00 am • 2:00 pm
Long Island Sounds
An Underwater Puppet Show
July 11 – 12
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 we can protect the environment.
*All puppet programs, shows and events are included with the price of museum admission.
Out of A Blog Puppetry
What Is Mindfulness and How Can Puppetry Help Children Practice It?
T.J. Jacobs
4 min read
April 6, 2026
Maybe it is the way they watch a piece of fabric ripple like water. Maybe it is how they reach out to touch a puppet, or take a deep breath without being asked...
Read This ArticleWhat Is Mindfulness and How Can Puppetry Help Children Practice It?
T.J. Jacobs
4 min read
April 6, 2026
Maybe it is the way they watch a piece of fabric ripple like water. Maybe it is how they reach out to touch a puppet, or take a deep breath without being asked...
Continue ReadingPuppetry in Practice: Process Behind Lighting the Way
TJ Jacobs
3 min read
March 19, 2026
In Lighting the Way, we follow an eight year old girl, a book loving dog, an adventurous bird, and a goofy ladybug as they set out on an expedition to Mount Everest to collect star shine to power a doghouse...
Continue Reading
Honoring the Legacy of Mister Punch
TJ Jacobs
6 min read
March 2, 2026
Think of a puppet show. What images or sounds arise? Some may imagine a humble frog or an exquisitely dressed pig. Others picture eerie marionettes on strings...
Continue Reading
Puppetry in Practice: Shapes & Colors
T.J. Jacobs
5 min read
April 16, 2026
Red. Blue. Yellow. Circles. Squares. Triangles. All the tones between. All the lines between...
Continue ReadingWhat Is Mindfulness and How Can Puppetry Help Children Practice It?
T.J. Jacobs
4 min read
April 6, 2026
Maybe it is the way they watch a piece of fabric ripple like water. Maybe it is how they reach out to touch a puppet, or take a deep breath without being asked...
Continue ReadingPuppetry in Practice: Process Behind Lighting the Way
TJ Jacobs
3 min read
March 19, 2026
In Lighting the Way, we follow an eight year old girl, a book loving dog, an adventurous bird, and a goofy ladybug as they set out on an expedition to Mount Everest to collect star shine to power a doghouse...
Continue ReadingPuppet Photo Wall
Meet Out of A Box Puppetry
Puppeteer
TJ Jacobs (he/him) is a professional puppeteer, director, teaching artist, and meditation instructor based in Connecticut. He studied Theatre, education, acting/directing, design/technology and musical theatre with honors at Rowan University.
He directs, designs and performs our puppet productions and Puppet Place programs. Along with managing the Out of A Box Puppetry team, TJ’s day-to-day includes coming up with new productions, workshops, exhibitions and interactive experiences.
Outside of Stepping Stones, TJ is the Vice President of Puppeteers of America, the newsletter editor for the Connecticut Puppetry Guild, and founder of Basically Good Puppet Theatre, which travels throughout the east coast, doing performances, making puppets, and offering meditation courses. TJ specializes in dharma art, mindfulness meditation [Certified by Dharma Moon + Tibet House], and cardboard butchery.
Fabricator
Kaz Grigg (he/him) 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.
Performer
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!”
Performer
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.
Volunteer Opportunities
At Out of a Box Puppetry here at Stepping Stones, we develop original productions, workshops, interactive experiences and exhibits – and we need your help! We’re seeking passionate volunteers from diverse backgrounds who love to design, experiment, build and bring stories to life through hands-on puppet-making and performance.
Out of a Box Puppetry is dedicated to the education and development of its staff and volunteers, in order to cultivate sustainable, ethical and mindful puppet artists who deliver exemplary service to museum visitors.
Exploration of Puppetry Styles
Participants gain hands-on experience with various puppetry forms (shadow, string, rod, hand), building confidence, adaptability and problem-solving skills for effective storytelling. Out of a Box Puppetry is responsible for the creation of unique deliverables each week for puppetry programs, pop-up experiences and main stage productions.
Puppet Design and Craftsmanship
Through sculpting, sewing and patterning, participants develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness and creative expression while learning the full construction process of puppets.
Teamwork and Production Skills
Participants strengthen collaboration, time management and organizational abilities by working with a production team and supporting the preparation and performance of puppet shows.