Thursdays, September 11 – November 20 from 7-9 PM at the Painted Bride Arts Center.

Suitcases contain vast possibilities for metaphor and imagination, not to mention making snazzy self-contained theater spaces. Whether unpacking personal history, sharing tales of adventure, homecoming or escape, or illustrating what we carry- this old school theatrical device is rife with story-telling potential. Participants will learn several methods for transforming a suitcase into a puppet stage, including shadow puppetry, hand-and-rod puppets and cardboard/papiermache sculpting techniques. With support from Beth Nixon, participants will create a narrative, sound-scape or script, design and build sets and puppets inside their own suitcases, and receive coaching on the performance of their pieces.

Selected participants will have the opportunity to share their finished work with an audience either as part of The First Person Festival of Memoir and Documentary Art on Nov. 13th.

No previous theater or sculpture experience required.

Participants must provide their own suitcases, all other materials and tools provided.

Cost: $360 Enroll here!

Class size limited to 12

Beth Nixon is a puppeteer and the founder of Ramshackle Enterprises (www.ramshackleenterprises.net) She writes, builds, and performs her own puppet shows, ranging from suitcase theaters to massive spectacles. She lives in West Philly but travels frequently to work with groups of children and adults toward the creation of parades, pageants, and community performances. She is a 2008 recipient of the Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts Award and is a First Person Arts Artist-in-Residence.