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national puppetry conference

The National Puppetry Conference provides a meeting and creating ground for master artisans to pass their craft and ingenuity to new artists in the field of puppetry.

Application Dates

Pre Conference

2026 Dates Coming Soon!

Main Conference

2026 Dates Coming Soon!

January 21 - February 4

Each June, puppeteers gather from across the globe to create works that defy the bounds of contemporary theater and the imagination at the National Puppetry Conference. Participants collaborate with renowned directors, puppet artists, and playwrights to develop foundational skills and devise innovative productions conceived by guest artists, as well as presentations initiated by the Conference participants. The National Puppetry Conference encourages artists to create and communicate through the visual and kinetic form of the puppet, to push beyond preconceived boundaries, and develop new innovative works of puppet theater.

Every year, the National Puppetry Conference begins with a four-day-long Pre Conference, which is perfect for artists who are new to the world of puppetry or the O’Neill, as well as working artists who are looking to add skills to their toolbox. The Pre Conference is followed by the full ten-day Main Conference, which culminates in a public sharing of the pieces created and skills learned throughout the week. In both the Pre and Main Conference, participants elect to take a course, or Strand, based on their interests or areas in which they would like to grow as puppeteers. Strands are taught by an incredible roster of world-renowned artists who are experts in their field. For more information on our 2026 Strands and faculty, please see below.

​The 2026 National Puppetry Conference requests the following materials:

 

  • Contact and Demographic Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address, as well as information regarding housing and dietary considerations.

  • Resume (PDF): This must include your contact information, current occupation, work history, education, and contact information for two references saved as a PDF file.

  • Headshot (JPG): This must be a recent photo saved as a JPEG file.

  • Artistic Statement (PDF): You will be asked to provide a response to the following three questions: 1) Are you a practicing puppeteer? 2) How do you plan to contribute to the Conference community? 3) In 500 words or less, what is your mini-manifesto on puppetry? 

  • Additional Materials: Some strands require additional information. Please review the application guides below or refer to the directions in the application. 

  • Scholarship Information: If interested and eligible, you will be asked to rank the scholarships in order of applicability and provide some information regarding your current financial situation. If necessary, we highly encourage all applicants to apply. Most applicants are awarded even a small amount of scholarships. Only Main Conference participants are eligible to apply. All applicants are highly encouraged to seek outside funding support as scholarship through the O'Neill is limited.

  • Admin Fee: The administrative fee for the National Puppetry Conference is $15. A limited number of fee waivers on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to request a fee wavier, please complete this short request form before you begin your application.

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The O'Neill values the health and safety of all our artists, participants, staff, and volunteers. All will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test to the Company Manager within 24 hours before their arrival on campus. Those who do not submit their test prior to arrival will be given rapid antigen tested on-site for a fee of $25.00 per test.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Company Management team at companymanager@theoneill.org.

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If you are interested in applying for the Conference, we welcome you to review our general and strand-specific application guides for preview of the process:

Tuition Information 2025 (UPDATES FOR 2026 COMING SOON!)

  • Pre-Conference: $700 per strand, including room and board.

  • Main Conference: $1,350 per strand, including room and board.

    • EXCEPTIONS: 

      • Tuition is waived for the Emerging Artist strand [room and board is $500].

      • Resident Company strand is $750.

      • Music Composition for Puppetry strand is $500.

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Additional Materials Fees ($125) Required for:

  • Marionette Construction

  • Marionette Performance

  • Everything You Wanted to Learn About Mechs and Then Some

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Refund Policy

Should you not be able to attend the Conference, the O'Neill will refund half of your total paid cost, minus any non-refundable deposits if the request is made prior to May 15, 2026. The O'Neill is unable to offer refunds requested after May 15, 2026.

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Scholarship Information 2025 (UPDATES FOR 2026 COMING SOON!)

Please note that only Main Conference participants are eligible for scholarships. If you wish to be considered for a scholarship, you will be able to do so through the general application form for the National Puppetry Conference. Please read on for a full description of each one.

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Jim Rose Memorial ScholarshipThis scholarship honors Jim Rose, one of the great marionette masters, beloved Conference mentor, and son of Margo & Rufus Rose. This scholarship is awarded to puppeteers who have a special interest in marionette construction and manipulation.​

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Allelu Kurten Generous Spirit Scholarship

Please help us honor the memory of the one and only Allelu Kurten with a donation to the "Generous Spirit Scholarship" that has been created in her memory. All Main Conference participants are eligible.

 

Lisa Simon Scholarship

On April 4, 2015, we lost a dear friend in Lisa Simon, longtime producer and director on Sesame Street, on her 64th birthday. Winner of 20 Emmys over a career spanning four decades, Lisa started with a summer job as a file clerk and a caretaker for children who appeared on the show during the early days and rose to supervising producer/director of Sesame Street. She directed shows for Between the Lions, Oobi and many humanitarian outreach projects. The Lisa Simon scholarship is awarded to a female director whose work is currently or is growing in the puppet arts.

 

Jerry Nelson Scholarship

This scholarship honors one of the great character puppeteers, Jerry Nelson, and is awarded to puppeteers who have a special interest in character and vocal development of puppet performances.

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Caroll Spinney ScholarshipThis scholarship honors Caroll Spinney and Big Bird. It is awarded to participants who are great at storytelling and endearing performances, as Carroll was.​

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Joe Raposo Composers Scholarship

This scholarship honors the genius of composer and songwriter Joe Raposo, who created some of the most iconic moments in the history of the intersection of music and puppetry. All accepted composers will be considered for this scholarship.   

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Eric Engelhardt Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship honors puppeteer and puppet builder Eric Engelhardt. When Eric first participated in the Puppetry Conference in 1996, he was a sculptor, musician, and new-ish puppet builder at the Jim Henson Company, but did not have much previous puppeteering experience. That year, he performed in guest artist Larry Hunt’s ensemble, created his first participant puppet piece called "Redstone", and created the musical score for and puppeteered in Ronald Binion’s first incarnation of “The Alien Cow Puppet Show.” He returned the following summer to work again as an ensemble member in Jon Ludwig’s “Home” and performed in more participant projects. These two summers at the O’Neill contributed to Eric’s decade-long New York career as a puppet builder and table-top team puppeteer in TV and theater. An individual suitable for the Eric Engelhardt memorial scholarship has professional experience or is well-versed in another or many other art forms, but has had limited or nontraditional exposure and training in the art of puppetry. In addition to his or her original reason for attending the conference, the participant will also be required to create their own participant piece or have a major contributing role in another participant’s project. Flock Theatre is the fiscal sponsor of this award.

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Adam Kreutinger Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded in honor of the memory of everyone's favorite "Puppet Nerd".

 

Alumni Grants

Alumni Grants are awarded to returning participants who display a desire to retool their thinking about their work in the art of puppetry. These artists display a strong desire to learn new skills or challenge themselves in unconventional ways thus bringing a newly invigorated desire for growth to the conference and to themselves. The Alumni Grants began through the efforts of alumna Honey Goodenough, the Conference indebted to this ardent artist and all who helped her to support this grassroots effort.

 

Connecticut Guild of Puppetry Scholarship in honor of Margo Rose

Given by the Connecticut Guild of Puppetry. Margo Rose was one of American Puppetry's pioneers, with over 60 years of contributions to the field. In 1931, Margo, with her husband Rufus, started the Rufus Rose Marionettes. They were founding members of the Puppeteers of America and organized the first festival in 1937. Rufus and Margo are perhaps best known for giving life to the marionettes of the popular television program Howdy Doody. The couple went on to win a Peabody Award for the best children's program for their series The Blue Fairy. In addition, Margo was a founding member of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in 1964 and one of the founders of the National Puppetry Conference at the O'Neill in 1991. All Main Conference participants are eligible.

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Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship

The Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship is intended to build and promote the community of historically marginalized puppeteers in this country. Past recipients have gone on to join the casts of many well known television and Broadway shows, as well as create and perform their own small works of puppet theater. All are encouraged to apply with passion.

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O'Neill Puppetry Conference Grant, courtesy of National Capital Puppetry Guild

​The O'Neill Conference Grant is offered to guild members under the age of thirty who are accepted by the conference for first-time attendance. It is a need-based, partial scholarship designed to offset a participant's expenses while there. Application is open to all members in good standing of the NCPG. Applicants must apply directly to National Capital Puppetry Guild for consideration.

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All gifts toward puppetry scholarships are appreciated and go directly to support the next generation of puppetry artists. Click here to make a donation, or contact development@theoneill.org for more information.

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Writing for Puppets: A Workshop in Three Acts with Liz Hara

We’re going to run this workshop like a television writers room! Using three act structure, we will develop your ideas from concept to outline. We’ll learn story structure, character development, and why there’s no such thing as a good idea. We’ll also discuss the challenges and opportunities in writing for different styles of puppetry. Come prepared to write, collaborate, and eat snacks (the best part of any writers room).

 

Everything You Wanted to Learn About Mechs and Then Some! with Jim Kroupa

Mechanism class participants will learn all of Jim's secrets. (Both of them!) From hands-on examples of various mechanisms to materials and where to get them, all participants will experience the road to mechanical bliss, using Jim’s “keep it simple” approach. Minimal effort for maximum results! All attending participants should have basic small tool experience. BONUS: Everyone goes home with a working mechanism they built themselves! And stories… lots and lots of stories!​

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Puppets, Storytelling, Healing in a Humanitarian Context: The Power of Puppetry with Lisa Buckley

Participants will explore the power of puppetry in the humanitarian world.

We will discuss the psychological and social benefits of puppetry as a powerful tool in delivering life-saving messaging. Be ready to move, play, and create puppets (e.g. sock, shadow, tabletop) from cardboard, paper, fabric, and recyclables. We will use our puppet characters to write stories and create skits, focusing on sensitive subject matter, such as peacebuilding, nutrition, menstrual health, open defecation, and more! All building materials will be supplied. All puppet building abilities are welcome.

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Puppet Video Bootcamp: A Short-Form Filmed Pupped Content Creation Course with Tim Lagasse and Martin P. Robinson

​Martin P.Robinson and Tim Lagasse, two masters of filmed puppetry, will give you the tools you need to make your online puppetry content better. You’ll work on creating that content—including story, technique, puppet creation, and all the fussy technical stuff—all the way from start to finish. Students will use their own smartphones to make as many GOOD TikTok and Insta posts as they can. Please note that selected participants will meet a few weeks before the Pre Conference begins over Zoom so they (and we) can be as prepared as possible.​

​Marionette Construction with Kurt Hunter

The workshop offers a thorough examination of marionette design, layout, and construction methods for the creation of a new marionette. Participants will have the opportunity to design, build and string a complete marionette working from supplied patterns and materials including wood, rigid foam, and paper mache. The patterns will be modified as necessary for each participant’s design. Basic marionette manipulation will also be covered and additional construction and stringing methods will be demonstrated. Participants should bring black performance clothes. Materials and tools will be supplied, but a list of optional tools to bring will be sent out prior to the Conference.

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Small Things, Big Era: Object Documentary Theater with Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre with Teresa Teng Teng Lam and Kevin U Ieong Chio (Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre)

​What if objects could speak? What if the smallest moments in life held the largest truths? And what stories might they tell if we learned to listen? In this creative laboratory, we will explore how everyday objects and fleeting moments can become gateways into memory, narrative, and meaning—connecting the intimate with the universal, the real with the imagined. By sharing their creative methods for making Object Documentary theater, Teng Teng and Kevin will facilitate a journey to uncover the power of personal history, exploring the performativity of objects and puppets through individual, local, and cultural symbols, discovering and synthesizing stories that speak to who we are. Come with your curiosity. Ahead of our time together, you’ll receive an invitation to bring personal objects—or a written fragment—that holds a story, guided by a shared theme. 

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The Worm Circus with Alex and Olmsted

​​From the heartbreakingly beautiful, to the comically absurd, to impossible feats of skill and wonder, circus contains the human experience at its most magnified. Participants will join Alex and Olmsted in creating original short-form puppetry acts for a Worm Circus. With a strong focus on storytelling, clear manipulation, and virtuosity through simplicity, we will work collaboratively to hone skills that can be applied to further creation of new work. Essentializing the puppet to a single line (the humble worm), our goal is to explore the possibilities of expression and intention without relying on faces, limbs, or other humanoid features. Rod puppetry will be the primary style. Though the structure of the work will be circus, the focus of this strand is puppetry and engaging storytelling. Participants are not required to have a circus arts background, and human circus skills will not be on display.

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Music Composition for Puppetry with William Wright

The National Puppetry Conference offers an unparalleled residency for composers, merging the worlds of music, storytelling, and puppetry. Over an immersive week, Music Composition for Puppetry Residents will collaborate directly with puppeteers and theater makers, crafting soundtracks, scores, or musical accents—either live or recorded—for original performances developed during the conference. Composers will dive into the heart of collaboration, working closely with individual artists to shape and enhance their storytelling through music. This experience is ideal for composers interested in scoring for theater or film, particularly those with a strong background in performance and improvisation, as well as an openness to exploring diverse musical styles and genres. Throughout the week, Residents will refine their collaborative skills in composition and live performance and gain valuable insights into the art of composing in a professional theater setting. Beyond the creative challenges, the conference provides a unique opportunity to network with an international community of puppetry artists, composers, and theater professionals. Whether you’re looking to expand your compositional toolkit, explore new modes of storytelling, or forge meaningful professional connections, this residency is designed to transform your approach to music composition, collaboration and performance.

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Emerging Artist Strand

The Emerging Artist strand identifies participants who are at a critical juncture in their careers as puppet artists; who are at a place in their lives where working intensely on a particular project or aspect of their work could lead to important breakthroughs. Those artists may apply to the program, describing in detail what their work during the Conference is likely to be and how they will work with mentors in writing and directing, as well as other artists from the Conference staff as needed, to achieve their project goals. Emerging Artists are given the option of showing the results of their work during the public performances that conclude the Conference. Please note that only alumni of the National Puppetry Conference are eligible to apply.

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Resident Company with Jane Martineau

Resident Company members will be supporting the work of the Emerging Artists to develop their projects by working under their direction for the majority of the main conference day. Resident Company Members will also be allowed to create Participant Projects in the evening. While this role takes place during the main conference, you may also attend the pre-conference as a participant.

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Pam Arciero, Artistic Director of the National Puppetry Conference

Pam Arciero is a principal puppeteer with Sesame Street, performing numerous characters, most notably Grundgetta Grouch. She has worked on many adult and children's programs including Between the Lions, Blue's Clues Blue's Room, Chappell's Show, Allegra's Window, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, TV Funhouse, Oobi, Eureeka's Castle and The Great Space Coaster. She has performed in many commercials and films, including Zappos, Fuze, Angel Soft, Sundance Myths, Sundance Film Festival; Extreme Measures, Little Monsters, and Follow That Bird.

 

As a stage director, she directed Iftah Ya Simsim-Sesame Street Saudi Arabia, Sesame Live Shows for Sesame Place, Beaches Turks and Caicos, Beaches Jamaica, Port Adventura, Barcelona, Spain; Sea World Orlando; Play with Me Sesame Live, US tours; and Disney's Wahoo Wagon at the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles. Pam directed the film Whiskey Neat, and she has also directed Between the Lions and Oobi for television.

 

She has taught for the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, the University of Hawaii, Sesame Street International; South Africa; remotely for Afghanistan and Bangladesh, Taipei National University of the Arts, the University of Connecticut, and California State University, Fresno. Pam holds a BA in Dance and Drama from the University of Hawaii and a MA in Puppetry from the University of Connecticut.

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Additional Staff members to be announced in the new year!

We’ve provided a list of frequently asked questions for your convenience. If your question isn’t answered here, please reach out to the literary office us at litoffice@theoneill.org.

 

If I’ve been to the National Puppetry Conference before, do I have to apply again?

Yes! A completed online universal application is always required.

 

Can I apply for both Pre Conference and Main Conference strands?

Yes!

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If I've previously participated in a strand, am I eligible to apply for it again this year? (Or: Can I take "Mechs with Jim Kroupa" again?) 

Absolutely. There is no limit on the number of times you can participate in a strand. Please note that you must reapply with a complete application each year.

 

Is it possible to apply for the Emerging Artist strand with a co-lead artist? How do we make this clear on the application form? Do we need to submit two applications?  

You are welcome to apply for the Emerging Artist strand with a co-lead artist. You will need to designate one collaborator to be the initial "point of contact" with the O'Neill, and that person will need to fill out one standard application form for the Puppetry Conference, including their full name and contact information. In the PDF of your "Emerging Artist Project Proposal," you must include the name and contact information for your co-lead artist. Where the application form requests a PDF of your "Headshot," "Resume," and "Artist Statement," you will simply upload one PDF of each per collaborator. Please note that only the designated "point of contact" will receive an application confirmation email and any subsequent application status updates. Please also note that, if selected to participate in the Conference, both artists will be issued a room and board fee. 

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Is there a fee to apply for the conference?

Yes. The administrative fee for the National Puppetry Conference is $15.00 USD.

 

You will be guided through the payment process step-by-step as you finalize your online application. We are glad to accept both debit and credit cards, but we are no longer able to accept checks by mail. 


A limited number of fee waivers on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to request a fee waiver, please complete this short request form before you begin your application.

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How do I apply for scholarships? 

Scholarship application details are included on the general application form for the National Puppetry Conference. Please note that only MAIN CONFERENCE participants are eligible for scholarships. If you are only attending the Pre Conference, you are ineligible for scholarships. 

 

If I'm selected to attend the conference, will the O'Neill provide housing?

Yes. Conference participants will be provided with dormitory-style housing in double or single rooms. All rooms include beds, desks, dressers, and closets. Community bathrooms, private bathrooms, and shower rooms are available. 

 

Are meals provided? And can dietary restrictions be accommodated? 

Yes. Three meals a day are served on-site by our resident chefs. Special consideration is given to accommodate dietary restrictions, and all applicants are asked to provide their dietary restrictions in our application form. The O'Neill cafeteria offers continual access to snacks and beverages throughout the day and into the evening.

 

Does the O'Neill cover travel or provide transportation to the National Puppetry Conference? 

The O'Neill is unable to cover the cost of your travel to the National Puppetry Conference. 

 

Where are the nearest airports to the O'Neill? 

The O'Neill campus is located in Waterford, CT. If you are flying into the area, the nearest airports are Providence International Airport (PVD) and Hartford-Bradley Airport (BDL). We are able to arrange transportation from the airport to the O'Neill. Please reach out to the Company Management team at companymanager@theoneill.org to schedule a pickup. 

 

If I'm selected to attend, could I drive to the O'Neill campus? Is parking available on-site? 

Yes. Please reach out to our Company Management team at companymanager@theoneill.org. They will provide you with a parking pass upon arrival.

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What have previous Conference participants gone on to achieve in the field? 

Past conference participants have gone on to work in such venues as HERE Arts Center, Dixon Place, La MaMa, Redmoon, The Puppet Showplace, The Sandglass Theatre, Trouble Puppet, The Center for Puppetry Arts, Zeum, Automata Theater. Their work has also been seen in commercials; in films such as Being John Malkovich, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The Muppets; and on television, including Sesame Street, Between the Lions, Saturday Night Live, and Bear in the Big Blue House. On the global stage, our puppeteers have gone on to produce and perform in shows in Afghanistan, Iran, Australia, Scotland, India, Uganda, and China.

Puppetry has been woven into the very fabric of the O’Neill since its founding in 1964. The O’Neill's National Puppetry Conference was established in by key founding members Jane Henson, George Latshaw, Richard Termine, Bobbi Nidzgorski, Bart P. Roccoberton Jr., and Jim and Margo Rose and is dedicated to the legacies of Bill Baird, Jim Henson, Rufus and Margo Rose, Don Sahlin, Martin Stevens, Burr Tillstrom, Brad Williams, Nikki Tilroe, and George Latshaw in the spirit with which they shared their artistry and themselves.

 

Please scroll down to the bottom of this page for a comprehensive timeline of puppetry at the O’Neill.

Funding for the National Puppetry Conference is provided by the Jane Henson Foundation.

a history of puppetry at the O'Neill

Timeline Photo Credits: Richard Termine, Jean Marie Keevins, Isaak Berliner, A. Vincent Scarano.

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