Upcoming Shows And Events

The perfect puppet show for little folks at Halloween. Enjoy lots of sing alongs as Little Bunny and his mom explore the fun, not-too-scary side of Halloween. Check out our study and activity guide to bring the Halloween fun home to you! Recommended Preschool to Grade 2.

Who will help the Little Red Hen with all the work it takes to get wheat made into bread? This sing-along show invites lots of audience participation and shares a valuable message about helping each other. Recommended for ages 2 - 8. Download the study guide here.

"Imagine This" is not your average puppet show! This yearly event is comprised of many different stories written by kids, for kids. This is our favorite program to produce each year as it is always different and very exciting. Kenilworth elementary students write original stories and a panel of judges chooses the best to be made into shows by our professional puppeteers using a variety of puppet styles. Expect a high energy, creative show filled with some wild antics and originality! Recommended for ages 5 and up. *No daytime shows on Saturday, due to evening event.*

This month we have an extra special, one-night only, Puppet Slam Presentation! You'll have to come on down to see what this "Mystery" Puppet Slam is all about. Presented by your friends at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater, this event is unlike any other Slam you'll ever see and promises more puppet shows than ever before!

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day of the show. We highly recommend making reservations. Drinks are available for a suggested donation for those who are 21 and up.

Who will help the Little Red Hen with all the work it takes to get wheat made into bread? This sing-along show invites lots of audience participation and shares a valuable message about helping each other. Recommended for ages 2 - 8. Download the study guide here.

Come celebrate our 35th Anniversary by seeing the puppet show that premiered when we first opened our historic building to the public! This beautiful, classic story has been renewed for today's audience. Enjoy the tale of Red Riding Hood who gets more than she bargained for while on a trip to her grandmother's house. Recommended for K and up. *The Theater will be closed on Wednesday, November 21 and Thursday, November 22.*

A special benefit to celebrate 35 years of Great Arizona Puppet Theater! Help us reach our goal to raise $35,000 by the end of the year to care for our beautiful, historic building and support our long-running theater as we look towards the next 35 years. Join us for a silent auction, raffle prizes, puppet vignettes, wine, beer, small bites, and more. Fairy tale attire applauded! Bid on exclusive silent auction items on our auction website in advance of the event. Tickets $55, available here or by calling 602-262-2050. If you can't attend, please consider making a tax-deductible donation in lieu of a ticket to help us reach our year-end goal.

A joyful celebration of Christmas with multiple stories, lots of music, and an amazing array of puppets. We've added some new stories this year and made this family-friendly show better than ever! Recommended for ages 3 - 12. *Sunday, December 16 is a Special Event - our Annual Christmas Party. Reservations are required. See seperate event for more details.*

Celebrate the season at our annual Christmas Party! Enjoy a 2pm showing of "The Night Before Christmas" followed by puppet making, holiday snacks, and a visit from Santa Claus! There will be a photographer so you can take a photo of Santa with your child! Reservations are required - please call 602-262-2050. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Members receive $5 off. Doors open at 1:30.

Our most popular show is back! Come see the magic of the girl, the prince, the glass slipper! Lots of laughs, beautiful puppets, and plentry of special effects make Cinderella an audience favorite. This show was awarded the UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry. Recommended for ages 3 - 12. *Sunday, January 13 is a special event, Cinderella's Ball!* Download the study guide here.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, creepy, or mind-boggling perfromances throughout the night. This month, the Nelsons return with internationally acclaimed, award-winning puppet and musical performances! The founders of Magical Moonshine Puppet Theater from Northern California are audicence favorites and their slam performances are often full of shock and awe!

Our most popular event of the year, "Cinderella's Ball" is back! Dress up like a princess or prince for this very special occasion! There will be a special showing of "Cinderella" followed by games, yummy snacks, puppet making activities, and some very special guests who will join us on the dance floor. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Member receive $5 off. Reservations are highly recommended as this event usually sells out. Please call 602-262-2050 to reserve space for your family.

The Three Little Kittens who lost their mittens are on the trail of a mischevious thief, a rat! Children will love this musical about the three clever kittens who find their mittens and are rewarded for their hard work. Told with large rod puppets on the big stage. Recommended preschool - 3rd grade. Download the activity guide here.

Enjoy a magical journey through a mythological fairyland. Our guest artist, Marionette Ballet Theater, presents beautiful marionette puppets during this spectacle full of fairy magic. Told to classical music with no dialogue, this show is for all ages to enjoy.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, wild, or romantic performances all in one night! This month, we welcome back Toybox, America's Favorite Cartoon Witch! Keith Shubert from Asheville, North Carolina performs as Toybox and puts on hilarious and unique hand-crafted puppet shows. It is truly a sight to behold and a performance you do not want to miss.

Grandpa Saguaro tells little Sammy Saguaro the importance of the saguaro cactus in the desert and to the many animals that live there too. This award-winning show was originally created with The Desert Botanical Garden. Recommended for ages 5 - 12. Download study guide here.

Join us for a one-of-a-kind puppetry experience! "Carboard Explosion!" brings four original stories to life using nothing but cardboard and the power of your imagination. With help from the audience, puppeteer Brad Shur transforms simple cardboard shapes into elaborate puppet characters, then brings them to life right before your eyes. Get ready to outsmart dragons, choose your own superpower, and train adorable animal sidekicks in this fun, energetic participatory show. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

An amazing circus featuring talented bugs as the performers! This show is performed with table-top marionettes, an exciting soundtrack, and the puppeteer acts as the Ring Master. Best for ages 4 & up.

Celebrate international puppetry with us! Every other year, we work to bring in outstanding guest artists from around the world. This year, we are excited to host a puppetry group coming all the way from Prague. Check back here for more details in the future.

Based on Beatrix Potter's classic story about a little rabbit that gets into Mr. McGregor's garden. Will the farmer find him? Will Peter find his way back to his loving family? Lively hand puppet Rabbits and a large rod puppet Farmer help tell this tale entirely to music with no dialogue. Recommended ages 3 - 8. Download the activity guide here.

The classic story of the little girl who unexpectedly meets up with the three bears. Told with hand puppets, this adorable show is a delight. Recommended for ages 3 - 8. Download the study and activity guide here.

Before the Three Goats Gruff can cross the bridge, they must outwit a hungry troll! Hand and rod puppets and lots of help from the audience are used to tell this exciting story. Recommended for ages 3 and up. Download the study guide here.