2024 Festival Workshops
Workshops During the 2024 Festival
Register for hands-on workshops led by visiting festival artists. Some will be presented in their assigned venues so they can show their puppets. Others will happen in the festival’s education space in the Fine Arts Building, 7th floor. Workshops are designed for adult professional artists working in any discipline. Everyone welcome. No application required. In addition to the workshops below, come make your own masks at FREE drop-in workshops on Saturday and Sunday, January 20 and 21 with Wakka Wakka. The workshop starts at 2:45 on Saturday 1/20 at Biograph Theater Lobby and starts at 2:45 on Sunday 1/21 in the Steppenwolf Theater.
January 16 - 20
The Beast Dance Adult Workshop or How to Raise an Untamed Avian Puppet
Days/Times: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-5pm
Cost: $295
Duration: 5 days ending in performance on 1/20 at 2pm
Ages: 18 and up (Adults; performance experience helpful but not required. Ability to lift 20 pounds helpful for performance portion.)
Location: Columbia College Chicago’s Fabrication Facility, 623 S. Wabash Ave., 10th floor
About the Workshop: Iker Vicente and Humberto Galicia lead participants in building collective experimental puppets for open spaces that combine organic and mechanical principles. This workshop culminates in a public performance where workshop participants perform in The Beast Dance show with La Liga Teatro Elástico. Based on the principles of sculpture and drawing which favor movement and life.
Friday, January 19
Krystal Puppeteer Theatre Masterclass
Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $60
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.
Saturday, January 20
Papermoon Puppet Theatre Masterclass
Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $60
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: Chopin Theatre, on stage, 1543 W. Division St.
Sunday, January 21
Manuel Cinema Masterclass
Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $60
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: Manual Cinema Studio, 2203 W. 21st St.
Saturday, January 27
Grupa Coincidentia Masterclass
Time: 10am-1pm
Cost: $60
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: The Biograph’s Začek McVay Theatre, on stage
2433 N. Lincoln Ave.
Saturday, January 27
Loco7 Dance Puppet Theater Masterclass
Time: 11am-2pm
Cost: $60
Duration: 3 hours
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: Dance Center Columbia College Chicago
1306 S. Michigan Ave.
Workshops After the Festival
January 30 - February 3, 2024
Tita Iacobelli and Natacha Belova Workshop in two parts called “The Other”
Days/Times: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am-5pm
Cost: $530
Duration: 5 days
Ages: 18 and up (adult professional artists working in any discipline, everyone welcome)
Location: Fine Arts Building Studio 433, 4th floor
About the Workshop: Join Tita Iacobelli and Natacha Belova for this 5 day intensive workshop learning the construction and performance techniques used to create Chakya. The first part of the week participants learn to use thermoplastic material formed at high temperature and a clay face sculpture, to create a puppet head and character of their own design. This is followed by training in puppet manipulation with fundamental notions of performance such as gaze direction, dissociation and the fixed point, with improvisational exercises taking place throughout the workshop.
