Catapult Artists Intensive
The Catapult: For Practicing Artists of all Disciplines
The Catapult Artist Intensive returns with 2 unique professional development weekends to inspire and inform practicing artists of all disciplines. Over each three-day period, participants take a deep dive into puppetry with a curated, guided experience of the Festival programming. Join an intimate cohort, escorted by a professional leader, for discussions, backstage access to the shows seen and more. The Catapult is designed to advance the form and expand understanding of the field of puppetry in the United States. Each weekend includes 8 performances in 3 days, with 2 panel discussions, some meals, and local transportation. No application required. Hotel is not included in the price, but hotel discount is available at Warwick Allerton Hotel with code PUPPETFEST2023.
Program Details
Ages: 18 and up
Health: We will be following local mandates at the time.
Who: Artists from any discipline and those seeking to deepen their puppetry experience
When:
Session 1
Friday, January 20 at 2:00pm through Sunday, January 22 at 7:00pm
Led by Samuel J. Lewis II
Session 2
Friday, January 27 at 2:00pm through Sunday, January 29 at 7:00pm
Led by Grace Needlman
Location & Transportation: Cohort travels together to venues throughout Chicago. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to/from airport as needed.
Cost: $590 ($200 deposit due upon registration, $390 remaining balance due before January 6, 2023)
Lodging: Hotel discount code available to participants so they can get a low rate which they book and pay for themselves– Warwick Allerton Hotel with code PUPPETFEST2023
For more information please email: info@chicagopuppetfest.org
Session I Schedule
Friday, January 20 at 2:00pm through Sunday January 22 at 7:00pm
Led by Samuel J. Lewis II (read bio below)
Schedule
Friday, January 20
- 2pm: Orientation and Skill Share
- 5:30pm: Meal Provided
- 7:30pm: Performance of Anywhere by Théâtre de L’Entrouvert
- 10:30pm: Performance of Nasty, Brutish & Short, late-night puppet cabaret
Saturday, January 21
- 10am: Symposium: Boundless Bodies
- 1pm: Symposium: Grand Narratives and Petits Récits
- 4pm: Meal Provided
- 5pm: Performance of Moby Dick by Plexus Polaire
- 7:30pm: Performance of R.A.G.E. by Les Anges au Plafond
- 10:30pm: Performance of Nasty, Brutish & Short, late-night puppet cabaret
Sunday, January 22
- 10am: Performance of Squirrel Stole My Underpants by The Gottabees
- 2pm: Performance of Grand Panorama by Theodora Skipitares
- 5pm: Meal Provided
- 6pm: Performance of Invisible Lands by Livsmedlet Theater
Session II Schedule
Friday, January 27 at 1:00pm through Sunday, January 29 at 7:00pm
Led by Grace Needlman (read bio below)
Schedule
Friday, January 27
- 2pm: Orientation and Skill Share
- 5:30pm: Meal Provided
- 7:30pm: Performance of Macunaíma Gourmet by Pigmalião Escultura que Mexe
- 10:30pm: Performance of Nasty, Brutish & Short, late-night puppet cabaret
Saturday, January 28
- 10am: Symposium: Maya: The Uses of Illusion
- 1pm: Symposium: Building New Worlds: Emerging Voices
- 6pm: Performance of AKUTAGAWA by The Koryū Nishikawa Troupe
- 7pm: Meal Provided
- 8:30pm: Performance of Invitation to a Beheading by Rough House Theater Co.
- 10:30pm: Performance of Nasty, Brutish & Short, late-night puppet cabaret
Sunday, January 29
- 11:30am: Performance of Choo. Choo. Whistle. Woof! by Naive Theater
- 12:30pm: Meal Provided
- 3pm: Performance of Frankenstein by Manual Cinema
- 6pm: Performance of Dogugaeshi by Basil Twist
Lead Artists
Samuel J. Lewis II
Sam is an accidental puppeteer who now tries to create intentional work. He has worked for over a decade with a vintage Black Americana marionette, he reimagined as, “Jus Hambone.” Currently, he’s building new puppets for the first time, with the generous help of Grace Needlman of Wonder Wagon, for a long-form piece he’s creating based on newly discovered family history, tentatively titled, Everybody Knew Their Place.
Grace Needlman
Grace Needlman (they/she) is excited to join the Chicago International Puppet Festival team as the Chicago Puppet Lab Coordinator. As a cultural worker and puppet designer, Grace explores collective imagination and is committed to creating equitable pathways for Chicago artists. Grace’s puppet designs appear on stages across Chicago, and they are a company member at Rough House. Grace also works as Manager of Studio Programs at Mawen and publishes and presents on youth agency, collaboration, and queering museums. Grace holds a BA in fine art from Yale University and an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths University of London.
