Ron Binion, THE DANCE WITHIN by Paul McGinnis (Photo by Richard Termine)

About the O’Neill Puppetry Conference

The O’Neill Puppetry Conference was established with the purpose of encouraging puppet artists to create and communicate through the visual and kinetic form of the puppet, push beyond their personal boundaries and develop new works for puppet theater. Participants collaborate with renowned guest directors, puppet artists and playwrights to develop innovative productions conceived by guest artists, as well as presentations initiated by the conference participants.

For eight days each summer, puppet artists have the opportunity to explore various performance styles through rehearsals and workshops on writing, music, “puppet anarchy” and marionettes.

The Conference culminates with two public performances, featuring new works which explore the extraordinary range and power of the puppet (any object which can be brought to life by a human performer in front of an audience). Pam Arciero serves as artistic director, previous guest artists and projects can be found here.

Past conference participants have gone on to work in such puppetry venues as The Henson International Festival of Puppet Theatre (New York City), HERE Arts Center (New York City), The Puppet Showplace (Brookline, Massachusetts), The Sandglass Theatre (Vermont) The Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta), and Zeum (San Francisco) and on television shows including “Sesame Street,” “Between the Lions,” and “Bear in the Big Blue House.”

The O’Neill Puppetry Conference is sponsored by the Rose Endowment for Puppetry established by Jane Henson and dedicated to the legacies of Bil Baird, Jim Henson, Rufus and Margo Rose, Don Sahlin, Martin Stevens, Burr Tillstrom and Brad Williams and to the spirit with which they shared their artistry and themselves. For more information, including an FAQ and staff bios, click here.