Puppets and Drama

Meshing puppets and drama is an effective way to minister to children. Live action enables your characters to do things that puppets alone can't do. It keeps the interest of the audience, especially if the kids see puppets on a regular basis. It is also a great way to field questions from the audience since puppets have "limited" eyesight.

There are several ways in which you can combine live action and puppets.

• Use 1 puppet and 1 "teacher" - the teacher and puppet have a chat then the teacher talks to the kids.


• Use the puppet as a narrator - In this method the actors act out the story as the puppet tells it.


• Use the puppets as "actors" - This is actually the opposite method in which the puppets act as a live actor narrates.


• Puppet/actor interaction - This is where a scene is acted out with live actors interacting with puppets. There can be any number of puppets and actors. In this method the puppets are looked upon as "real."


• Clowns and puppets - This speaks for itself.


• Blacklight - This could use a combination of puppets and live actors working in blacklight to a song.

Hints to Meshing Puppets and Drama

1. It is important to use good puppet technique.
2. Staging is very important. Keep the puppets and actors close together so that they look like they are part of the same scene.
3. Remember to keep eye contact between the puppets and the actors. The puppets can't see so this is up to the actor to keep in the puppet's line of sight.
4. Make the interaction look real. Convince the audience that the puppet is "alive."

There are scripts available for both puppets and actors however if you are having trouble finding what you are looking for there are several options. You can adapt a drama script to include puppets, or change a puppet in a puppet script to a live actor. You may also want to consider writing your own script.

Just remember, puppets and live action can capture an audience if done correctly. Be sure to practice sufficiently so that both puppeteers and actors are comfortable with each other's actions.

Scripts written for puppets and drama

The Demoniac - This puppet/drama skit is based on Mark 5:1-20 and uses 2 actors and several puppeteers.

One Way - This skit uses a one way sign to demonstrate that there in only 1 way to heaven. 3 actors and 1 puppet.

Yield? - A short skit for 4 actors and 1 puppet that talks about yielding to the Holy Spirit.

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