A vibrant puppet festival is just around the corner in New Paltz on Saturday, June 14 at the enchanting old Pine home, now home to Roost Arts Hudson Valley and Creative Perch. The first annual Pop-Up Puppet Fest will feature several original shows from professional puppeteers in the Hudson Valley. Attendees can also enjoy a puppet pageant performed by the Vanaver Caravan dancers and a puppet-making workshop for children.
The puppet fest is the brainchild of Rebecca Burdett, a beloved kindergarten and Pre-K teacher who taught at Duzine Elementary School for 20 years. Known for nurturing the innate wonder and imagination of her students, Burdett realized upon retirement that she missed working with children and the “atmosphere of creativity and magic.” To reignite this passion, Burdett turned to her love of puppetry, a hobby that began in childhood when her grandmother, a pastor, used puppets in her Sunday school classes. Burdett’s enthusiasm for puppetry continued through high school, where she participated in a puppet theater workshop and even secured a grant to fund puppet shows in public parks in her hometown of Utica. She later attended Vassar College, initially majoring in theater with a focus on children’s theater and puppetry before shifting to elementary education.
After retirement, Burdett found a small studio in the Pine building at 122 Main Street, where she began creating puppets. Her energy soared after attending an international puppetry festival and meeting inspiring puppeteers, including local shadow puppeteer Andy Gaukel. Together, they taught a workshop on puppetry at Duzine Elementary and initiated a ten-week children’s puppetry workshop at 122 Main Street, which takes place every Wednesday after school and has participants aged 5 to 16. Burdett described the group as “eclectic,” noting that they have been diligently preparing for their performance at the Pop-Up Puppet Festival. She named her organization “The Chrysalis Puppet Workshop Theater,” with the tagline “Puppetry, Play and Possibilities.”
Burdett said she often began her Kindergarten classes with an eight-week study of the monarch butterfly metamorphosis, calling it “a fascinating process.” Her students are always enamored with the transformations that occur during this time.
When asked about the enduring appeal of puppetry, Burdett explained, “There is something deep within us that wants to make inanimate objects animate. We enjoy giving a puppet or doll a personality and a name and telling a story. It helps children learn things about themselves and the world around them. It’s also a beautiful medium for oral development.” She noted that puppetry is all around us; while many think of the Muppets, “which are great,” there are countless other forms of puppetry that captivate both children and adults. Puppets allow for storytelling, an ancient art form that has thrived across cultures for thousands of years. “We use paper mache, tag board, recycled materials — simple things that serve as a vehicle for storytelling,” she added.
Imagination plays a crucial role in puppetry, engaging participants in every aspect of production, from puppet-making to story creation, along with stage design, lighting, dance, music and props. “In our workshops, participants learn about all facets of puppetry theater,” Burdett noted.
The pop-up festival will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. at 122 Main Street. The event will feature five different puppetry shows, including performances by Paper Heart Puppets from Poughkeepsie, Up In Arms from Newburgh, and Andy Gaukel Shadow Puppetry from Tillson. Local teachers, artists and community members have collaborated to create a simple puppet form that children can decorate and take home as their own.
Additionally, a Mini-Museum of Puppetry will showcase works by local puppeteers, including Arm-of-the-Sea Theater. Burdett mentioned that the Roost artists, along with other local artists, collaborated to create an exhibit of handmade puppets entitled “Metamorphosis: Art and Advocacy Revising the World.”
“What they’ve created is amazing,” she said. “I was blown away by their artistry.” All proceeds from the Pop-Up Puppet Festival will directly support Afghan refugee families who are resettling in our community. Traditional Afghan food and baked goods will also be available for purchase. The suggested donation for the day’s events is $20, and children can attend for free. The festival is a zero waste event, thanks to the efforts of Greenway Recycling Services.
The festivities will take place under tents in the outdoor garden area as well as on the bottom floor of the building.
Join the family! 
