Upcoming Shows And Events

The big bad wolf and three little pigs are delightful to watch in this classic story told with large rod puppets and lots of fun music. Download the Study Guide here. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, spooky (for sure some spooky ones at this slam!), or edgy pieces throughout the night. In addition to local puppet slammers, we are excited to host the Magical Matt McGee! Matt is an award-winning actor and he's been crafting puppets for over 20 years. Whether soft-sculpture or paper-mache; giant or small; hand or rod; stage or film, Matt has built them all!

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day of the show. We highly recommend making reservations. Slams are for adults 18 and over only. Drinks are available for a suggested donation for those who are 21 and up. Like our Adult Slam Facebook page to stay up to date on all the wonderful Slam Stuff!

We are pleased to host special guest Matt McGee and his workshop "The Marvelous Medium of Masking Tape!" From masks, props, puppets, patterns, sculptures, and more, discover how this incredibly underused (and inexpensive) material can be something you never want to go without in your tool kit. Find out why it can even be a better alternative to clay and other sculpting mediums depending on the circumstance. Even if you don't think you're a great sculptor, this workshop will show you how to form the basics, piece by piece, for any kind of project. Explore and experiment with its many uses, learn simple techniques for sculpting and finishing projects made from the cheap little roll o' sticky stuff, and take home the start of a new mask and puppet head!

This high energy, fun-filled Halloween show is great for the little ones! See the silliness ensue when all the animals on Old MacDonald's farm have to find a costume for Halloween. Told with hand puppets and rod puppets, this show has lots of sing-a-long fun. It's a Halloween treat! Recommended for ages 2 - 8. *Please note, the theater will be closed from November 1 - November 3*

"Imagine This" is not your average puppet show! This yearly event is comprised of 14 different stories written by kids, for kids. This is our favorite program to produce each year as it is always different and very exciting. Kenilworth Elementary students write original stories and a panel of judges chooses the best to be made into shows by our professional puppeteers using a variety of puppet styles. Expect a high energy, creative show filled with some wild antics and originality! Recommended for ages 5 and up. *Please note, there are no daytime shows on Saturday, there will be one evening show on Saturday at 7pm for ages 12 and up. Pricing for the evening show is $12 in advance or $15 at the door.*

Who will help the Little Red Hen with all the work it takes to get wheat made into bread? This sing-along show invites lots of audience participation and shares a valuable message about helping each other. Recommended for ages 2 - 8. *Please note, the theater will be closed on Thanksgiving day* Download the study guide here.

Santa's elves come to help a poor shoemaker and his wife in this musical treat. Performed with large rod puppets on our biggest stage, this is a holiday experience for the whole family to enjoy! Best for ages 5 and up. Download the Study Guide here. *Sunday, December 15 is our Christmas Party! See special event below for details.*

Celebrate the season at our annual Christmas Party! Enjoy a 2pm showing of "The Elves and the Shoemaker" followed by puppet making, holiday snacks, and a visit from Santa Claus! There will be a photographer so you can take your child's photo with Santa! Reservations are required - please call 602-262-2050. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Members receive $5 off. Doors open at 1:30pm.

Our most popular original show is back! It's Princess Harriet's birthday and everyone is invited to join the party, except for the Smelly Foot Troll that is! What will happen when he feels left out of all the fun? This show is great for the whole family with plenty of singing, sparkles, and hilarity! Recommended for ages 3 and up. Download the Activity Guide here.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, edgy, or strange perfromances throughout the night, but all will be within the "New Year's" theme. Special guest artists and a full list of performers will be announced about a month before the Slam!

This beautiful show has become a GAPT classic. Come see the magic of the girl, the prince, and the glass slipper! Lots of laughs, gorgeous puppets, and a little bit of magic make Cinderella an audience favorite. This show was awarded the UNIMA-USA Citation for Excellence in Puppetry. Recommended for ages 3 and up. Download the Study Guide here. *Please note, Sunday, February 2 is a special event, Cinderella's Ball! See below for details.*

You are invited to our most popular event of the year, Cinderella's Ball! Dress up like a princess or prince for this very special occasion! There will be a special showing of "Cinderella" followed by games, yummy snacks, puppet making activities, and some very special guests who will join us on the dance floor. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Members receive $5 off. Doors open at 1:30pm and the show begins at 2pm. Reservations are highly recommended as this event usually sells out. Please call 602-262-2050 to reserve space for your family.

Three favorite folks tales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, "The Frog Prince" from Germany, "Three Billy Goats Gruff" from Scandinavia and "The Three Little Pigs" from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. In between each of the tales there's a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. A skinny ant dances a lively jig; "block heads" learn how to get along; and the zaniest creatures of all, the "Wobblies", open the forty-five minute perfomance with an extraordinary ballet choreographed to Kablevsky's "The Comedian's Suite". Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone!

Brought to us by our good friends at https://www.greysealpuppets.com/on-stage.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, wild, or romantic performances all in one night! You may see funny, edgy, or goofy perfromances throughout the night, but all will be within the "Love & Lust" theme. Special guest artists and a full list of performers will be announced about a month before the Slam!

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day of the show. We highly recommend making reservations. Puppet Slams are for adults 18 and over only. Drinks are available for a suggested donation for those who are 21 and up.

Grandpa Saguaro tells little Sammy Saguaro the importance of the saguaro cactus in the desert and to the many animals that live there too. This award-winning show was originally created with The Desert Botanical Garden. Recommended for ages 5 - 12. Download study guide here.

Baby Boo loves to hear stories of condors just like him who lived over 10,000 years ago in the Grand Canyon. When his father goes missing, Boo learns of the dangers facing condors today and what people can do to help this highly endangered species. Developed with the help of the Grand Canyon Interpretive Department, Arizona Game & Fish, the Peregrine Fund, and Puppeteers of America. Best for ages 5 and up. Download the study guide here.

Performers from the Internationally renowned Japanese troupe, Yumemi Trunk, visit us in collaboration with the Japenese Friendship Garden to present their magical version of "Urashimo Taro," a popular Jpaenese folk tale that speaks to all ages. Please note, there will be a special evening performance on Friday, March 20 at 7pm for ages 12 and up. Tickets for the evening show are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Lost Canyon, Arizona is too far away for the Easter Bunny, so he gets his cousin, Jack Rabbit to help deliver Sally Johnson's Easter basket. But it's awful far and kind of dangerous! This charming musical is played with large rod puppets on the big stage! Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Adult Puppet Slams are curated evenings full of short pieces by a variety of professional puppeteers. You may see funny, edgy, or strange perfromances throughout the night, but all will be within the "Birds and the Bees" theme. Special guest artists and a full list of performers will be announced about a month before the Slam!

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 day of the show. We highly recommend making reservations. Drinks are available for a suggested donation for those who are 21 and up.

Two Bad Mice make big trouble -- and a big mess! -- in a dollhouse when a little girl and her dolls go out to play. Full of laughs, this show is based on the classic story by Beatrix Potter. Performed with a life-size doll house and cute hand puppets, this charming show is best for ages 3 and up. Sunday, April 26 is our Members Only Party - see below for details.

Our Members Only party includes a special performance of "Two Bad Mice" as well as games, puppet crafts, snacks, and special guests! This party is FREE for members and their families and exclusive to members only. See our Membership Page for information on how to join us!

Mesner Puppet Theater presents the story of Old Mother Hubbard and her beloved dog, based on the well-known children's poem. Mother Hubbard does her best to provide her dog with all the canine comforts he could ever want. The dog proves to have a very active imagination, for every time Hubbard leaves the room, the dog sets off on a variety of adventures! He imagines himself as a crooning rockstar, a cowboy in the wild west, and even as Luke Dogwalker from Star Wars!

A Timey Wimey Puppet show presents "Daleks and Doctors and Oods...Oh My" by Mike Horner! The world's only Punch and Judy inspired Doctor Who parody show!

The incredible 3-part marionette spectacular begins this May and continues throughout the summer! Don't miss your chance to meet Wendy, Michael, John, and, of course, Peter, the famous boy who wouldn't grow up. This trilogy is closely based on J.M. Barrie's classic story and is told with large marionettes and shadow puppets. Best for ages 4 and up.