Shadow Puppetry in the Middles (4th/5th)

The Middles performance. I must admit it has felt like a daunting task. Each year students write and put on a performance for the Center School community. As a generalist teacher, we wear many hats, and I often learn alongside my students — so why not have a shadow puppet performance!  I have no background in theater other than enjoying performances as an audience member, so here we go!

Historically, the Middles has put on a performance every year. Since I’ve been at the Center School, we’ve made two movies, and performed two original plays for the school. This year the Middles wrote animal folktales inspired by stories and practiced the art of storytelling, so it only seemed natural to create a performance with shadow puppets. 

Shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment that involves flat, articulated cut-out figures. Our puppets were cut out from cardstock or cardboard. These puppets are positioned between a light source and a translucent screen or “scrim”. The cut-out shapes of the puppets may include translucent colors or other details. By manipulating both the puppets and the light source, various visual effects can be created, enhancing the performance. 

The Middles put on two performances for school and family audiences. Check out some of the behind-the-scenes photos of our process!