Poetry-Writing Workshops!

Before becoming a puppeteer, Matt was a student of creative writing.  So he loves to pass on his love of poetry to students through his writing workshops, and he finds that puppetry is a great way to do it!  Using his shadow puppets to focus them on the concept of poetic imagery, Matt guides students through a 45-minute process of drafting a free-verse poem.  At the end of the workshop, students see their poems come to life as Matt reads several examples aloud with his shadow puppet beatnik character, Bongoman.

Matt can teach up to 70 students in a single poetry workshop. Typically, these workshops are appropriate for students in 2nd grade or older.

Puppet-Making Workshops!

Matt also loves to pass along his love and knowledge of shadow puppetry!  Using a variety of templates, such as the one pictured to the left, he teaches students the techniques for constructing and manipulating shadow puppets.  Every student will leave this workshop with their own puppet, and with an understanding of how to perform with it on a shadow screen.  Best of all, these workshops may be tailored to your curriculum!  Studying Greek Mythology?  Let Matt design some deities for you!  Beginning a unit on animal behaviors and adaptations?  No problem--Matt can create several animal templates with a few days' notice!  Or, if you would like to see what your students design all on their own, just add an extra 15-20 minutes onto the typical 45 minute span of this workshop, and Matt can teach them how to turn their own drawings into workable shadow puppets!

Matt can teach up to 30 students in a single puppetry workshop.  Because of the wide variety of templates available to students, these workshops can be made appropriate for any grade level, Kindergarten and above.