Theater for Hand Puppets

• 1). Prop the door open with a rubber doorb jam for safety. A door jamb is a wedge, usually made of rubber, that is pushed between the door and floor. It prevents the door from moving.
  
  
• 2). Set an adjustable, spring-loaded curtain rod in the doorway, about halfway up from the floor. Use the type that has a soft cup on each end, with springs on the inside. No hardware is necessary, and these types of rods can be put up and taken down easily. Spring-loaded shower-curtain rods work just as well.
  
  
• 3). Hang a curtain or curtains from the rod that reach the floor. The curtains must be opaque so that the audience cannot see the puppeteer behind the curtain.
  
  
• 4). Set stools or pillows behind the curtain for the puppeteer to sit on comfortably.
  
  
• 5). Set up a Shoji screen beind the puppet theater as a backdrop. A Shoji screen is a lightweight and portable set of panels that have cloth or paper walls to make them opaque. The panels are attached with hinges so the screen is free-standing and may be arranged in different positions.
  
  Invite an audience, sit behind the curtain, and put on a puppet show.
  
  

Theater for Marionettes

• 1). Prop the door open as above, for safety.
  
  
• 2). Place a Shoji screen behind where you will stand in the doorway. Throw an opaque, black cloth over the shoji screen.
  
  
• 3). Don all black clothing. This includes shoes and gloves; none of your skin should be showing below your face.
  
  
• 4). Stand behind the doorway and in front of the shoji screen, which is covered with a black cloth. The marionettes perform in the doorway. Your audience will pay attention to the puppets.