Welcome to Thistle Theatre
30 Years of Professional Puppet Theatre
Seattle’s premier puppet theater is back! Returning from our COVID hiatus we are excited to be offering new performances and programs to our puppet-loving community.
Along with select performances in our studio, Thistle Theatre also offers:
Touring: Bring Thistle Theatre to you! We are available to book single and multiple performances. Available shows will be posted soon or contact [email protected] for more information.
Classroom Shows: We are now offering smaller shows for up to 120 people. Enjoyable anywhere, these shows are designed to support Washington State Learning Standards. Available shows coming soon or contact [email protected] for more information or to commission a show.
Workshops: Learn the art of puppetry! We are offering a variety of workshops for a range of age levels. Great for schools, community centers, summer camps or any group that wants to play around with puppets. Available workshops coming soon or contact [email protected] for more information or suggest a workshop. We love to share what we know.
Current Production
These are the show that are available for bookings. Thistle Theatre brings a complete theatrical experience to you. Let us bring the magic of puppetry to you. We are available for single and multiple performances as well as residencies. We can also host some smaller bookings at our studio in Magnuson Park. To book or ask questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Winnie the Pooh
Featuring Four Stories!
Join a wondrous Christopher Robin as his toys come to life in Thistle Theatre’s production of “Winnie-the-Pooh”. Originally created by Jean Enticknap in 1996, A.S. Milne’s whimsical classic recently entered the public domain and Thistle Theatre is once again able to bring this story to life. Original music and songs were provided by Jean’s long-time collaborator Sue Ennis. This production includes 4 stories; “Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees”, “Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets into a Tight Place”, “Eeyore has a Birthday” and “Piglet Has a Bath”.
Education
Thistle Theatre is excited to be expanding our educational offerings. These puppet shows are designed to be performed in classroom-sized spaces. Appropriate for audiences up to 120.
Workshops
Thistle Theatre offers several workshops that will guide participants through the the fundamentals of puppetry manipulation, construction and storytelling. Students will learn the fundamentals of team puppetry and communication skills.
Remembering Jean Enticknap
Jean was the founder and director of Thistle Theatre, her 30-year-old “Puppet Theatre for Families”, where she introduced tens of thousands of children to the magic of puppetry and storytelling with a repertoire of folk tales and imagery from cultures around the world.
Bunraku
Bunraku (文楽), also known as Ningyō jōruri (人形浄瑠璃), is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka at the beginning of 17th century. Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance: the Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai (puppeteers), the Tayū (chanters), and shamisen musicians. Thistle Theatre specializes in Tabletop Bunraku. Puppeteers, dressed in black, operate the handcrafted puppets from behind for realistic movement.
Here you can see our puppeteers rehearsing.
Bunraku
Here you can see our puppeteers rehearsing.