HERE’s Puppetopia, a two-week puppetry state of mind, returns for its fourth annual edition. Curated by HERE Co-Founder Barbara Busackino and Dream Music Artistic Director and star Alum Basil Twist, the festival presents original work.

Dream Music Puppetry presents

PUPPETOPIA 2025: VARIATIONS ON (THE) WATER

May 28-June 1, 2025

A solo puppet work created by Lake Simons and John Dyer

Accompanied by music composed by John Dyer

Variations on (the) Water is experimental by design. It breaks down puppetry to its most simple base, devoid of expected form and asks the viewer to imagine. Together, the audience and the performer bring forward image and story, giving equal energy to nurture a personal yet shared story. Empathy blossoms and through the abstracted imagery we find a shared story and experience.  An exploration of Simons & Dyer’s Raft Project (My Shapes Are In Turmoil) a full length wordless puppet theatre work.

Performances: 

Wednesday, May 28th: 8:30 pm

Thursday, May 29th: 8:30 pm

Friday, May 30th: 8:30 pm

Saturday, May 31st: 4 pm and 8:30 pm

Sunday, June 1st: 4pm

Runtime: 45 minutes

Ticket Prices: 10 for $10, $35, $50, $100

See all three Puppetopia 2025 productions—The Harlem Doll Palace, Variations on (the) Water, and Rhynoceron—with our special $90 Festival Package!

Click Here to Purchase Puppetopia 2025 Package

We understand the extreme challenges that our current financial climate presents. No matter your socioeconomic status, we want everyone to have access to groundbreaking art. There are ten tickets priced at $10 available for each performance on a first-come, first-served basis, for those in need of financial assistance. These tickets are available with the code ACCESS. Limit two tickets per patron. Subject to availability.