Luce Puppet Company

Luce Puppet Company shows are solo performer shows –one person does it all, in our funny, happy, miniature theatre world! The stories take place on a colorful, portable puppet stage that stands seven feet high with a six feet square footprint. The stage travels complete with sound system, sets, curtains and lights. The show takes place about five feet off the ground, so everyone has a ringside seat.

After earning an MFA from UCLA in set and costume design, Elizabeth worked as a professional theatre designer for over ten years. She has also worked as a graphic designer/illustrator. She has received awards for her design work in both fields, including an Emmy for her original children's video, The Mousecracker, an all-mouse puppet version of Tchaikovsy's The Nutcracker. She now works almost exclusively in puppetry. Puppets have always been a part of her life and she still has the first rod puppet she built when she was five.

The performer arrives at least a half hour in advance to set up. The performer needs access to a power outlet, and of course… kids!

We can perform outside if the conditions are good –so no soggy ground, bad weather, or strong winds. The stage needs an even area to set up. The audience should be seated in the shade and not have the sun directly in their eyes. If the ground is rough, consider giving them pillows or blankets to sit on. This will help your audience enjoy the show even more!

The shows are geared for children age three through ten, but there’s lots of humor and fun that appeals to the entire family. Children as young as two and three may also enjoy the shows if they are watching with siblings or other older children, or if they are sitting with parents who are focused on the show.

Each show is approximately 35 minutes in length, which we find is the perfect length for children. For library and assembly shows, we take down the stage curtains the end of the performance so the kids can see the inner working of what it takes to make a show happen. We do use our judgment on whether or not to do this at each event, but it is a very popular portion of the event. With the puppet demonstration and the Q & A, the whole experience lasts around 45 minutes.