Long associated with children’s television and comedic marionettes, puppetry in Calgary has matured into a diverse and dynamic method of storytelling that leaves a lasting impact. And it’s about to steal the spotlight for a second time this year after the Festival of Animated Objects wrapped back in the spring, as the 13th edition of WP Puppet Theatre’s Puppet Power Conference takes over the Centre for Newcomers on Oct. 18 and 19.
The location was chosen specifically for this year’s timely theme: immigration, a newly controversial subject that resonates deeply in a city home to many newcomers adjusting to life in their new city.
Artists, educators, and community leaders will explore immigration through workshops, performances, livestream watch parties, and hands-on puppet-making in a hybrid, two-day event that blends professional development with creative play.
“The goal of Puppet Power 2025 is to explore and humanize the complex realities of immigration, refugees, and newcomers, and to offer a unique perspective through the powerful and poetic lens of puppetry,” says Wendy Passmore-Godfrey, W.P. Puppet Theatre’s founder and artistic/executive director. “I believe that by bringing together diverse voices and creative practices, we can discover cross-cultural and linguistic barriers and share stories of hope, resilience, and solidarity.”
Passmore-Godfrey says Puppet Power explores the theme in a creative way. “Immigration touches every aspect of our society right now, and puppetry can be a way to connect, heal, and inspire.”
What makes Puppet Power distinctive is its emphasis on “applied puppetry” — puppetry used not only for performance, but as a tool in professional fields including education, therapy, social work, and health care.
The event pairs local organizations with puppetry experts to brainstorm new ways to bridge cultural and intergenerational gaps — from puppet parades to team-building workshops to English language learning circles.
THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
Elaine Weryshko, co-artistic director and educational director of the Calgary-based Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppetry, echoes the sentiment that puppetry can have a lasting impact as a storytelling method.
“Sometimes it’s easier to deal with something that comes through metaphor than face-to-face. Puppetry has power, but it’s not a big axe coming down — it’s engaging, fun and deeply human.”
Weryshko recalls working in schools with children who had newly arrived in Canada.
“There was a kid in kindergarten who had never spoken because he was fresh from wherever he was from,” she says, adding that when he had a puppet in his hands, he was able to share his emotions. “‘I am happy, and I am sad.’ That’s heart-wrenching and heartwarming all at once — and it showed how puppetry could unlock his voice.”
FROM THE FRINGES TO THE FOREFRONT
Calgary’s puppetry roots run deep. Companies like Old Trout Puppet Workshop and artists like Ronnie Burkett helped build a foundation here decades ago, crafting dreamlike, surreal performances that have now influenced generations.
“Calgary has always incubated people who wanted to do something different,” Weryshko says. “In Toronto, there are 10 people already doing every idea you might have. In Calgary, you can carve out space and experiment. That’s why the puppetry scene feels so imaginative.”
But the form has also shifted with the times.
“Puppetry engages your hands, your imagination, and your humanity. It’s craft, it’s play, and it’s storytelling,” Weryshko says.
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The heart of Puppet Power is not simply the art form, but what it enables: stories. Stories of leaving home, of finding one’s footing in a new land, of joy, grief, resilience and transformation.
At the same time, the conference offers something joyous, playful and inclusive, says Passmore-Godfrey.
“There’s nothing more unusual than a puppet power conference, and that’s exactly why it can be so galvanizing.”
A TIMELY TOPIC
From climate anxieties to cultural divisions, previous Puppet Power themes have tackled existentialism, intergenerational connection and consumerism. Immigration, however, feels particularly urgent.
With Calgary schools stretched to welcome Ukrainian children and national debates about foreign workers making headlines, the theme could not be timelier.
Passmore-Godfrey hopes people will come away with new perspectives, new tools, or simply the spark to return to their communities and try something.
“Puppetry has the power to make a social impact in ways people don’t expect,” she adds.
Passmore-Godfrey believes puppetry can break down barriers that words alone often cannot. “By bringing together diverse voices and creative practices, we can cross cultural and linguistic divides and share stories of hope, resilience, and solidarity.”
Puppet Power 2025, presented by WP Puppet Theatre, goes down October 18 to 19 at The Centre for Newcomers. For tickets and info, visit wppuppet.com/puppetpower.
