Chichester Festival Theatre (CFT) is launching the Puppetry Academy at CFT, a new six-week pilot programme created for beginners working in consultation with Curious School of Puppetry and Puppetry in Motion.
Running from 18 January to 6 March 2027, the full-time course will give 15 adults the opportunity to develop foundational practical skills in puppet-making and performance. Created to expand access to puppetry training on the South Coast, this programme is designed for creative and curious beginners and requires no previous experience. It will be led by co-directors Ashleigh Cheadle and Josie Daxter, with visiting practitioners contributing across the six weeks.
Dale Rooks, Director of Learning, Education and Participation at CFT, says: We're delighted to be launching this new vocational puppetry course. Supporting the next generation of theatre-makers is at the heart of CFT's commitment to being creatively ambitious; investing in live, creative storytelling feels more important than ever. We recently successfully introduced a puppetry strand for Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, so working with Puppetry in Motion and Curious School of Puppetry to introduce this brand-new training for adults in the south is a very exciting next step.
Toby Olié, Olivier Award-nominated puppetry director and designer (The BFG, Running Wild) and co-founder of Puppetry in Motion, who has helped to shape the course, says: Having had a longstanding relationship with CFYT since 2006, and continually working with many of their talented alumni, I am very proud to be a part of this new puppet training. Were assembling an incredible group of artists to share their skills and knowledge, while developing a programme that feeds directly into the skill sets required in theatre-making with puppetry. Its an exciting opportunity to both inspire and empower a new generation of performers and theatre makers with this ever-expanding and evolving art form.
One of those talented CFYT alumni is Fred Davis, now an Olivier Award-winning actor and puppeteer. He says: I first discovered puppetry through a CFYT workshop, which led to the opportunity to perform in Running Wild, a Youth Theatre production that transferred to Regents Park Open Air Theatre. The guidance, support and connections I received through CFT have enabled me to work as an actor, puppeteer and teacher all over the world, on stage and screen. Its so exciting to see this investment in puppetry training. As a form it teaches you how to work as a team, tapping into an audiences imagination in a really special way.
Places cost £300, with bursaries available for people on a low income or those who would otherwise be unable to take part. Applications open on 30 October and close at 5pm on 16 November.
The Puppetry Academy at CFT has been enabled by the generous philanthropic support of Liz Juniper.
More details can be found at https://www.cft.org.uk/jobs/puppetry-academy-at-cft
