What is Bringing Backstage Forward?

Ever wonder what goes on behind the curtain during a live performance? In  Bringing Backstage Forward our Production Team invites you into their world, sharing insights and tricks of the trade. Stay tuned for a series of educational and entertaining blog posts, videos, interviews, and more.

DIY Shadow Puppet Theatre

Who doesn’t love a puppet show? In this video, the first in our Bringing Backstage Forward series, Purchase PAC Lighting Designer Peter Wylie shows you how to make your own shadow puppet theatre, complete with cool DIY lighting effects. This can be a super fun project for all ages, but the younger crowd will need an adult to help with cutting things out.

Supply list: Cardboard box, scissors, utility knife, tape, white tissue or other thin paper, skewers (or straws, or popsicle sticks), paper and markers for making puppets, light source (candle, phone, lamp, flashlight), food coloring, jars or glasses of water, items to create texture (whisk, strainer, tin foil).

We’d love to see what you come up with! Share a video or still of your shadow puppet theaters with us and each other on social media by tagging @PurchasePAC and using the hashtag #PACShadowPuppets.

Blog Post: Clothes Maketh the Show

Bennett Marrow, Purchase PAC Production Coordinator, muses about the art and artistry of costuming in theatre.
When I first saw the Nutcracker, I experienced the telling of a story with no words needed to understand what it was about. There was just movement and sound. But I realized at that time that the costumes were an integral part of telling the story. Click here to continue reading…