January 5, 2026 | Theatre,

Dead as a Dodo and Puppetry at ArstEmerson

ArtsEmerson has a long history with puppetry, with the first puppet-based performance coming during our very first season in 2010! From marionette dolls to life-sized whales, our audiences have seen puppets of all shapes and sizes grace our stages, and the trend will continue in 2026 with Wakka Wakka’s Dead as a Dodo. Before we welcome this new show, let’s take a look back at some of the other spectacular puppet acts that have made their way to Downtown Boston:

Petrushka – 2010

Basil Twist first introduced Boston audiences to his impressive puppetry work in ArtsEmerson’s inaugural season with his modern retelling of the legendary Ballets Russes production. Set to Stravinsky’s classic score, 9 hidden puppeteers worked together to create a true tour de force of music, movement, design and storytelling.

69° S (The Shackleton Project) – 2012

Phantom Limb’s 69˚S wowed audiences in 2012 with their use of life-sized puppets who beautifully performed choreographed movement pieces against a haunting score by Kronos Quartet and Skeleton Key. The puppets, who walk, dance, and interact with each other throughout the show, tell the story of explorer Ernest Shackleton’s intense journey from Europe to the Antarctic. 

Sleeping Beauty – 2013

World-renowned Italian puppetry company Colla Marionette used dozens of marionette puppets to create a whimsical and beautiful retelling of the beloved classic of Sleeping Beauty, using Tchaikovsky’s score and intricately involved puppet technique to breathe new life into the story, exciting theater-goers of all ages.

ADA/AVA – 2018

Chicago-based Manual Cinema introduced a new type of puppetry in ArtsEmerson audiences in 2018 – shadow puppetry. In addition to shadow puppetry, ADA/AVA utilized various special effect techniques from the early age of cinema, like live-action silhouettes, overhead projection, and a live score, to create a true multimedia masterpiece.

Frankenstein – 2023

Manual Cinema returned in February 2023 for a sold-out production of Frankenstein. Using more than 500 handmade puppets, old school projectors, as well as live actors and cinematic elements, the Emmy-award winning troupe created an explosive, layered interpretation of the classic horror novel which truly amazed audiences for the entirety of it’s run.

Little Amal – 2023

ArtsEmerson’s season kicked off with a special 0ne-day event in partnership with the city of Boston: The Walk with Little Amal. Little Amal 12-foot puppet 10 year old Syrian refugee child, who serves as a reminder for people to “not forget about us” began her 6,000 miles across the United States in Boston, bringing with her a message of compassion, empathy and hope.

Moby Dick – 2024

In January 2024, Herman Melville’s iconic novel was brought to life at the Emerson Paramount Center in a jaw-dropping production featuring seven actors, fifty puppets, video projections, a drowned orchestra, and a life-sized whale. Norway’s Plexus Polaire, alongside renowned director Yngvild Aspeli, brought this eye-popping production to a thrilled, sold-out crowd.

Book of Mountain and Seas – 2024

Basil Twist returned to ArtsEmerson with Book of Mountain and Seas, the final production in our 23/24 Season. In this daring new work, Twist, alongside award-winning composer Huang Ruo, staged an ensemble of massive puppets to present a stunning piece, offering a portrait of the natural world and our vital, yet tenuous, relationship to it. Using ancient Chinese creation myths as a backdrop, the show was a thoughtful, poignant, and beautiful call t0 action to address our current climate crisis.

On the Eve of Abolition – 2024

In this multimedia masterpiece, puppets, video projection, and miniature sets collided on stage at the Emerson Paramount Center to transport audiences to a future where prison abolitionists have created the conditions to end the prison industrial complex in the liberated lands formerly known as the U.S. and Mexico. Developed and performed by the visionary artists of Papel Machete, the show leveraged insights from impacted community members and families in an effort to create a vision of an abolitionist future.

Life & Times of Michael K – 2025

The new year began with South Africa’s Baxter Theatre’s Life & Times of Michael K, an adaptation of J.M. Coetzee’s award-winning novel. In this production, intricate marionettes came alive to depict the trials and tribulations faced by Michael K and his mother as they seek to escape political turmoil. The puppets, designed by Handspring Puppet Company, brought to life this the incredible and poignant tale, making it a must-see for Boston audiences.

The 4th Witch – 2025

Shadow puppetry troupe Manual Cinema’s latest show came to ArtsEmerson just in time for Halloween! In this production, puppetry and projections helped bring to life the story of a young girl who escapes the ravages of war and is rescued by a witch who adopts her as an apprentice. As she becomes more skilled in witchcraft, her grief and rage draw her into a nightmarish quest for vengeance against the warlord who killed her parents: Macbeth.

Dead as a Dodo – 2026

From March 5-8, ArtsEmerson will welcome Dead as a Dodo, an inspirational musical odyssey from Wakka Wakka that uses puppets to depict the story of an unlikely friendship between a skeleton Dodo and boy who must survive against all odds – in the Underworld! Dead as a Dodo is on sale now, so be sure to secure your tickets today!

Have you seen any of these shows at ArtsEmerson? Let us know your favorites in the comments!