WP Puppet Theatre

WP Puppet Theatre is a puppetry-based performing arts brand based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1991 by Wendy, who was inspired by childhood memories of creating puppets from popsicle sticks and cardboard with her friend Pam. The organization was established as the WP Puppet Theatre Society (WPTS), a not-for-profit charitable organization with a mandate to use the power of puppetry to impact positive social change. Over more than three decades, WP Puppet Theatre has delivered performances and workshops for all ages, touring locally, nationally and internationally, both in person and on-demand. Its programming has addressed themes including the environment and mental health, and it has performed in venues ranging from tables and art centre stages to country fairgrounds, northern Canadian airfields and airports around the world. The brand's offerings include in-person puppet shows for kids, in-person workshops for classroom teachers, on-demand activities for family fun, on-demand training for care professionals, on-demand videos and movies for children, and live hosted screenings for communities. Its work is guided by the belief that puppetry can spark curiosity, empower expression and grow empathy, forming a bond between performers and audiences through inanimate objects. A significant initiative was VIEW from the Inside: Courage Journey, a workshop that began in 2014 in downtown Calgary when Wendy and Allan decided to use symbol and metaphor on a mask-body puppet to explore stories of mental health and wellness. Over 500 people from diverse communities participated between 2014 and 2024. The program received the ATB Healing Through the Arts Award. Another flagship initiative is Puppet Power—Festival of Ideas, a conference-style event that explores complex subjects through puppetry; the 2025 edition focused on immigration and took place October 18–19, 2025 at the Centre for Newcomers. In June 2026 the WP Puppet Theatre Society officially dissolved. However, Wendy continues as an independent artist under the name WP Puppet Theatre, offering selected live puppet performances and workshops and overseeing several of the Society's legacy resources. The brand remains active as an independent artistic practice rooted in Calgary.

WP Puppet Theatre traces its origins to the childhood of founder Wendy, who, along with her friend Pam, created puppets from popsicle sticks and cardboard in an attic, making epics with sock puppets. Inspired by these memories, Wendy founded the WP Puppet Theatre Society (WPTS) in 1991 as a not-for-profit charitable organization in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The mandate was to use the power of puppetry to impact positive social change. Since 1991, the organization's impact has been described as deep and wide: it has championed the environment, supported mental health, and performed in diverse settings including tables, art centre stages, country fairgrounds, airfields in Canada's northern forests, and airports around the world. Its programs have reached thousands of people. A key program, VIEW from the Inside: Courage Journey, began over a cup of tea in downtown Calgary in 2014 when mutual colleagues brought Wendy and Allan together. They decided to use the power of symbol and metaphor on a mask-body puppet to explore stories of mental health and wellness. Over its lifespan from 2014 to 2024, more than 500 people from diverse communities participated. The program received the ATB Healing Through the Arts Award for its innovative use of the arts to promote connection, creativity, and healing. A youth version, VIEW for Youth (ages 12–18), used puppetry, art, and drama to inspire self-expression, build confidence, and strengthen connections among young people from various backgrounds. Another flagship initiative, Puppet Power—Festival of Ideas, is a conference-style event galvanized by the words of Martin Robinson, an American puppeteer with the Jim Henson Company known for Sesame Street International. The festival explores complex subjects through puppetry. The 2023 edition focused on materials, while the 2025 edition, held October 18–19, 2025 at the Centre for Newcomers, explored immigration, showcasing work by puppeteers from around the world. In June 2026, the WP Puppet Theatre Society officially dissolved. However, Wendy continues as an independent artist under the name WP Puppet Theatre, offering selected live puppet performances and workshops and overseeing several of the Society's legacy resources. The brand thus continues its artistic practice beyond the original charitable structure.

• 2024

  VIEW from the Inside concluded its lifespan (2014–2024) with over 500 participants.

• 2023

  Puppet Power festival edition focused on materials.

• 2014

  VIEW from the Inside: Courage Journey workshop began in downtown Calgary.

• 1991

  WP Puppet Theatre Society founded by Wendy as a not-for-profit charitable organization in Calgary.

• Puppet Power 2025 explored immigration at the Centre for Newcomers.

• WP Puppet Theatre Society officially dissolved; Wendy continues as independent artist under WP Puppet Theatre name.

A not-for-profit puppetry organization using the power of puppetry to impact positive social change, spark curiosity, empower expression and grow empathy.

• In-person puppet shows for kids

  Live puppet performances for children.

• In-person workshops for classroom teachers

  Workshops designed for educators.

• On-demand activities for family fun

  Activities families can access on demand.

• On-demand training for care professionals

  Training resources for care professionals.

• On-demand videos and movies for children

  Video and movie content for children.

• Live hosted screenings for communities

  Community screenings with live hosting.

• Puppet Power—Festival of Ideas

  Conference-style festival exploring complex subjects through puppetry.

• VIEW from the Inside: Courage Journey

  Workshop using mask-body puppets to explore mental health and wellness stories.

1. 1WP Puppet Theatre | Discover Puppetry Today – Get Involvedwppuppet.com
2. 2Puppet Power History | Discover Puppetry Arts Today — WP Puppet Theatrewppuppet.com
3. 3VIEW from the Inside History — WP Puppet Theatrewppuppet.com
4. 4WP Puppet Theatre | Discover Puppetry Today – Get Involvedwppuppet.com
5. 5WP Puppet Theatrewikidata.org