Please note: this post only applies to finding puppeteers in Australia, although most of the info can be transposed to your area. If you are from another country, I would suggest visiting The Puppetry Homepage, UNIMA USA, or UNIMA UK.

The term ‘puppeteer’ usually refers to the person who operates (manipulates/performs) with the puppets on stage or on screen. This post covers looking for performers; not puppet makers or writers. There are actually heaps of people who perform with puppets in Australia, and the number who are formally trained is growing, due to the courses at VCA and Swinburne. Finding them though, can be tricky. 

If you’re looking just for individuals, I suggest doing the following. If you’re looking for ready-to-go performances for kids parties, corporate functions, etc., there’s a short paragraph at the end of this post that will help you.

UPDATE: Actually, you might just want to start with my post on where to find puppetry companies in Australia for a proper list of companies, puppeteers and their locations.

Looking for individuals

The following assumes that you are wishing to audition an individual/individuals for an upcoming performance. Keep in mind that the these suggestions also assume that you are offering professional (ie. paid) employment, and that you may not be able to find someone willing to volunteer if that is your particular requirement.

Agencies

There are heaps of agents out there who represent actors. If you contact them and ask for someone who fits your needs, and make it clear to them that you want someone who is either: proficient at using puppets, or someone who is keen to try/learn, then you should receive some interest. Even if the agent doesn’t have anyone appropriate, they can keep their eyes and ears peeled, as well as pass the message on to other interested parties. For a list of agents, you can check www.alliance.org.au, the Australian actors union.

Place ads

There are heaps of websites and agents to contact, where you can place ads asking for individuals to apply. A good place to start is Arts Hub Australia, which is one of the most well known places artists look for work (Caveat emptor: it costs to place an ad on their site). If you’d like to know of more places to send ads, check out my list of links which includes hundreds of sites for Australian theatre and job hunting. Website ads will be ten times more effective than placing ads in newspapers, and it’s cheaper. Do also contact UNIMA Australia, the puppetry union, as they will be able to forward the message to all of their members and place it on their website. Another person who has a good mailing list is Sean Manners from Puppetry Australia.

Contact local schools, training facilities, and universities

An excellent source of young, hungry, passionate puppeteers are from local training facilities. Not only do universities, etc, have students who might be willing to work with you, but they also have a list of graduates who they can contact, and pass on your details to. Sending an email to the course coordinator is the best way to get your message out, but there’s also no harm in turning up to the campus and placing some fliers near a theatre venue, giving it to the course administrator/receptionist, or on bulletin boards.

Contact your local puppetry company

Puppetry companies are yet another excellent resource for finding puppeteers: either they are made up of professional puppeteers, who perform on a regular basis and may be willing to work with you; or they have a list of puppeteers they regularly work with and can pass on your details to them. They may even be able to help you arrange auditions or offer other assistance. Read my post on where to find puppetry companies in Australia for a list.

Additionally, if you are in Sydney, you may want to check out Gary Friedman’s new company: Corporate Creatures. This company provides short films for corporate situations (ie. OH&S, diversity, etc.) and uses puppets for the characters. The puppets are lavish, a cross between Avenue Q style design and a larrikin Aussie sense of humour. They are available to hire for your corporate needs.

Talk to other people/companies

Those who work in the entertainment industry have a wide range of contacts without often realising it. Often, all you need to do, is talk to your friends and colleagues - after shows, before shows, at meet and greets, etc. - and let them know that you’re looking for a puppeteer. Those that know of someone who might be interested will let you know, and those that don’t will remember to pass the message along. Word of mouth is quite possibly more effective than most methods; the only one that works better (in my experience) is website ads.

Looking for ready-to-go puppeteers

Many puppeteers out there have ready-to-go acts or shows. What this means is that they have a puppet/set of puppets, and a performance to go with them, that can be taken anywhere at anytime. For a fee of course. These acts can include: improvised shows, children’s performances, roving performances (for festivals, large events, or corporate functions), etc. Generally speaking, these shows are highly polished, meaning that you are getting a professional performance for hire. However, most shows are also already scripted, meaning that if you are looking to create a new performance based on your own ideas or script, you are best using the above methods for finding individuals that can collaborate with you on your show. Read my post on where to find puppetry companies in Australia for a list; also do a Google for shows that meet your needs.

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