Doorway Puppet Theater Instructions

A puppet theater transforms puppet play into a show.

Puppets encourage imaginative play and are a great way to encourage children to use their imaginations. A shy child who is reluctant to speak in front of a group often will let a puppet speak for her, especially if she can hide behind the curtains of a puppet theater. Unlike most doorway theaters, this design can be used with both hand puppets and marionettes. It hangs from a pair of spring rods so it will not damage your woodwork.

Things You'll Need

• 1-yard length of medium weight fabric, 2
• Ruler
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Matching thread
• 3/4-inch or smaller adjustable tension rod, 22-to-36 inch length, 2

Instructions

1. Cut two 1-yard lengths of medium weight fabric such as broadcloth or twill. The two pieces can match or coordinate. You will use a full width of the fabric, so there is no need to finish the side edges. Either 45- or 60-inch-wide fabric will work, though the 60-inch fabric will make a fuller curtain. Darker colors will be less transparent.

2. Iron up 1 inch on the bottom edge of one piece of fabric and iron down 1/2 inch on the top edge. Make both folds toward the wrong side of the fabric.

3. Iron down a 1-inch casing at the top of the curtain and stitch it in place with a straight seam close to the lower fold.

4. Iron up a 3-inch hem on the bottom of the curtain and sew it in place by stitching close to the top folded edge.

5. Finish the other piece of fabric in the same way.

6. Adjust the tension rods to fit the doorway. Thread a rod through the casing in the top of each curtain and adjust the gathers evenly. Hang the lower rod 32 inches from the floor and the upper rod 58 inches from the floor so that the bottom 4-inch section of the top curtain hangs behind the lower curtain. Have the child kneel behind the curtains and hold the puppets up in front of the top curtain to perform her show.

Tips & Warnings

• Sew colorful trim along the bottoms of the curtains.

• To use the theater with marionettes, hang the upper curtain so that the bottom overlaps the front of the lower curtain by 8 inches. Suspend the marionettes in front of the lower curtain and have the puppeteer hide her hands behind the upper curtain. You may have to adjust the curtains according to the length of the marionettes' strings.

References

• Country Living:Doorway Puppet Theatre