Lisa Dean Puppet Theatre

Melbourne, Australia

"Good old fashioned children’s entertainment for the children of today…"

The roots of the Lisa Dean Puppet Theatre go back one generation. To a time before television and computer games had replaced the art of live children’s entertainment. You might remember seeing Giggles and a few of her friends at country fairs or around circus big tops. They still strut their stuff across Australia, but with Lisa now. They’re the longest standing members of an original handmade puppet theatre. If your parents never took you to see a puppet show when you were young, don’t despair. Lisa Dean continues the tradition! So just remember, the good ol’ fashioned fun of the Puppet Theatre was never meant to be just for kids!

Lisa’s puppet stories are special in that they teach children to be aware of danger and to take action – a theme Lisa has returned to again and again since the very first show she scripted. That’s over twelve years ago now. Lisa and her puppets have come a long way since then. But they’ve never lost touch with their country roots, frequently returning to out-of –the-way places. Lisa travels everywhere from Mt.Gambier to the Mallee, Gippsland and beyond. Of course, you meet some interesting characters on tour – enough to inspire two puppet shows about Australia’s identity! She’s learnt that it’s not the yarn, it’s how you tell it. And doesn’t everyone love a story told well? The puppet theatre is time consuming and emotionally taxing work. But the rewards are there in the smiles and laughter of children as they participate in the energy of a live show, experiencing the thrill of Lisa’s puppets coming to life. These things we can all appreciate as measures of great kids entertainment.