While there are many ways to cast shadows, Nappy’s Puppets uses a traditional technique The puppeteer is behind an illuminated screen holding the control rods and pressing flat, jointed figures directly against the back of the screen. By manipulating the control rods, the puppeteer acts out the story on the shadow screen. The audience sits on the opposite side of the screen and never actually sees the puppets– they see the black-and-white film-like movement of the silhouettes as the puppeteer tells his tale. In Father Goose’s Tales, the puppeteer performs all of the voices and sound effects live while manipulating the figures.

While the material used to make shadow puppets is traditionally leather, many different types of materials can be used. Shadow puppets can be translucent, (see-through) or opaque (not see-through). Both varieties often have a small matrix of holes cut out to allow light to pass through. This technique helps to distinguish different characters in epic shadow plays. In China and Turkey, traditional shadow puppets are made of translucent material. Often colored with special dyes, these puppets cast a multi-colored silhouette. Indonesian and European figures, however, are opaque, and produce a black silhouette on the screen.

Shadow puppetry continues to evolve today as contemporary puppeteers incorporate new materials and technologies into their productions. Nappy’s Puppets uses jointed, opaque figures that are cut from sheets of cardboard or plastic. Larry Reed, an America filmmaker, and theatre artist has experimented with traditional shadow puppetry to create large scale cinematic films such as In Xanadu*. Several examples of historic shadow figures can be seen in the Center for Puppetry Arts’ Puppets: The Power of Wonder exhibition.

*In Xanadu, Larry Reed’s 1993 film, can be viewed as part of the Center for Puppetry Arts’ Film Series on Friday July 31, 2009.