Puppet Showplace Theater Presents: “Party Animals” by Sarah Nolen of Puppet Motion

UnCommon Corner, Boylston St &, Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116

Party Animals follows five furry friends as they navigate the biggest social hurdle of their young lives — throwing their first party! Meet a bunny with boundless energy, a sloth with social anxiety, a hedgehog wrestling with wrapping, and a skunk who’s trying to keep everything cool and under control. Through song, dance, and original rock ‘n’ roll music by Boston local Phil Berman (of Puppet Playtime & The Holiday Sing-Along), these little stars discover that music can be an exuberant and healthy way to express their inner selves. 

Party Animals comes from Sarah Nolen (of Puppet Motion) — creator of Judy Saves the Day and Lisa the Wise; and our beloved Resident Artist! The show balances silly antics with deeper truths, all conveyed through traditional hand puppetry performance: the life of the party!

Legendary rock star Pete Townshend once said, “Rock ‘n’ roll might not solve your problems, but it does let you dance all over them” — equally true for children and their grown-ups!

Puppet Showplace Theater is Boston’s home for puppet show joy — with shows nearly every weekend, for kids and adults, just steps from the Brookline Village T stop! Puppet Showplace is dedicated to presenting outstanding puppetry to diverse audiences through performances, workshops, and community outreach. From children’s birthday party performances to provocative Puppets at Night shows, our programming is designed to reach a large and diverse audience of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. View our full calendar at puppetshowplace.org

Sarah Nolen

Sarah Nolen is a puppeteer and filmmaker known for her versatile work across multiple puppetry styles. Originally from Texas, Sarah lives in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she works as a freelance puppeteer, director, and puppet builder for both stage and screen through her company, Puppet Motion. 

Currently, she is the third-ever resident artist at Puppet Showplace Theater, touring family puppet shows and teaching puppetry to all ages. Most recently, Sarah was a shadow puppet fabricator for A.R.T.’s The Odyssey (2025), built a puppet and puppeteered in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up (2021), and directed Sandglass Theater’s latest puppet production Feral (2024). In June 2025, Sarah premiered Party Animals, a new touring family puppet show with original music by Phil Berman.

@puppetmotion

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Phil Berman

Phil Berman is a singer-songwriter, actor, and puppeteer with a BFA in Theater Arts from Boston University. He has performed in shows across the Boston area and the Northeast. Phil is currently Lead Faculty and Program Coordinator for New England Conservatory’s Early Childhood Pilot Program, teaching music to over 200 weekly students at Ellis Early Learning Center in Boston’s South End and Jamaica Plain. 
He was a co-creator of Puppet Playtime at Puppet Showplace Theater and returns to the showplace with the Holiday Sing-Along every December. Phil has also played music for touring puppetry productions like The Bella Show, The Joshua Show, and What the Moon Saw. When not performing, Phil is a freelance music teacher and founder of Zibi Consulting Group, creating early childhood arts and culture curriculum for schools and daycare centers across New England.

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