ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMME
At The Finger Players, we believe in nurturing a lifelong appreciation for the arts from an early age. Through theatre and puppetry, we seek to partner educators in providing students with a well-rounded arts education during their formative years, laying strong foundations for creativity, empathy, and self-expression.
WHY PUPPETRY IN ARTS-BASED LEARNING?
DEVELOPING CONFIDENT PERSONS
BECOMING ACTIVE CONTRIBUTORS
PRACTISING SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AND BEING CONCERNED CITIZENS
PERFORMANCES
- Angels In Disguise (A.I.D)
- Gravity
- Suitcase Stories: Puppets Encore!
- Suitcase Stories: See Hear Touch
- Bubble Up, Bubba!
Angels In Disguise (A.I.D) is a 30-minute rod puppetry performance about the help we receive, the help we learn to ask for, and the help we pass on.
A little girl demonstrates emotional resilience, despite being teased about her appearance. An obnoxious man learns to care and respect others, and an old lady living with dementia shares her ease at living with this condition. With a fairytale-like setting, the performance is a call-to-action, to believe in warmth that can be transmuted, in communities that can be bettered, even with the simplest of gestures. Recommended: ages 7-14 Learning Objectives:
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"Everything on the puppetry was excellent. The movement of the puppets and the presenters’ tone in the storytelling was marvelous." |
Gravity is a 30-minute puppetry performance about perseverance and overcoming failures.
Commander Chang is living her dream - the first female astronaut to land at the International Space Station with 27 successful space missions on record, until a cosmic accident lands her back on Earth. An encounter with a motley crew of heartland dwellers guides her on a journey of self-discovery. Gravity teaches us that our body is where it always is, that the ground would always have our back, and that if at first you don’t succeed, to try and try again. Recommended: ages 7-9 Learning Objectives:
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"Funny. Moving. Inclusive. It is an interactive story about embracing failure." |
Puppets Encore! is a 30-minute puppetry performance, celebrating human connection, unlikely friendships, and hope through three short stories.
Follow a young boy as a spark of curiosity sends him soaring through the sky and diving beneath the sea. Meet a lonely uncle whose life begins to heal through an unexpected bond with a puppy. And witness two people discovering connection and companionship as they grow old together. Puppets Encore! offers audiences a glimpse into the limitless possibilities of the art form. The performance is entirely non-verbal, allowing students to engage their imagination and critical thinking without the confinement of text. Recommended: ages 7-16 Learning Objectives:
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"The sound design and script were gorgeous! There was a childlike sense of immersion. In each skit there was something that took me by surprise and moved me. I loved the spinning puppet." |
See Hear Touch is a 30-minute interactive workshop-performance that gives an insight on how people with disabilities navigate the world around them.
It’s just another day for Chris and her guide dog, Bobbi, when an incident leads to them being separated! Join us on this adventure as we guide Chris and Bobbi back to back each other, while being introduced to the ways of navigating this world that we all live in, beyond just seeing, hearing, and touching. Recommended: ages 13-17 Learning Objectives:
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"Heartfelt and funny. This show is a warm invitation for the privileged to step into the shoes of people going through challenges." |
Bubble Up, Bubba! is an accessible, intimate, and interactive puppetry-based performance experience for young people with sensory sensitivities.
Bubba is visiting the pool for the first time on their own. The water is deep, their heart is racing, and suddenly, panic sets in. Just when it feels like too much, a friendly Bubble appears! Bubble encourages Bubba to trust the water and find their courage from within. Together, they discover the joy of rising above fear, reminding us that even when we feel out of our depth, we can always “bubble up!” Recommended: ages 7-9 Learning Objectives:
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"The performance was well-paced with interactive sensory elements to engage young learners." |
DIGITAL PROGRAMMES
- My Friend, A Japanese Soldier
My Friend, A Japanese Soldier is a digital performance based on true stories collected from the National Archives of Singapore and is a powerful drama about survival and courage during times of war.
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The story is set in Singapore during World War II and revolves around an unlikely friendship between a Japanese soldier and a local boy, which raises suspicions amongst the locals. This performance will help students gain a greater awareness and understanding of the period when Singapore was under Japanese rule during World War II, and learn to see things from various perspectives and foster empathy. Recommended: ages 10-18 Learning Objectives:
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"I loved the creative use of puppets in the show! The design was very interesting to watch. I liked the background as it reminds me of traditional wayang shows in the past." |
WORKSHOPS
- Introduction to the Art of Puppetry Workshop
- Puppet Design & Construction Workshop
- Becoming An Artist: Learning Journey @ Cairnhill Arts Centre
In this Introduction to the Art of Puppetry workshop, participants will be given a brief introduction to the mechanisms of various forms of puppetry.
During the session, participants will be given hands-on experience in manipulating puppets both individually and as an ensemble. At the end of the session, the participants will explore devising and storytelling using the puppets. The various forms of puppetry includes traditional Chinese hand puppetry, rod puppetry, string puppetry, shadow puppetry, mask puppetry and object puppetry. Customisable for various age groups Learning Objectives:
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"I thought we were only going to be playing with puppets, but we learnt so much more about their history and origins." |
In this Puppet Design & Construction Workshop, participants will be introduced to the anatomy of a professional rod puppet and its mechanisms.
Using the materials provided, participants will design and assemble their very own rod puppets. At the end of the session, the participants will also be given the opportunity to explore puppet manipulation techniques using their completed puppets. Customisable for various age groups Learning Objectives:
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"It actually went beyond what I expected to learn. The lead instructor was very meticulous and open with sharing information and knowledge." |
A puppetry workshop and tour held at the heritage building Cairnhill Arts Centre.
During the learning journey, participants will be introduced to the five forms of puppetry – hand, rod, strings, mask and object puppets, through hands-on experience and gain insights from a puppet designers’ process. In addition, they will get a tour of The Finger Players’ working spaces at the heritage building ONE-TWO-SIX Cairnhill Arts Centre and learn more about the history of the centre, how it has evolved from a nutmeg plantation in 1800s to an important cultural building in Singapore today. Customisable for various age groups Learning Objectives:
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"Seeing puppeteers at work in a space that holds much heritage was an invaluable experience. Getting to interact and interview artists who work in actual artistic spaces inspired my students to want to learn more about performing arts." |
CUSTOMISABLE PUPPETRY PROGRAMMES
If you are interested in customising any of our performances, workshops, or learning journeys for a more tailored experience for your institution, we warmly invite you to get in touch with us.
Our team will be happy to offer a consultation to better understand your students’ age group, learning objectives, and curriculum needs, and to explore how our programmes can be adapted to best support your teaching and learning goals.
Contact us for a quotation today!
