Students in the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance are once again taking puppets on the road and out into the community. 

WVU’s Puppet Mobile for more than 30 years has been dedicated to bringing live puppet performances and educational outreach to audiences around the state of West Virginia. This year, students and staff will bring to life a new twist on the classic Three Little Pigs.

The production, written by Kevin Smith, a WVU alumnus and teaching instructor, brings to life Wolf, who isn’t feeling well, and visits the three pigs to borrow some tissues. As he introduces himself, he accidently sneezes and blows over the house of straw. Wolf and the pigs must then figure out how to move forward and help each other along the way. 

“The Puppet Mobile performances are a great opportunity for students to experience and interact with live theatre,” said Cassandra Hackbart, a graduate acting student leading the program. “Not just being able to watch a story unfold, but to be a part of the story is crucial to the life brought forth by the theatre. The schools that we visit will be a part of an interactive experience through this show. They will help solve problems and gain new perspectives on a classic tale.”

“Students will be building the puppets, rehearsing. and performing the show as we tour around the state,” Hackbart said. “The opportunity to tour a show is a valuable aspect to use in training our theatre students.”

The Puppet Mobile is available to audiences of up to 50 students and runs for approximately one hour, including a question and answer and meet the puppets session. For more information on the Puppet Mobile, or to book a performance, visit https://theatre.wvu.edu/community-outreach/puppet-mobile