Puppet Improv Project
The Puppet Improv Project (located in Austin, TX) started as an experiment in January 2009. In that year, the founder and producing artistic director, Sara Farr, decided to spend one year exploring improvisational comedy through puppetry and see what would come of it. Since then, the PIP has produced a variety of shows, and is now using improvisation to generate scripted work and engage audiences. The use of a script facilitates larger, more complicated puppets that require several puppeteers and choregraphed movement.
So far the project has been a success in it's ability to foster interest in puppetry and improvisation within Austin. With the integration of scripted plays, the PIP continues to work towards exploring new forms of puppetry, and expanding the ensemble's puppet vocabulary in performance.
The year 2014 marks a research and development year, with the development of two new scripted shows, research into animatronic puppetry, fundraising for the following year, as well as continued puppetry classes through The University of Texas Informal Classes program.
To explore improvisation and puppetry through both traditional and non-traditional forms of performance, and to foster an appreciation of puppetry within the community.