Resident and Affiliated Artists
Puppet Showplace Theater is proud to support the work of these outstanding professional puppeteers. Resident and affiliated artists perform in our mainstage series, create work for puppet slams, tour throughout New England (and beyond!), teach classes to all ages, and develop new work for diverse audiences. Thank you for supporting their work!
Sarah Nolen
Sarah Nolen became Puppet Showplace Theater's third-ever resident artist in September 2017. Her shadow adaptation of the Baba Yaga story, Lisa the Wise, debuted in October 2017 as part of the Fall Fairy Tale Festival. Since coming on board at Puppet Showplace, Sarah has debuted two new shows: The Fairy Tailor in February 2018, and Judy Saves the Day in January 2019. Most recently she designed, built, and co-wrote Wee The People’s My Night in the Planetarium, which debuted in February 2020. Sarah stays busy teaching camps and classes for all ages pre-k to adult, consulting on puppetry projects for theaters and cultural institutions, and running the theater's "Hatchery" program for new works development.
Sarah is known internationally for her versatile, witty, and innovative work across multiple puppetry styles. Before moving to Boston, Sarah worked in New York City as a builder for Acheson Walsh Studios and as a performer for the immersive show Pip's Island. She has also toured internationally as part of the ensemble for Reverse Cascade, and has performed original work in puppet slams across the U.S.
Originally from Austin, Texas, Sarah earned her BFA in film from Southern Methodist University in 2009, and MFA in Puppet Arts from the University of Connecticut in 2016. Sarah has performed as a puppeteer for the Boston Pops Orchestra, EnvisionFEST Hartford, and The Out of Bounds Festival in Austin. In addition to her work in puppetry, Sarah is an experienced filmmaker and comedy improv performer. Email: Sarah@puppetshowplace.org
Learn more about Sarah's work at www.sarahnolen.com.
John and Megan Regan
John and Megan Regan, CactusHead Puppets (Resident Touring Company) are a West Springfield-based husband and wife team. After founding their company in 2010, they began touring throughout Western New England with shows based on favorite, familiar folktales, including The Pied Piper of Hamelin and The Bremen Town Musicians, as well as their original extravaganza, the Magnificent Monster Circus. As "CactusHead Puppets" they are known for their playful performance style and exuberant creativity. John and Megan are both graduates of the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts program. Megan is originally from the Kansas City area, where she worked with Paul Mesner Puppets. John is from Western Massachusetts, and is honored to be performing in the same libraries where he saw puppet shows growing up. Megan collects pop-up books, and John has a love for giant monster movies. Both John and Megan were once interns at Puppet Showplace Theater, and they always enjoy returning to Boston to share their work as professional puppeteers!
