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4th Wall Dramaturgy

Shadow Puppetry Tips and Tricks

By Andrew Elijah Schindler,
February 10, 2025 05:36 PM

In this production of Henry V we use shadow puppets to help us illustrate things like the Siege of Harfleur and the Battle of Agincourt.

It was very exciting to come up with different ways that we could use them to help the audience “work their thoughts” and see the things that Shakespeare wants them to. Shadow puppets are fun to operate and help elevate any story with inventive visuals. This article details the different lessons that we have learned about shadow puppetry during the course of the show. Maybe you can play with these and make your own puppets at home!

Photo by Shadow puppets by Royal Academy of Arts

Tips

Lighting. Make sure that you use the right type of light: Most shadow puppetry lights have one single light source and all good light sources create sharp and clear shadows. Lights with a single LED (light emitting diode) tend to be very bright and create the sharp shadows that you are looking for. Most smart phone flashlights fall into this category of light and work very well for making shadow puppet shows.

There are other light sources that work quite well and like with most things, the best way to know if a light source is good for shadow puppetry is to test it out yourself. Turn off all other lights in the room and then shine your light onto a wall or other flat surface. Use your hand or any object to see how clearly your light casts shadows. Do keep in mind that some light sources can generate a lot of heat so be careful when working with them. Never work with a light source without getting permission from an adult, and ask for an adult to supervise you while you do work with one. In the show we use high powered LED flashlights that can be found, if you are so inclined, at this link.

Backdrop. Once you have a strong light source you need to make sure that you have something to shine your light against. You can use a flat white wall and shine the light directly onto that or you can do what we do in the show and set up a screen. A white cotton or linen bed sheet works very well, (silk sheets work but you should try to avoid shiny material.)

You will need something to hang the sheet between, like two chairs or a door frame. Once again ask an adult to help you find things to hang the sheet, and it is always a good idea to ask before using anything. Once your screen is hanging, pull it tight so that there are as few wrinkles as possible. Now stand behind the sheet and shine your light onto it. On the other side of the sheet your audience should be able to see the shadows that you cast and not you.

Puppets. When you are making the puppets themselves, there are a couple of things to watch out for. It’s important to use a dark material that absorbs light and because shadow puppets are flat, the stronger material you use to make them the longer they will last. We recommend that you use black construction or poster paper when you start out.

You can either draw the puppet you want and then cut it out, or you can print off a pattern you would like to cut, trace it, and then cut out your puppet with scissors. Once again make sure you ask an adult for permission before doing this.

After you have cut out your shape you will need to attach your puppet to a "director" which is a fancy word for stick. You can use popsicle sticks for smaller puppets and we recommend using paint stir-sticks for larger puppets. After you have more experience with construction paper, you can use the same process to make puppets with stronger material like cardboard and vinyl.

Materials

  • Sturdy material like black construction paper, or cardboard.
  • Markers to trace or draw the shape of your shadow puppet.
  • Something to cut your material like scissors. Remember to ask for permission and supervision whenever working with sharp tools.
  • Popsicle sticks or stir sticks to attach your puppets to.
  • Tape or glue to attach your puppet to your director/ stick of choice.
  • A screen or white wall. White bed sheets work very well.
  • A light source that gives off sharp shadows. Most cellphone flashlights are good options. 
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Henry V TYA Articles BYU Young Company

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