“If a puppet does not know what to do with itself on stage, it may fall into the trap of doing nothing or doing too much that is meaningless. The same sensory awareness exercises that actors use can provide the puppet with actions that are rich, inventive, and remarkable to behold.” (Puppetry: The Ultimate Disguise, p. 58)

Puppets “listen” by focusing their eyes on the speaker, just as actors do. If the puppet’s eyes are not on the speaker, then its mind is somewhere else. Eye contact, puppet to puppet, indicates attention.

(Sound effects, accompanying the puppet action, will heighten the illusion.) Have your puppet touch imaginary objects with the qualities listed below. Can an observer tell what the object is from the puppet’s pantomime of touching and reacting?

Smooth          Heavy        Cold    Sharp        Hot      Cuddly       Rough  Tickly

(Is the reaction to smell centered only on the nose, or do other body parts react, too?) Have your puppet react to the following odors:

Exotic perfume         Burning trash          Rotten eggs         Baking bread         Springtime

 Try making these sounds for your puppet, remembering that movement and sound together create the total illusion:

Inhale-Exhale    Wheeze    Hiccup    Cough    Snicker    Giggle    Sneeze     Sigh     Snore

Yawn            Sniff         Laugh      Cry        Gasp        Groan      Gulp       Pant     Yuck

(If we can empathize with the puppet feelings, we take another step toward “life” on the stage.)