The Austin Puppet Incident(n.) -

  The Austin Puppet Incident is a joint creation of Glass Half Full Theatre and Trouble Puppet Theater Company, with funding from the Puppet Slam Network. With the goal of highlighting short works of puppetry for adults, we encourage artists to participate in our reciprocal model, in which artists work with and for each other in a variety of pieces. We welcome local performers as well as visiting artists.

Xavi and Yaya shadow puppets point towards text that reads 'The Austin Puppet Incident 2022'

Tickets now available!

Two nights only, December 9th & 10th 2022!  New works of puppetry, cabaret-style. Click here for tickets

Night on Egg Mountain

Puppet Pandemic

Our first Puppet Incident in Austin, featuring puppeteers from all over the country at Salvage Vanguard Theater.

Arbor Day (2011)

API 2011

The first Austin Puppet Incident to be called Austin Puppet Incident! Featuring trees atoning for their sins, marionette dreams, and dotted legs. At Salvage Vanguard Theater.  

Melt

API 2012

An experiential year for API, featuring intimate pieces inside and out at the Fort ATX. Featuring the big bad wolf, kungfu puppets, imperiled polar bears, and rock people under the sink.

St Nicolas

API 2013

Featuring an authentic flea circus, questionable sausage, an MC worm, and historical puppetry, among others. In the second stage at SVT.

Those Lost Sight of Themselves

API 2014

Featuring Aaron Neville’s mole, new takes on old fairy tales, and a very rough ratski.  In the second stage at SVT.

API 2015

Featuring guest artist Madison J Cripps’ marionettes, strange typewriter homonculi, and interesting uses for medical tubing.  At SVT’s second stage.

Polly Mermaid

API 2016

Featuring guest artist Sarah Nolen, with superheroes we can’t name for trademark reasons. Also, Polly Mermaid, and shifting bedrooms.  At the Backpack.

Lavenduladuo

API 2017

Featuring trees: having relations with each other in shadow, returning to be punished for their holiday sins, and exploring being lavender (which is a plant really, not a tree).  At the Santa Cruz Theater.

Pupeteer Marsian De Lellis in the background behind a featureless puppet wearing a candy bracelet

API 2018

Featuring guest artist Marsian De Lellis and their piece Feeder.  Also, vulva popes, glowing girls, and a music video from the Whiskey Shivers. At the Dougherty Arts Center.

A shadow puppet next to the shadow of flowers. Everything has a purple cast to it.

API 2019

Featuring guest artist Anatar Marmol-Gagné with an excerpt from her piece Sueños. Also, lion dances, travelers offering broccoli, and the bishop of Nepture.  At the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center.

API 2020

Our second Pandemic! But not the good kind this time.  The very bad kind. Puppeteering is a lot of people super close together, so to avoid all that breathing, we streamed favorite pieces from the last 9 years.  At YouTube.

A black Mothman puppet with pink eyes and a headband, working out in front of a video screen playing Workout with Erica Nix

API 2021

Our second (third) Pandemic year!  After a year+ of learning how to theater in a pandemic, we returned to a live(ish) show.  Featuring guest artist Lake Simons (on video).  Also, Mothman, tentacles teaching consent, and hands under glass. At the Vortex.