Detroit Puppet Company

CARRIE MORRIS ARTS PRODUCTION (D/B/A DETROIT PUPPET COMPANY) ("DPC") PROVIDES A FORUM FOR CONTEMPORARY PUPPETRY, MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE, AND ARTISTIC EXPLORATION, SUPPORTING NEW WORKS AND HIGH-CALIBER ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS ECONOMIC DIVIDES.

PRESENTING CONTEMPORARY PUPPETRY AND PERFORMANCE - EVERY YEAR, DPC PRESENTS 15 TO 30 HIGH-CALIBER THEATRICAL WORKS BY LOCAL AND NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTISTS, STAGED IN AN INTIMATE INDOOR VENUE OR IN A COMMUNITY GREENSPACE AS PART OF A BIANNUAL OUTDOOR SUMMER SERIES. IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR, DPC PRESENTED 57 THEATRICAL WORKS AND WORKSHOPS, WHICH WERE ATTENDED BY 6,165 AUDIENCE MEMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR INFORMATION ABOUT NEW DETROIT COMMISSIONS, AN ADDITIONAL PORTION OF THIS PROGRAM.NEW DETROIT COMMISSIONS - COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS AT HOME ENRICHES DETROIT'S ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT. DPC PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS WHO ARE TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY, SUPPORTING COMMISSIONS OF LOCAL PERFORMING ARTISTS OF COLOR AND ARTISTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER MODES OF FUNDING, LIKE GRANTS OR COMPANY REVENUE. DPC ALSO PRODUCES THE ANNUAL DETROIT PUPPET SLAM HIGHLIGHTING MICHIGAN ARTISTS, WHICH INCLUDES A COMMISSIONING PROGRAM AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORSHIP. IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR, DPC PRESENTED 17 THEATRICAL WORKS, WHICH WERE ATTENDED BY 1,640 AUDIENCE MEMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

ACTIVATING SPACE - DPC PROVIDES INCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE SPACES THAT BRING TOGETHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. DPC'S VENUES ARE NEIGHBORHOOD SPACES THAT ARE TRANSFORMED INTO PERFORMANCE LABORATORIES WHERE CREATIVITY THRIVES. DPC'S PUPPET HOUSE, A RENOVATED DETROIT BUNGALOW, PROVIDES SPACE FOR INTIMATE PERFORMANCES, AS WELL AS AN EXPERIMENTAL CREATIVE LABORATORY WHERE MANY OF DPC'S WORKS GROW FROM SMALL IDEAS TO LARGER-THAN-LIFE-SIZE, AND HAS BECOME A POINT OF NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.DPC'S AMPHITHEATER AND COMMUNITY COMMONS ARE A 1.3-ACRE OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE AREA AND GARDEN THAT SERVE AS BOTH A VENUE AND A WELCOMING NEIGHBORHOOD GATHERING. RESIDENTS FROM DIVERSE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, FROM CITY OF DETROIT STAFF TO LOCAL INTERFAITH INITIATIVES, HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OUTDOOR SPACE. IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR, DPC HIRED NINE CONTRACTORS TO MAINTAIN AND EXECUTE THE GARDEN BED AND PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS IN THE AMPHITHEATER. ATTENDEES TO THESE PROGRAMS AND VISITORS TO DPC'S OUTDOOR SPACE BEYOND THE EVENT ATTENDANCE NUMBERS CITED ABOVE TOTAL 2,573.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS - DPC'S ORIGINAL WORKS ARE A FRESH ROTATION OF PERFORMANCES AND NARRATIVES THAT DPC FEELS ARE IMPORTANT TO SHARE, OFTEN INSPIRED BY THE DIVERSE CULTURES AND EXPERIENCES OF THE CITY. TYPICALLY DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THESE WORKS CAN BE SEEN AT DPC'S AMPHITHEATER AND IN BOOKINGS AT VENUES AROUND THE CITY. IN THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR, DPC COLLABORATED WITH 711 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MULTIPLE STIPEND-BASED WEEKLY AND MONTHLY OUTREACH MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.