Generic Core Course

Puppetry and Theatre is a foundational studio-based course designed for undergraduate students of 5th Semester to explore the principles of performance, storytelling, character creation, and visual communication through theatre and puppetry. The course introduces students to the expressive potential of theatrical arts and their relevance to animation, character development, and narrative construction.

Beginning with an introduction to theatre, acting exercises, and performance techniques, students develop an understanding of body language, voice, improvisation, character portrayal, and audience engagement. These experiences provide a strong foundation for understanding movement, emotion, and storytelling—essential components of animation and performance-based media.

The course then introduces the history, forms, and applications of puppetry as a storytelling medium. Students engage in hands-on puppet design and fabrication using sustainable and recycled materials, learning how visual design, character traits, and movement contribute to narrative expression. Through individual and collaborative projects, students conceptualize original puppet characters, develop scripts and storyboards, and plan complete puppet theatre productions.

The culmination of the course is a group puppet theatre performance in which students integrate character design, storytelling, stagecraft, puppetry techniques, and teamwork to present a moral-based narrative. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, reflective practice, and experiential learning.

By the end of the course, students will have gained practical experience in theatre and puppetry while developing skills in character creation, performance, storytelling, visual communication, and production planning, all of which contribute to their growth as animation and narrative design practitioners.