Special Exhibitions | All Ages | Our Location
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Child of Wood Special Exhibition

By Tom Lee

Discover “Child of Wood”, a special exhibition celebrating two decades of puppeteer Tom Lee’s groundbreaking work. Blending traditional Japanese kuruma ningyō puppetry with modern techniques like live video and miniature sets, Lee’s creations tell powerful, cross-cultural stories.

From acclaimed works like Shank’s Mare to behind-the-scenes designs and puppets, this immersive exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the artistry and innovation of one of contemporary puppetry’s leading voices.

Special Exhibition Admission Includes the Following

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Tom Lee Workshop

Devising Puppetry Strategies & Process

March 17 | Online via ZOOM | 7 PM ET | 13+

Tom Lee offers an inside look at his creative process through images, sketches, and video, exploring how he develops original, long-form puppet theater.

Participants will gain insight into the evolution of a work from early concept to performance, followed by an interactive group discussion in which Lee responds to questions, ideas, and project proposals.

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Meet the Artist

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Director | Designer | Puppet Artist
Tom Lee
Tom Lee is a director, designer, and puppet artist, born in Korea and raised in Hawai’i. He began his career at La MaMa in New York and later worked with St. Ann’s Warehouse Puppet Lab. His work blends figures, film, and animation, creating original puppet theater while also performing and designing through Chicago Puppet Studio. Notable credits include Sounding the Resonant Path, Shank’s Mare, Akutagawa, and The Great Zodiac Animal Race, as well as performances in War Horse (Tony Award), Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera, and Petrushka with the New York Philharmonic. His design work spans theater, opera, dance, and film. He has taught at Sarah Lawrence College, the University of Chicago, and Lincoln Center Theater and co-founded the Chicago Puppet Lab in 2021.

Puppetry NOW

Puppetry NOW turns the Center for Puppetry Arts’ focus to the art of our time and artists with limited representation in our historical collections.

Through an annual solo exhibition, performance, and collecting efforts, the initiative provides space and support to puppeteers and artists of color, while increasing the organization’s connection to the current state of puppetry.

Past Puppetry NOW artists include: Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins (2022), Poncili Creación (2023), Nehprii Amenii (2024), Raymond Carr (2025).