The Ugly Duckling at Center for Puppetry Arts

Puppet Shows | Ages 2-8 | Our Location

The Journey to Find Your True Self

Adapted by Michael Haverty

Based on the beloved classic by Hans Christian Andersen

A young bird simply doesn’t fit in with the other ducks in the pond. Helped by some friendly forest sprites, the duckling sets out to explore the wonders of the pond. On his journey, he meets a cast of colorful characters and courageously braves the seasons that help him discover his true self.

With a beautifully created environment full of hidden musical instruments created by Atlanta Percussionist Klimchak, The Ugly Duckling brings to the stage Andersen’s transformative fable about life’s bumpy road.

Your Center ticket includes the performance, admission to the Worlds of Puppetry Museum, and the Create-A-Puppet Workshop™.

CREATE-A-PUPPET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE SUMMER 2021

Thursdays : 10:45am-12pm and 12:45pm-2pm

Fridays: 10:45am-12pm and 12:45pm-2pm

Saturdays: 11:45am-1pm, 1:45pm-3pm, 3:45pm-5pm

Sundays: 1:45pm-3pm, 3:45pm-5pm

*NOTE: groups can be scheduled for instructor-led Create-A-Puppet Workshops weekdays at 10am and 12pm—contact the Ticket Office for details!

Puppetry Styles: Rod Puppets

Create-A-Puppet Workshop™: Sweet Swan Rod Puppet

Learning Themes: Seasonal changes, perseverance, identity, fables

Click below for a sneak peek at the show.

Meet the Artists

Amy Sweeney

Director | Understudy

Amy Sweeney (Head Puppeteer/Artist in Residence) is a Suzi Award winning performer and director.  She is so happy and grateful to call CPA her work home for the last 17 years.  Her past performances have included Sesame Street the Musical, Stellaluna, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Human, Aanika’s Elephants, and Mother Goose.  She is very thankful for her family and friends, especially her Mom and Dad, her hubby Tim, and her little monkeys Elora and Stella. 

Tim Sweeney

Executive Producer

Tim Sweeney began at the Center as a puppeteer in 1999. Over the years he has appeared on stage at the Center in over 50 productions. He served as the Program Director for Xperimental Puppetry Theatre from 2014-2019, overseeing and coordinating six productions. He has also directed 12 productions at the Center, including 9 productions of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (2015-2024), Peter Pan (2018), and two productions of Charlotte’s Web (2017, 2023). He also served as Assistant Director on Ruth and the Green Book (2024), Duke Ellington’s Cat (2023), Old MacDonald’s Farm (2016), and Mother Goose (2014). In addition to his work at the Center he has appeared in several touring productions for the company Swazzle in the Los Angeles area and puppeteered in independent films such as Raymond Carr’s Wild is the Wind.
He is excited to be starting a new chapter in his Center career and is honored to serve in a position of senior leadership as head of the Production Department. He would like to thank the mentors that have guided him over the years, especially Jon Ludwig, Bobby Box, Lorna Howley, Liz Lee, Therese Aun, Kristen Haverty, and Vince Anthony. He would especially like to thank his wonderful and talented wife Amy for her support and our amazing girls, Elora and Stella for inspiring him to always be his best self.