This year's regional puppet slam finals are set for October, with organizers confirming an eight-performer lineup that includes a returning three-time champion looking to defend her title.
The format stays intentionally minimal: one puppeteer, one hand, an eight-minute time limit, and no amplified sound beyond a single handheld microphone. Judges score on writing, timing, and what organizers describe only as 'hand commitment.'
Tickets for the final round typically sell out within days of going on sale, and this year's event will be the first held in the slam's new, larger venue.
The national organization's own festival, the largest recurring gathering of its kind in the country.
Details on New York's International Puppet Fringe Festival, held annually each August.