Shoebox proscenium stage

What you'll need

• 1 shoebox
• Craft knife
• Scrap fabric for curtains
• Paint or patterned paper for the backdrop
• Hot glue

Fits

Any finger puppet — this is a stage, not a puppet.

Steps

1. Remove the shoebox lid and cut a rectangular proscenium opening in the box's long side.
2. Paint or line the interior back wall with a simple backdrop scene.
3. Cut two curtain panels from scrap fabric and glue them to either side of the opening.
4. Add a thin dowel or ribbon above the opening so the curtains can be tied open.
5. Cut a small slot along the bottom edge for puppets to 'enter' from below.
6. Set the finished stage on a table edge so the performer can kneel behind it out of sight.

Common mistakes

• Cutting the opening too close to the box's edges, which weakens the whole structure.
• Using regular craft glue on the curtain fabric, which soaks through and stains the backdrop.
• Forgetting the entrance slot, which forces every puppet to awkwardly appear from directly overhead.

Variations to try

• Add a second, smaller opening for a 'balcony' puppet to comment on the main action.
• Cut interchangeable backdrop panels so one stage can serve several different shows.
• String battery-powered fairy lights along the inside top edge for basic stage lighting.