This year’s Rocky Mountain Puppet Slam was packed with talent, truth, and the kind of laughs that start deep in your chest. We had puppeteers doing their thing in the dark. Taxidermy. Weed bears. Films that left us misty-eyed. Shadow work that hit like poetry. And performances that reminded me just how powerful this art form really is.
I want to take a moment to shout out some of the amazing artists who made the night what it was:
Katy Williams has given us a place to express. Katy is the reason this Slam exists. As the founder of the Rocky Mountain Puppet Guild, she created this stage for all of us. Her warmth and character run even deeper than her talent, which is saying a lot. Puppeteer, singer, actress, organizer… Katy does it all, and she does it with community, love, and more passion than imaginable.
Miss Ida Ho was the perfect MC—charismatic, clever, and absolutely killed it in that red sequined gown. She had us laughing, gasping, and cheering between every act. And those accessories?! She knew her audience and we were living for her.
Kilah Storm brought her signature edge with her brilliant taxidermy puppets—strange, striking, and utterly unforgettable. I don’t know how she does what she does, but I’m so glad she does it. I also have personal gratitude for everything Kilah has taught me, and for all her work on The Mental Felts.
The filmmakers who shared their work added something incredibly special to the evening. Their voices and visions added texture and tenderness to the lineup, and I’m deeply grateful for that.
One of the things I love most about puppetry is its ability to carry big topics in small hands. You can talk about grief, trauma, addiction, politics—through materials—and people listen. People feel. They understand.
This Puppet Slam reminded me that puppetry isn’t just fun. It’s freedom. It’s storytelling. It’s sacred and relateable, often at the same time.
To every performer who shared the stage that night: thank you for showing up, for showing heart, and for continuing to make magic in a world that so desperately needs it.
