Manual Cinema Brings Shadow Puppetry to Seattle

Manual Cinema, a Chicago-based performance collective, brings its unique blend of handmade shadow puppetry and live music to Seattle. Founded in 2010 by a group of artists including Drew Dir and Sarah Fornace, the company crafts theatrical experiences using vintage overhead projectors, live feed cameras, and cinematic techniques. Their shows blend shadow puppetry, live music, and sound effects, as seen in works like "Ada/Ava" and an adaptation of Mo Willems' children's books.

Attendees can expect a performance where puppetry, live music, and sound effects converge in real-time. The collective has won an Emmy and was named Chicago Artists of the Year by the Chicago Tribune. Their work includes contributing two films to the Obama Presidential Center and providing shadow puppet animations for the 2021 film "Candyman."