2025
The Gift
Our 25th Anniversary Show
About the Show
Stories move on the water. The water moves in all things. Life moves in dynamic patterns that weave like currents and rich tapestries that shape who we are. We may sometimes fall short of such states of grace. We readily receive the gifts the world provides with no explicit expectations in return. Yet reciprocity could very well be our best pathway to survival. We can decide to give back, and now is the time. We were built for this. Made for it.
We humbly request the gift of your presence as we seek this balance. Let the Grandmothers tell you a story that you didn’t know you needed. Let the water protectors and heroines of justice sing you a song of resilience. Let us share a moment of connection, wonder and gratitude. Let us create this, our future, together — through art!
Join us in honoring the rare gift that is life on Earth as we celebrate Paperhand’s 25th year! Come and experience the magic of giant puppets, masks, stilts, painted cardboard and cloth, illuminated puppets and shadows all set to original live music in a performance for all ages. See you at the show!
This year’s show features a collaboration with Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s Poet Laureate, singer and songwriter Dawn Landes, and highlights the important work of water protectors like Claudia Lopez, Elaine Chiosso (former Executive Director of Haw River Assembly), Brenda Wilson, Louise Omoto Kessel and Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, Co-Founder and CEO of 7 Directions of Service.
Want to know how our puppets and costumes got made and get an early sneak peek of the full performance?
Become a paying sustainer on our Patreon and unlock all of our past content from this show!
Thank You to Our Partners & Sponsors!
Thank You To the 16,000+ People that Attend Our Shows and 392 Volunteers We Had This Year!
In North Carolina, people came from 73 different counties, and people came from all over the country and the world to see us - from 41 different states and 9 different countries. THANK YOU!