Thistle Theatre offers the most affordable, professional theatre experience to families in the Puget Sound area. If you haven’t visited one of our three locations yet, join the thousands of families that have enjoyed our performances. Make this the year you introduce your family and friends to this traditional style of Japanese puppetry.

Thistle Theatre is the only puppet theatre in the NW specializing in the Bunraku-style of puppetry. We are at the forefront of evolving and exploring this increasingly popular Japanese style of puppetry. Our own hand-crafted puppets are brought to life by puppeteers dressed in black, operating the puppets from behind for realistic movement. The puppets, props and scenery are designed and created by Thistle Theatre artists. Our productions are carefully crafted to have layers of action and language to please audiences of all ages, each performed by a team of professional actor/puppeteers with excellent character and singing voices. This season each 45 minute play is appropriate for ages 3 and up.

• Remind your child’s school about our weekday school shows and workshops.
• Celebrate birthdays at one of our shows or enjoy a birthday show in your home.
• Thistle Theatre’s Children’s Ticket Subsidy Fund continues to give discounted or free tickets to low-income children and families.

We invite you to add a donation to your ticket order this season to support our effort to bring quality puppet theatre to children in need. Through Thistle Theatre's Children's Ticket Subsidy Fund we are able to give discounted or free tickets to low-income children and families at all three of our locations. We invite you to add a donation to your ticket order this season to support our effort to bring quality puppet theatre to children in need.

We sincerely thank our corporate donors 4Culture - King County Lodging Tax, The Seattle Foundation, Allied Arts Foundation and our generous individual donors for their support.

Together with the Thistle Theatre Board, artists and puppeteers I look forward to you joining us for a magical season of puppet theatre.

Jean Enticknap - Artistic Director

Announcing our 2009-2010 Season
Fables, Fantasies and Fun!

You can download our mailers here:

School Schedule Mailer

Family Schedule Mailer

Baba Yaga and the Bag of Gold - Russia

The Tale of Two Bad Mice- Great Britain

Auntie Lena’s African Stories - Africa

The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon– Korea

The Tales of Peter Rabbit –Great Britian

Season Tickets are on sale now!
call 206 524-3388 or Click Here to Order Online

You may also purchase Thistle Theatre performance tickets from Brown Paper Tickets.
Click here to order, then SEARCH for THISTLE

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Attention Teachers!
Tickets $6 per child/chaperone - teacher free!
Book 2 shows for  $5.50 per person per show
Book 3 or 4 shows  $5.00 per person per show

CALL (206) 524-3388 TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS! Supported in part by funds from

Africa Auntie Lena and her puppet friends tell three African stories of friendship. Jackal loves to trick his friend Rabbit into making her play his favorite game in Jackal’s Favorite Game. The Monkey’s Heart is a trickster story of a friendship betrayed, and new friendship is explored in Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together   Family Show Times: TICKETS: $7.00 child/senior, $9.00 adult   Magnuson Park Theatre: Theatre Building #47 7110 62nd Ave NE, Seattle WA 98115 January 23, 24  1:00PM and 3:00PM       Sunset Hill: Sunset Hill Community Club 3003 NW 66th Street, Seattle February 5  7:30PM February 6, 7  1:00PM and 3:00PM       Bellevue Youth Theater: 16661 Northup Way Bellevue, WA 98008 February 13, 14  2:00PM and 4:00PM          School Show Times: TICKETS: Student Price: $6.00   Magnuson Park Theatre: Theatre Building #47 7110 62nd Ave NE, Seattle WA 98115 January 20, 21, 22  10:30AM and 12:30PM       Sunset Hill: Sunset Hill Community Club 3003 NW 66th Street, Seattle February 3, 5 10:30AM and 12:30PM       Bellevue Youth Theater: 16661 Northup Way Bellevue, WA 98008 February 10, 11, 12 10:30AM and 12:30PM

Let Thistle Theatre star at your Fundraiser!
Bring the Thistle Theatre production to your school, community center, auction or fundraiser at a discounted price. We will provide the production at a flat fee and all you have to do is sell tickets to your event! Combine with an auction, family fun night, spaghetti feed, ice cream social or simple bake sale.

We can give your child a Birthday he or she will not soon forget!
"Mrs. Periwinkle and Possum"
Mrs. Periwinkle takes the children on an adventure featuring Possum, King Froggy Wartingham III, and a Wishing Well. Soft, charming puppets and a craft activity (childen make a paper dragonfly puppet) create a memorable birthday party. Click here for more information.

Ages 3 and up

"Captain Crashland in Space"
Captain Crashland is a Hero for Hire. He and his alien puppet friend Griffle and the party children go on an interplanetary adventure to retrieve the Name Sphere that was stolen by the Reptile King. The Sphere holds the name of the new King or Queen of Korzul…a tiny planet.

Click here for more information.

Ages 3 and up

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