“The City That Slept” by Tom Tuke | June 5–6, 2026
PUTNEY, VT — Sandglass Theater launches its New Visions Summer Series with a visually stunning performance by puppeteer Tom Tuke. The City That Slept will be performed Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6 at 7pm at Sandglass Theater in Putney.
Combining shadow puppetry, lantern puppets, and large-scale marionettes, the piece transforms dreams collected from New York City residents into a poetic visual landscape. Interviews recorded in Union Square and atmospheric soundscapes from the city create an immersive theatrical environment where dreams drift through skyscrapers and avenues as the city slowly falls asleep.
The production also features an original technique developed by Tuke—floating shadow puppets that glide across a pool of moving water, creating mesmerizing images of motion and light.
Originally from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Tuke discovered puppetry while working as a classroom teacher before relocating to the United States to study in the Puppet Arts Program at the University of Connecticut. Since arriving in the U.S., he has performed with Bread and Puppet Theater and collaborated with traditional puppeteers from Kerala, India. The City That Slept was developed as his capstone project and is now touring venues throughout the Northeast.
Workshop: Floating Water Puppets
As part of the visit, Tuke will offer a hands-on workshop exploring the water-shadow puppetry technique used in the show.
Saturday, June 6 | 11:00am–12:30pm
Participants will create their own floating shadow puppets and experiment with how the puppets move across swirling water projections. The workshop is open to adults and teenagers, with a maximum capacity of 12 participants.
Event Details
The City That Slept
June 5 & 6, 2026 | 7:00pm
Floating Water Puppets Workshop
June 6 | 11:00am–12:30pm
All tickets: $20
No one turned away for lack of funds.
All events take place at:
Sandglass Theater
17 Kimball Hill
Putney, Vermont
The New Visions Summer Series celebrates interdisciplinary performance and new theatrical creation by artists working at the crossroads of puppetry, music, storytelling, and physical theater.For tickets and information:
www.sandglasstheater.org
tomtuke.com