How Embracing the Power of “Yet” Can Take You on Your Next Adventure

“Why should he have all the adventures? I want some for myself.”
—Princess Cimorene, Dealing with Dragons

Princess Cimorene (Lizzy Hinman) meets Woraug (Kyle B. Dekker) while Roxim (Alex Yang) looks on from the background. Photo by Emily Isakson

When I saw the notice last October that Phantom Chorus Theatre would be adapting Dealing with Dragons, Minnesota author Patricia C. Wrede’s YA fantasy novel about the unconventional princess Cimorene, I knew I wanted to audition. I knew I wanted a part in bringing this beloved book to stage, and as luck would have it, I found myself with the chance to be a puppeteer and voice actor for the show. I’ve been writing, acting, and producing plays locally for a little over a decade. But these were the two things I’d never done before.

A good friend once told me there is great power in the word “yet.” It’s an actionable word: “I haven’t done puppetry—yet.” This show has become my next “yet.” And dang has it been quite the adventure.

Kazul (Jennifer D’Lynn and Marc Berg), Roxim (Alex Yang and Thalia Kostman), and Woraug (Kyle B. Dekker and Amy Walus). Photo by Emily Isakson

The folks at Phantom Chorus Theatre have graced local stages with a bevy of unique and imaginative puppetry-focused shows. They design and build these puppets themselves, and Dealing with Dragons has them bringing multiple dragons and many other magical creatures to life in some fabulously creative ways. I find myself, a self-taught actor, thrust in the middle of the production.

One thing you learn quickly as a self-taught theater professional is that you have to respond quickly on the fly in each show. Learning to animate the puppets has been quite the learning journey; I’m finding new physical and mental challenges while performing onstage as we breathe life into constructs of fabric, foam, and glue. And in its own way, doing so creates a kind of magic we only find in fantasy books: the power to create life from the inanimate, fully realized onstage.

Princess Cimorene (Lizzy Hinman), Antorell (Maxon Alexander), and Zemenar (Ryan Voss). Photo by Emily Isakson

The biggest thing I was not ready for was the challenge of paring the mental aspects of acting with the physicality of puppetry. In a typical acting role, I can express an emotion or connect with another actor onstage through body language, eye contact, and physical expressions. In puppetry, you have to convey those physical expressions through the puppet you are controlling. In practice, that means you are looking at the puppet while controlling it, making sure it’s emoting and making eye contact with the other characters. It’s a bit of a juggling act, and it has helped me become more aware of the minutiae of performance, as I’m making sure all the things I do naturally in my own body instead find their way into the physicality of the puppet—all within the limitations of the puppet’s construction.

In this show, the dragon puppets are an extra challenge. In order to convey the size and stage presence of a large dragon, each of these is animated by two puppeteers: one controlling the head and voicing the lines, the other inside the body frame of the puppet itself controlling the hands, legs, tail, and body. This has meant learning how to move two humans together to make one magical beast come to life. I don’t know how many actors have had to work directly with another actor or puppeteer to execute the performance of just one character, but it’s definitely a first for me—and a heck of a good time.

Morwen’s Magic Cat (Josh Vogen), Morwen (Stephanie Kahle), Cimorene (Lizzy Hinman), and the Stone Prince (Will Schroeder). Photo by Emily Isakson

I can honestly say working on this show has been one of my biggest professional challenges as an actor, and it has also been one of the most rewarding. Directors Thalia Kostman and Marc Berg have supported, coached, and guided me into becoming a fairly legitimate puppeteer. My biggest concern is keeping up with the incredible talent in the cast of other puppeteers (Jennifer D’Lynn, Marc Berg, Amy Walus, Alex Yang, Thalia Kostman, Josh Vogen) and actors (Lizzy Hinman, Bethani Talatala, Maxon Alexander, Will Schroeder, Stephanie Kahle, Ryan Voss). They set the bar high with their levels of professionalism and skill.

I would love for you to see what a “yet” moment can look like. Maybe it will help you take the plunge and make your own happen—as Cimorene says, make sure to have some adventure for yourself.

Dealing with Dragons is onstage January 17 through February 2, 2025, at the Phoenix Theater in Uptown Minneapolis and streaming live online.

Princess Alianora (Bethani Talatala) and the Stone Prince (Will Schroeder). Photo by Emily Isakson