Cellular Mitosis Meets Puppetry in “Cellula” from Minneapolis’s Z Puppets Rosenschnoz

Black-light puppetry may not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the concept of cell division. But that’s exactly what you can expect when it comes to the show Cellula from Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, which is onstage in Minneapolis October 23–25, 2025.

Directed by renowned puppetry artist Kurt Hunter and featuring live a cappella accompaniment by improvisational vocalists Mankwe Ndosi and Libby Turner, Cellula is an immersive theater performance that illuminates the process of cell division as if the audience is viewing it through a microscope. Viewers witness this scientific spectacle alongside the show’s perspective character, a mother narrating the story of a young cell (the titular Cellula) journeying through mitosis to her daughter.

Z Puppets Rosenschnoz presents Cellula: “A joyous glow-in-the-dark performance of cell science.” Bruce Silcox

Cellula has been performed previously, but the sheer excitement for the show and the enthusiasm for its unique blend of science and art encouraged the folks at Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to bring it back for new and returning audiences alike.

“One of the reasons we’re bringing Cellula back is because of how much excitement the show generates about the connections between science and art,” Z Puppets cofounder Shari Aronson said in a statement to Twin Cities Geek.

And those connections aren’t just onstage. Another exciting element of the show. Local scientists from the Minnesota Microscopy Society will be attending the performances with their equipment so that attendees (kids and adults alike!) can get a closer look at real-life cellular science through microscope demonstrations and activities before the show.

Giving equal weight to the arts and sciences in putting together this show was a priority, as Aronson explained: “When we created the puppets for the show, we used reference images from electron microscopes. One of the highlights of the preshow microscope gallery was that one of the scientists brought an electron microscope and dyed the cell sample to match the cells in the show. Life and art imitating each other in full cycle.”

Also behind the scenes is Chris Griffith, Aronson’s fellow puppeteer and cofounder of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz. Aronson and Griffith have been working creatively together since 1998, and through Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, they’ve made it their mission to “delight children and adults in feats of imagination.” Over the years, the pair has helped bring 15 original productions and countless workshops and events to people across country and have gained support from organizations such as the Jim Henson Foundation, the Puppeteers of America, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Cellula is running for three days only, October 23–25, 2025, at the Sabathani Community Center Auditorium in south Minneapolis. More information on the show is available on the Z Puppets Rosenschnoz website, and you can buy tickets through Gobo.