The Big Fears (large puppets) are a huge component of the Night of Dread Pageant. You represent our major fears as a community, locally and globally. These puppets are backpack puppets and they require some skill, strength, familiarity, dexterity, and dedication, so experienced puppeteers are preferred. You will be wearing the puppet for about an hour (before and during the procession and pageant). These puppets are appropriate for adults. We’ll need you at Christie Pits for 4:00 PM on Sat., Oct. 28th, 2023. PLEASE SEE THE NOTE BELOW ON YOUR PAGEANT ROLE.

The Four Horses of the Anthropocene (large puppets) are the bringers of doom, destruction, and dread - and perfect for four coordinated friends. The horses are mounted onto bike trailers and animated by their trailer arms or connectors. As one of the four horse animators, you’ll join the herd as part of the evening's procession, animating them and their dreadful nature throughout the event. The Four Horses of the Anthropocene require some skill, strength, familiarity, dexterity, and dedication, so experienced puppeteers/animators are preferred. These horses are appropriate for adults. We’ll need you at Christie Pits for 4:00 PM on Sat., Oct. 28th, 2023.

The Small Fears (small puppets) are rod puppets which means they are fairly light and the rod fits into a pouch you tie around your waist. Most of these puppets are great for people ages 10 and up. We’ll need you at Christie Pits for 4:30 PM on Sat., Oct. 28th, 2023.

FOR ALL VOLUNTEER PUPPETEERS - When you arrive at Puppet Central (Christie Pits), Puppet-Masters will retrieve puppets, masks, and costumes for Volunteer Puppeteers. They will help you get in and out of your puppet, as well as provide you with basic coaching and helpful puppetry tips. You will then be shown to your assigned place for the procession by the Stage Manager or Event Manager. There you will wait for the procession to begin alongside your fellow volunteers and Clay and Paper Theatre staff. Once the procession has begun, follow along in your assigned spot and make sure to listen to any park/procession guides or bike marshals (they’ll have high visibility vests on). You’ll return to Christie Pits as the procession comes to an end and be escorted by your puppet spotter or an event/production person to your waiting place beside the scenario circle.

Small Fear Puppets you can stay in your puppets and watch the scenario from this position. After the scenario performance, you will drop off your puppet at Puppet Central to one of the Event Managers or Park Managers. After this, your role for the evening will have come to an end. Feel free to stick around and enjoy Night of Dread as an audience member! Thank you for your help during the pageant!

Large Fear Puppets you will also be part of the Night of Dread Pageant. At the beginning of the scenario pageant we always introduce our past Big Fears from the previous Nights of Dread. The Stage Manager and the Pageant MCs will help coordinate and cue everyone’s entrance visually and verbally for the pageant performance. When the Stage Manager gives you your cue you will make your way around the pageant circle (a puppet spotter may also accompany you) and the audience will boo and hiss at all of the fears. After all of the Big Fears have been announced, Clay and Paper Theatre performers will then animate the main Fear of the Year scenario. After the performance, you will drop off your puppet at Puppet Central to one of the Event Managers or Park Managers. After this, your role for the evening will have come to an end. Feel free to stick around and enjoy Night of Dread as an audience member! Thank you for your help during the pageant!