Crankies

Lilypad Puppet Theatre presents an Annual Crankie Cabaret in Ithaca

We started a non-profit for puppet arts – Lilypad Puppet Theatre! One of the shows we produce every year is the Crankie Cabaret! This is a variety show of crankies, with live music and absurd theatrics. We bring together artists, puppeteers, storytellers & musicians for this fabulous weekend variety show.

Crankie Cabaret 2023 will be on November 17-19! Details to come!

See what we’ve been up to in the last few years:

CRANKIE CABARET 2019

CRANKIE CABARET 2018

CRANKIE CABARET 2017

What is a crankie? “A crankie is an old storytelling art form. It’s a long illustrated scroll that is wound onto two spools. The spools are loaded into a box which has a viewing screen.  The scroll is hand-cranked while the story is told. It can be accompanied by a narrative, song or tune.”

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Here are some examples that we love from other artists that inspire us!