Shoe String Puppet Cabaret’s poster designed by Ayla Scott advertising the Cabaret event.

Smut, Drag, and puppets! On Sunday, April 28, 2024, Shoe String Puppets hosted a cabaret show at the Color Club in Elston Chicago. “Shoe String Puppet Cabaret” featured eight acts and over 20 performers.

F Newsmagazine asked the Shoe String Puppets group about their formation and success.

Mya Nicole Jones: Who are the founders of Shoe String Puppets?

Shoe String Puppets: Shoe String Puppets is a small puppet collective started by Sophia Tarducci, Ethan Simone, and Soph Schiavone. We met at SAIC’s puppetry and performance class taught by Blair Thomas. We just happened to be randomly assigned to a group project together and it just took off from there! That was about a year ago. We just seem like we have really great chemistry and creative direction together, mostly it’s just fun to make puppet shows with your friends!

MNJ: How did it feel to plan the Cabaret show at the Color Club?

SSP: As a group, we’ve done quite a few puppet performances together, but usually we are a part of a performance showcase. This time we had a show and we wanted somewhere to perform it, so we decided to just make an event. It took us a couple of months to plan, getting the venue, creating applications for performers, rehearsing, etc. Honestly, a lot of the work ended up happening the day of [the cabaret]. We’ve never done anything like this so the actual setup and performance was a bit of a learning curve. But everyone was so patient and excited. We are so grateful to all the performers, all the shows were so incredible and they really made the night!

MNJ: What is the future of Shoe String Puppets?

SSP: We are always thinking about shows and fun puppet ideas so we definitely have some things in the works. We would love to do some outdoor puppet stuff this summer and we really love doing cool collaborative projects. We believe this is just the start for Shoe String Puppets!

Drag performer Mads Reardon performs “Dog Show Fancy” as the opening act. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Marianna Gallegos-Garcia’s multi-puppet and prop performance of “Za Ha Ha.” Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Agnotti and Tanima use their bodies as puppets performing as wildly cellular clowns. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Fanny the Consumer, the puppet, is being controlled from behind by Daniella Loza, Alejandro Loza, Orion Welacha-Garcia, and Alex Azul. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Performer and writer Suz stands at the microphone engaging with the audience reading a choose your own adventure smut story. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Emma Johnson shares the history of Groundhog’s Day while donning a crafted crowned groundhog head. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Jocelyn Rainwater, Fawn Bell, and Rowan Davis present a fairytale with a barter, a bunny puppet, and, of course, a giant articulated head. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Shoe String Puppets’ very own Nathan puppet, controlled by Sophia Tarducci, Ethan Simone, and Soph Schiavone, speaks with three spirits, played by the same people controlling him. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.

Closing bows with the Cabaret performers and team. Photo by Mya Nicole Jones.