Why are we so attracted to (and often unnerved by) objects that come to life? This course introduces students to puppetry and object performance through a combination of practice (construction, operation, staging), history, and analysis. Though they are staples of children’s entertainment, puppets have long appeared in rituals, popular and avant-garde theatre, political protest, and, more recently, on television, in movies, and on Broadway. This course offers an exploration of puppetry forms, materials, and techniques across centuries and continents, as well as an examination of how puppetry relates to and differs from other lifelike technology (e.g., robots, avatars, chatbots).