What is CAPR?

CAPR, short for Collaboratorium for Applied Puppetry Research, is a tongue in cheek name of our Lansing-based Mutual Aid Puppetry Society.

A mutual aid society is a collective where artists support each other through shared resources, knowledge, skills, and collaborative labor. Rather than competing, we work together to strengthen the local puppetry community.

  • Steve Baibak

    is an artist, Academic Specialist, and LookOut Gallery Preparator with the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University, focusing on creative processes and community engagement. He was introduced to shadow puppetry in 1998 at the San Francisco Art Institute, working with Wayang puppeteer Larry Reed and the Karuk community on "Coyote's Journey"—an experience that opened a gateway to puppetry and collaboration.

    Contact: baibakst@msu.edu

    More info

  • Pia Banzhaf

    is an educator, puppetry artist, and scholar who left Michigan State University in 2025 to launch kaleidoscopia, an independent, community focused puppetry practice. She specializes in hand-carved puppets, object theatre, and contemporary shadow puppetry. She knows that every person is intrinsically creative and facilitates moments in which people discover their magic sauce. You may surprise yourself with new interests.

    “Everything worth doing is worth doing badly at first.”

    Contact CAPR at: capr.arts@gmail.com

  • John Hay

    founded Lawn Dart Puppets and has been studying and performing puppets since 1983. He has taught puppet construction, scene making, and performance at Artspace in Old Town, Reach Studio Art Center, ArtLab (Broad Art Museum extension), and in Lansing area schools as an Artist-in-Residence. His work explores puppet construction, live performance, video production, script writing, storyboarding, and musical soundtracks.

    John John is also the founder of Kapow Pong, where he crafts exceptional custom ping pong paddles.

    Website: lawndartpuppets.com.

A Christmas Carol

Puppet Matinée

In December 2025 we were given the opportunity share an adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved tale at lovely The Robin Teatre in REO Town, Lansing. This production combined John’s hand puppets, contemporary shadow theater, and a scrolling panorama (crankie) to bring the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future to life. Performed with the help of four MSU students. Matthew Dae Smith of the Lansing State Journal beautifully documented our preparation and the show.