Applications for study on master program Directing of Devised and Object Theatre and PuppArts EMJM in 2027/2028 are due until 15th of January, 2027.
a 2 year English language program at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theater (KALD)
Prague, Czech Republic.
The Master in Directing of Devised and Object Theatre offers advanced studies in the practice of theater-making with a twofold focus: learning the process of devising a theater performance from scratch, with a strong emphasis on a visuality of expression. Students will learn to create theater performances with strong visual, spatial, object, media (low tech) as well as participatory, documentary, immersive and political aspects, as well as working in other related performance forms such as scenographic installations, sound performances, sound walks, interactive and public space performance as well as other types of performances with non-traditional theater settings.
The process is based in devising techniques: creating thematic, conceptual, and/or documentary projects that are not based in pre-written plays, but are created mainly through the process of rehearsing, often as collaborative work of the whole creative team.
Students will learn to work with a variety of authentic, found, and created material: poetry, images, fragments of plays, songs, historical events, personal stories, scientific findings, common knowledge, pop culture etc. Students will further learn a conceptual approach to research and development of materials, creating specific performance structures (in the sense of narrative, space, and relationship to audience), from specific material, and proposing new ways for the audience to perceive/experience the performance. The course aims to provide the students with skills to become independent authors.
The degree is in directing, where directing is understood as an expanded practice, with the potential to work within the fields of design, writing, and performing, to prepare students for work in theater forms without strict divisions of roles within the creative team. Students will be guided toward becoming independent creators making their own artistic work. Devising includes both creating and performing. The conceptual and performed aspects are often intertwined.
For their own projects, students are partnered with prominent practicing artists working in the fields of media, site specific, community theater, movement theater, documentary theater, puppet theater, visual theater, scenographic installation etc., for tutoring.
The main focus of the study is to develop student’s own language, style and aesthetics, and to explore their own voice.
Students will further have a possibility to create direct connections to and do internships with international artists and in international environments and institutions as well as connection to Czech artists and companies.
Julian Hetzel, Jakub Orendson, Rima Najdi, Yuka Oyama, Wojtek Ziemilski, Andreas Wilhelm, Antonin Šilár, Christelle Havranek, Kjartan Fønstelien, Nela Kornetova, Building Conversation, Sally Dean, Farm in a Cave, Mali Weil, Christina Lindgren, Gert-Jan Stam, Nela Kornetová, Lucia Repašská, Jaha Koo, Adéla Součková, Branko Jordan, Janis Balodis, Dominic Huber…
Germany, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Ecuador, Canada, USA. UK, Ireland, Holland, Lithuania, Belgium, Latvia, Sweden, Finland, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, Columbia, Hungary, Italy, Chile, Palestine, Hong Kong, Iceland, Denmark, South Korea…
doc.MgA. Sodja Zupanc Lotker, Ph.D. works as a dramaturg for independent devised theatre, dance, media and site specific projects, working often in unusual performance spaces in Czech Republic, USA, Brazil etc., for instance with CIA Dani Lima, Lotte van den Berg, Farm in the Cave, Cristina Maldonado, Jan Mocek, Julian Hetzel, Ahilan Ratnamohan as well as Wojtek Ziemilski. She was Artistic Director of the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space 2008-2015, and has curated numerous exhibitions and events for the PQ since 1999. She has been teaching and giving lectures at Columbia University, Yale School of Drama, KhIO Oslo, Central School of Speech and Drama London, Kiasma Helsinki and a number of festivals and symposia.
a 2 year English language Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s programme in Puppet Theatre
Prague – Bratislava – Warsaw
PuppArts is a new international Master’s program (Joint Master Degree) in the field of puppet theatre, created in collaboration with the departments of three leading Central European institutions – the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, and the Aleksander Zelwerowicz Theatre Academy in Warsaw. The program builds on the long-standing tradition and international reputation of all participating universities and responds to the growing global demand for quality education in the field of contemporary puppetry. Based on a jointly developed curriculum, founded on semester-long student mobility, a combination of practical creation, theoretical reflection, and interdisciplinary methods, and guidance from leading educators and experts in the field, the program systematically supports the development of creative, technical and theoretical competencies of future professionals. The aim of the PuppArts program, the first joint master's program of its kind in English, is to train professional artists who are prepared for independent and team artistic work. To strengthen the region's role in the area of research and development of puppet theatre, to support innovative teaching methods and the transfer of know-how in the context of current European and global trends. At the same time, to contribute to the preservation and development of a tradition that is confirmed in the Czech Republic and Slovakia by its inclusion on the UNESCO list.
The PuppArts study program was created by a consortium of three Central European theatre academies: The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (“AMU“), The Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (hereinafter: “VŠMU“) and The Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw (hereinafter: “AT“), which for decades have been preparing their students in bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral study programs for careers as actors, directors, dramaturgs, scenographers and technologists in puppet theatre. They draw on the long and deep tradition of puppet theatre in this geocultural space and, at the same time, on the courage of these schools to experiment with established procedures, forms, materials, puppet designs, aesthetics, and theatre operation models. This program is a response to the long-standing and repeated demand from foreign applicants interested in studying puppet theatre in English, which DAMU and other schools in the consortium have encountered. At DAMU, this is also happening in connection with the follow-up master's programme in English, Directing of Devised and Object Theatre at KALD, which does not satisfy those people who are more interested in puppet theatre. The need for such a programme is also demonstrated by the interest of foreign institutions, universities, and UNIMA world centres, which are approached by people from all over the world interested in studying Central European puppetry.
The aim of the PuppArts academic programme is to provide education of theatre artists on a global scale, to develop their talents, skills and abilities necessary to reach a professional level in the field of puppet theatre. Its structure is aimed at developing individual creativity and the realization of an artwork or artistic performance.
Contemporary puppet theatre is a specific kind of synthetic art, which is based on the traditions and contemporary trends of object theatre, figurative theatre, post-traditional puppet theatre, open stage forms and performative practices. The field requires professionally and generally trained creative artists - actors, directors, dramaturgs and set designers - for a wide range of performing and alternative productions and activities, including arts education and relationship-building activities.
The programme will provide graduates with a high level of artistic qualifications that can be applied not only in the field of puppetry and performing arts, but also in other related socio-cultural activities and professions.
At the same time, the PuppArts programme aims to strengthen the strategic role of Central European higher education in the field of puppetry as well as to exchange methodologies and educational approaches in the context of the broad expressive possibilities of contemporary puppetry, including the staging of new materials in the 21st century.
A graduate of the PuppArts academic program is a qualified theatre artist/ puppeteer who has specific professional skills in craft and artistic production. During the course of study, each student's individual talents are encouraged and developed, and their competence is strengthened either towards acting, directing and dramaturgy or stage design or a combination of these. Graduates are able to work in a team. They use a wide range of acting techniques as puppeteers, actors and performers and are familiar with the possibilities of various puppetry techniques, object theatre, mask theatre and other unconventional means of artistic expression such as theatre of animated form. Graduates are ready to start independent artistic creation and are equipped with a wide range of humanities knowledge, especially knowledge in the field of culture, art and social communication. The graduate's profile consists of compulsory courses focused mainly on authorial creation, puppet animation techniques, puppet technology and other technological procedures used in puppet theatre. Students can individually specify their profiles during their studies by choosing compulsory elective courses that deepen the knowledge and skills in the field of directing and dramaturgy, stage design or acting.
Graduates’ expert knowledge:
The graduates have an extended knowledge of puppet theatre in its historical and cultural context and in the context of other artistic disciplines and are able to deepen this knowledge independently. They are familiar with the bibliography of the field, know the styles of puppet theatre (including the latest trends) and their most important representatives and have an excellent knowledge of the technology used in theatre (holistic approach). They demonstrate a deep understanding of the relationship between the practical and theoretical aspects of study and use this knowledge for further artistic development. They have a comprehensive knowledge necessary for original creation with a focus on the specifics of puppet theatre, while possessing a broad knowledge of expressive resources from related artistic disciplines. Graduates are familiar with the possibilities of various puppetry techniques, technology of materials used in puppet theatre, object theatre, mask theatre and other non-traditional artistic expressions applied in live art and have some degree of knowledge of the financial, marketing and legal aspects of running a theatre group.
Graduates’ professional skills:
Graduates present themselves as highly developed artistic personalities capable of creative work, expressing own artistic concepts and possessing the skills necessary to implement them. They know the basics of scriptwriting, can work individually with text or other sources and the possibilities of their adaptation for theatre purposes. They are able to carry out independent, individual work such as gathering, analysing and interpreting information within a theatrical idea, formulating a critical argumentation, self-motivation and organizing of individual work. They are able to effectively use imagination, intuition, emotion, flexible and creative thinking and creative work to find solutions and can adapt to new circumstances. They possess a wide range of professional skills that enable the realization of their own artistic concepts. They are able to consciously use the chosen puppet theatre techniques and technologies in the realisation of a work of art. They know effective techniques for improving their own professional skills that enable immediate development through independent creative work. Through study they will gain the experience necessary to realize own artistic actions based on style different concepts. They have the basic organizational skills necessary for the realization of public performances. They are able to formulate (in oral and written form) ideas on themes related to the performing arts.
Social competences:
Graduates are ready to work in a team. They are able to listen to the collaborators and can use their comments to create a collaborative work, which is a theatrical production. They are able to be self-reflective, to control their own behaviour and to face problems arising from public presentations. They are capable of constructive criticism of other collaborators in the creative team. They are able to reflect the social, scientific and ethical aspects of their work. They will be able to transfer the knowledge to others interested in the field.
doc. MgA. Marek Bečka, Ph.D.
prof. dr hab. Wiesław Czołpiński
prof. Ida Hledíková, PhD.
230 000 CZK per academic year 2026/2027.
12 000 EUR per academic year 2026/2027.
The amount of the fee connected with studies for subsequent academic years can change in accordance with AMU’s internal regulations and norms.
Currently there is no applicable scholarship program at the academy.
Looking for additional funding? Postgrad Solutions now offer 15 bursaries across a number of subject areas. Click here to apply - How to apply for a Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary | Postgrad.com
For more information about the studies please contact project manager
Táňa Švehlová tana.svehlova@damu.cz
She can help you with questions about application, admission and she can also connect you with current students, course leader or study department.
DAMU in Prague
Karlova 26, 116 65 Praha 1, Czech Republic
phone: +420 234 244 270
We are pleased to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the MA Dot Program with a special Symposium.
Save the Date:
14–15 January 2027
Study programmes at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre focus on exploration of the very essentials of what theatre is, how it can be perceived, what social functions can it fulfil nowadays, what are possible directions of its development, where are its borders and crossovers.
The studies are based on the fusion of the long-standing pedagogical experience of Czech puppetry school and tendencies rooted in Eastern European theatre of avant-garde and movement of „open theatre“.
Beside the craft skills, theoretical and historical knowledge, the artistic research here is focused on areas of primary roles in theatre – it is testing division to traditional roles as director, dramaturg, actor, stage designer, costume designer, composer or dancer. Emphasising collective creative work, these roles are disturbed, overlapped, intersected a de-hierarchized. These tendencies apply especially in process of rehearsals, which we understand as core of the creation.
The above mentioned practices are researched in areas of figurative and puppet theatre, DIY, happening, performance, dance, visual expression, contemporary music or for example musical, documentary, political or physical theatre, or as contrary, in archaic theatre or theatre with non-European roots. Theatre principles are extended to radio and musical compositions or experimental film, as the theatre does not necessarily have to be staged in theatre venues and is able to transmit its principles to different artistic forms. And vice versa – theatre tries to transform inspirations and tools from other artistic forms into stage work.
The source of inspiration doesn’t have to be only dramatic literature, but also, for example, research papers, discoveries from botanics, mineralogy, alchemy, hermeneutics, philosophy or psychology, as well as mathematics, obscure cinematography, novels, poetry, essays and treatises, chronicles, jazz, baroque music, or metal.
The common territory of studies is a post-dramatic theatre, devised theatre, postspectacular, puppet, object, physical. More than on studies of established methods and craft rules, the focus is moved to space for questioning, searching different or new language. Theatre is not absolutely known phenomena, it is a space for continuously necessary defining of oneself. Should contemporary theatre stay alive, it must be more a question than a verified genre. And, moreover, the theatre professions as directing or stage design, are not the goal of studies, that has to be perfectly handled.
An important aspect is, besides studying of theatrical or performative language, common and open studies of students of all disciplines, sharing experience and knowledge and open reflecting of each other’s work. Accent is also placed to theatre history, contemporary theory and teatrological methodology as essencial context to practical tasks and stage projects.
Theatre faculty of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
Karlova 26
116 65 Prague 1
Registered number: 61384984, VAT number: CZ61384984
Data box ID: ikwj9fx
Contact for media
BcA. Eliška Drbohlavová
tel.: +420 773 032 005
e-mail: eliska.drbohlavova@damu.cz
