About

I am a performer and maker who conducts experiments in the science of enchantment—often through puppetry, but always through handmade, object-based work. My work often centers around endings, death, and what we choose to preserve. Also, camel toes. I believe it is possible to embrace hopelessness without despair. I believe silliness is sacred.

As a designer, my work has been seen on stage at Nashville Childrens’ Theatre, The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, In The Heart of The Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in Minneapolis, and internationally at The English Theatre of Rome. As a performer, my work has been presented in Italy at MoMoTi and at Incanti Figure Theatre Festival; in Chicago at Links Hall, The Logan Center for the Arts, and The Neo-Futurarium; and in Minneapolis at Open Eye Figure Theatre, The Rarig Center, and HOTB.

I have had the pleasure of working with Manual Cinema, playing Sam in “Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster.” My writing has been published in Puppetry International, and my shadow puppet GIF project, Falena Balena, has over 30 million views on GIPHY.

Contact me: karlybergmann[@]gmail.com