named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Mashashimuet Park Puppet Festival
Annual free event celebrating Goat on a Boat’s anniversary with multiple puppet performances, workshops, a parade, and collaborative puppet-making for children 8 and under.
Puppet Camp
Week-long creative program for children ages 4–7 featuring puppet-making, storytelling, and performance activities held at Mashashimuet Park.
Puppet Playgroups
Interactive 45-minute sessions for children under 3 and caregivers including songs, games, and short puppet shows, offered at community venues like the Children’s Museum.
Puppet Slam
Adult-oriented evening of short, humorous, or poignant puppet shows featuring diverse performers and styles, held at the Masonic Temple in Sag Harbor.
Puppet Truck & Mobile Stage
Traveling outdoor theater bringing free puppet shows and workshops to communities across Long Island and the Hudson Valley, with a focus on areas with limited access to performing arts.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 2 activities
- Operating a mobile puppet theater for live performances and educational outreachOperates a mobile puppet truck that travels to underserved communities across Suffolk County, Long Island, and surrounding areas to deliver free puppet performances, interactive shows, and educational theatrical experiences for children and families. The mobile venue launched in 2022 and has reached over 2,500 children and families at 35 locations since May 2023, with programming extending to parks, schools, libraries, and cultural centers.
- Producing and presenting live puppet shows and creative workshopsCreates, produces, and presents live puppet performances and hands-on creative workshops for young audiences and puppet artists, including ticketed events and pop-up programming. These activities take place year-round at fixed and temporary venues, including cultural centers, museums, and public parks, serving children and families across New York City and Long Island.
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Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
- Hosting early childhood puppet playgroups and family workshopsHosts 45-minute puppet playgroups for children aged 3 and under, featuring circle time, songs, interactive games, and puppet shows. These playgroups are held at partner locations such as the Children’s Museum and are part of a year-round program designed for children and their caregivers.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Organizing puppet festivals, camps, and special eventsHosts special events including a one-day puppet festival for children aged 8 and under, week-long puppet camps for children aged 4–7, and themed pop-up events featuring puppet shows, music, hands-on activities, parades, and birthday celebrations. These events are offered free of charge to increase access for underserved communities.
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Puppetry and Improv Theater Programs 1 activity
- Presenting puppet performances for adult audiencesHosts puppet slam events for adult audiences featuring short, original puppet performances in various styles, held at community venues such as the Masonic Temple in Sag Harbor.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$44K
Contributions & grants$5K12%
Program service revenue$38K88%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$11K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$11K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -29.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 1
- MELANIE HAYWARD — BOARD CHAIR
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- A Couple of Puppets Partner — Resident puppet company of Goat on a Boat, featuring Liz Joyce and her puppets performing fairy tales and original plays
- Barefoot Puppets Partner — Award-winning puppet troupe touring the East Coast with world folktales, twisted classics, and original imaginative scripts
- Bay Street Theater Partner — Provides administrative support and collaborative space for Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre.
- Brooklyn Children's Museum Partner — Liz Joyce has performed at the Brooklyn Children's Museum, indicating a performance partnership.
- CactusHead Puppets Partner — Puppet company based in Massachusetts creating fun and slightly silly shows for all ages
- Children's Museum of Manhattan Partner — Liz Joyce has performed at the Children's Museum of Manhattan, indicating a performance partnership.
- Children’s Museum Partner — Hosts puppet playgroups led by Goat on a Boat Puppet Theatre.
- Chinese Theatre Works Partner — New York City-based nonprofit preserving and promoting traditional Chinese performing arts including shadow theatre, puppetry, and opera
- Crabgrass Puppets Partner — Award-winning touring puppet theatre founded in 1982 by Jamie Keithline and Bonny Hall, performing original and classic puppet works
- Dreamtale Puppets Partner — Company producing original adaptations of classic tales like Jack and the Beanstalk using hand puppets, marionettes, and masks
- East Hampton Star Partner — Published a feature article on the Goat on a Boat Puppet Truck initiative.
- Facebook Partner — Platform used to share updates and connect with audiences.
- JJML Partner — Collaborated with Goat on a Boat for fun activities during puppet shows in June.
- Long Island Legal Aid Society Partner — Employer of board member Felice Milani, indicating a professional affiliation
- Los Kabayitos Puppet Theatre Partner — Liz Joyce has performed at Los Kabayitos Puppet Theatre, indicating a performance partnership.
- Nappy’s Puppets Partner — Puppet company presenting stories such as a tale about a young Santa finding his calling with the help of elves
- New York Department of Parks and Recreation Partner — Liz Joyce has performed at programs hosted by the New York Department of Parks and Recreation, indicating a partnership with a government agency.
- Paper Heart Puppets Partner — Brad Shur's puppet company founded in Poughkeepsie, NY in 2017, creating original works of puppet theater to stimulate imagination
- Puppet Kabob Productions Partner — Partnered with Goat on a Boat to present puppet performances at the 25th Birthday Bash & Puppet Festival.
- Puppet Kabob Productions Partner — Sarah Frechette’s puppetry and arts education company, with performance experience in the U.S., Germany, Austria, and China
- Puppet Motion Partner — Partnered with Goat on a Boat to perform "Judy Saves the Day!" at the festival.
- Puppet Showplace Theatre Partner — Liz Joyce has performed at the Puppet Showplace Theatre, indicating a performance partnership.
- Puppeteers of America Network — Liz Joyce is President of the Puppeteers of America, indicating leadership and active membership in the organization.
- Randy Kaplan Partner — Children’s performer and musician releasing family-friendly music and performing with Goat on a Boat
- Sage and Madison Partner — Boutique hosting a "sip and shop" fundraiser where 10% of profits support Goat on a Boat's Puppet Truck campaign.
- Shine Studio Partner — Collaborated with Goat on a Boat for fun activities during puppet shows in June.
- Sova Theater Partner — Partnered with Goat on a Boat to present a butterfly puppet-making workshop at the festival.
- Talking Hands Theatre Partner — Puppet troupe engaging children’s imaginations through performances in schools, libraries, and other venues across New England
- The Dolly Wagglers Partner — Puppet troupe performing cardboard operettas, crankyshows, and cantastorias as part of Goat on a Boat’s programming
- The Joshua Show Partner — Puppet show exploring identity and self-acceptance through songs, comedy, and whimsy, featuring sock puppet Mr. Nicholas and Joshua
+ 7 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artist Support as Field Developmentmethodology: artist_support_and_developmentBy providing mentorship, presentation opportunities, and collaboration platforms for puppet artists, we sustain and evolve the art form, because nurturing artist growth leads to richer, more innovative programming and long-term cultural vitality.
- Early Childhood Engagement Through Playmethodology: early-childhood-engagement-through-playBy designing interactive playgroups with music, sensory-rich puppet shows, and age-appropriate games, we engage children under three, because structured play supports developmental milestones and fosters early emotional and cognitive connection to the arts.
- Equity-Centered Community Engagementmethodology: equity-centered_programmingBy prioritizing free programming and collaboration with puppeteers of color, we serve racially and socioeconomically diverse families, because equitable representation and removal of cost barriers increase community trust, participation, and cultural relevance.
- Family-Engaged Puppetrymethodology: family-engaged puppetryBy creating original and reimagined puppetry works that appeal to both children and adults, we foster intergenerational engagement, because shared artistic experiences strengthen family bonds and deepen cultural learning.
- Mobile Outreach Theatermethodology: mobile_outreachBy bringing puppetry directly to underserved and geographically diverse communities via a mobile truck and solar-powered stage modeled after a bookmobile, we increase access to educational and cultural programming, because physical and economic barriers often prevent attendance at fixed-location performances.