Object Theater & Visual Pitching
Captivate any audience by bringing your ideas to life. This immersive, performance-based course is designed for students who want to master public speaking, storytelling, and high-impact pitching through a unique twist: the art of puppetry and object theater. If standard presentations make you nervous, or if you want to learn how to command a room using more than just a slideshow, this course will transform how you communicate.
Instead of hiding behind a podium, you will learn to use physical objects, custom-engineered props, and puppetry techniques to anchor your message and engage your audience. You will explore how to project your voice, control your physical presence, and use your hands to manipulate objects to tell a compelling story. Whether you are pitching an invention, delivering a technical lecture, or telling a personal story, you will learn how to turn any everyday item into a powerful visual tool that makes your message unforgettable.
By the end of this course, you will overcome public speaking anxiety, master dynamic stage presence, and know exactly how to craft a high-energy presentation that keeps an audience hooked from start to finish.
Sessions Offered
Session 1:
June 20, 2027 - June 26, 2027
Course Fees
Format
Residential
Non-Credit
This class is meant to be immersive and students will experience:
- Learn important public speaking skills through storytelling and performance
- Develop object, engineered props and puppets to anchor your message
- Explore voice control and commanding an audience with your physical presence
- Learn how to craft a high-energy presentation that keeps your audience hooked from start to finish!
Related Careers:
- Applied Puppetry Practitioners
- Brand Storytellers
- Creative Director
- Keynote Speakers and Pitch Coaches
Meet the Professor
Paul Spirito, MFA
UConn Krenicki Arts & Engineering Institute
Paul began his career as an industrial designer working in the toy industry. Working for a consulting firm, he was involved in all aspects of toy product development, brainstorming new ideas, model making, prototype development, design, and some manufacturing. As he approached 10 years in the toy industry, Paul felt the need for new challenges.
In 2004 Paul entered graduate school at the University of Connecticut in the Puppetry Program. Three years later, as he was finishing his MFA the growing program at UConn hired him as the Puppetry Technical Supervisor. Paulguided students through the process of designing, creating, and performing puppets for their projects and for Connecticut Repertory Theater.
In 2023 Paul joined the Krenicki Arts and Engineering Institute as Administrator. The Krenicki Institute is an innovative and interdisciplinary partnership between the School of Engineering and School of Fine Arts. The Institute offers a space for collaboration between the two as well as offering groundbreaking programs in entertainment engineering and industrial design.
