Stephanie Stephens had never worked as a puppeteer before she started playing Bluey in Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show, coming to Altria Theater on April 23 and 24.
“Once you get the hang of how the mechanics work, you bring the puppet to life through what you are feeling. It’s a lot of fun. I love it,” says Stephens, an actor, dancer and character performer as well as puppeteer who took over the role of Bluey in 2021 in the touring production.
Both the puppets and actors/puppeteers are visible to the audience during the production, similar to other productions such as The Lion King.
“We as actors and puppeteers go through the same emotional journey as the characters,” she says, adding that by the end of the show the audience is focused on the puppets and not the puppeteers. “We are an extension of the puppets and they an extension of us.”
See Bluey Onstage, April 23 and 24, at Altria Theater
Bluey’s Big Play originated in Australia, the same as the Emmy Award-winning animated series, which airs on Disney Junior, Disney Channel, and Disney+.
The touring production is similar to an episode of Bluey where kids get to see their favorite characters along with different types of puppetry.
“This is a story that no one has seen on television. It is voiced by original actors, but it’s all the same Bluey shenanigans and some of the same Bluey surprises,” Stephens says.
The show’s themes – family life and the struggles that families manage – are very relatable. “There are themes and messages for parents as well as kids and that makes this a special experience for the whole family,” says Stephens. “At the end they all learn a lesson and grow.”
Stephens loves that fact that six-year-old Bluey, a blue heeler dog, is curious like her. “I am a kid myself,” she says. “Bluey has the opportunity to play tricks on Dad, have fun, get into mischief and find herself. She’s energetic. She loves playing games and having fun. Plus, the show has a surprise at the end where the audience will get to have fun with us.”
The touring production has been well received in the U.S. “To bring it to you guys, warms our heart,” Stephens says. “We love seeing a full theater.”
They often sell to sold-out crowds, she adds. “We love watching people laugh and have fun.”
For information and tickets, visit to BroadwayInRichmond.com.
