SEASON 39 | October 2026
Judy Punches Back
October 1, 8:00PM, 2026
Austin-born, Boston-based puppeteer Sarah Nolen is bringing her acclaimed solo hand puppet show, ”Judy Punches Back,” to The VORTEX, giving the puppet heroine “Judy” the comeback story she's been owed since the 1600s. Inspired to take Judy (of Punch and Judy fame) seriously as a character during the #MeToo movement, Sarah premiered “Judy Punches Back” in 2019, and has toured the show around New England for the past 8 years. This September marks her first Texas homecoming with a lazy-tong booth and alligator in tow.
After being pushed around for over 300 years, the famous hand puppet heroine Judy, has had enough! Cheer for her as she goes on a quest for respect, justice, and a well-deserved nap. This modern interpretation of the traditional "Punch and Judy" show is a hilarious, timely, hand-crafted farce that the whole family will enjoy!
Classic puppet antics combine with contemporary commentary to keep this hand puppet tradition alive and, well, Judy-centric! This show is geared for all ages, and made for anyone seeking some funny feminism, interactive theater, or slapstick comedy.
“Judy Punches Back” won “Best Shorty” at the Boston Fringe Festival in 2025, and this Austin performance caps off a busy summer. The show recently wrapped a run in New York City as part of the International New York Puppet Fringe Festival, where it was featured in The New York Times. In September, Judy will play during Maine’s Puppets in Portland Festival, and will continue on to the Heart of Texas Puppet Festival in Houston on Saturday, October 3.
About Sarah Nolen - Originally from Austin, Texas, and currently living and working in Waltham, Massachusetts, Sarah Nolen is a puppeteer for both stage and screen, known for creating versatile, imaginative puppetry productions through her company, Puppet Motion. She holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Puppetry from the University of Connecticut; and a bachelor's degree in Cinema-Television from Southern Methodist University. She performs regularly for youth and family audiences, and teaches puppetry to all ages. Most recently, Sarah directed the puppet production FERAL by Sandglass Theater, fabricated shadow puppets for A.R.T’s The Odyssey (2025), directed the online puppet series “Feel Your Best Self” (2023), built and performed a puppet in the Netflix film DON’T LOOK UP (2021), and premiered a new original touring show, PARTY ANIMALS in 2025. For press inquiries, interview requests, or photos, please contact: Sarah Nolen • sarah@puppetmotion.com • https://www.puppetmotion.com/