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Rough House Puppet Arts

@roughpuppets

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𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗣𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀
𝙲𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟿
Chicago-HOUSE OF THE EXQUISITE CORPSE 10/8-11/1

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

*Date change announced— mark your calendars please*🙏

OCTOBER Puppets-in-Progress [in the belly of Exquisite Corpse itself]!

Sat. Oct. 17, 2026 @ 3PM-6PM
The Merle at Steppenwolf
1624 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614

A FREE puppet community meeting for you! Join us to see cool puppets-in-process of creation; all stages of development are invited to share a community space for experimentation. Everyone is welcome! Bring a project, prototype, sketch, or idea, no matter how rough, or just come for the conversation! No RSVP required; Wheelchair accessible space!

Stick around for a brief peek behind the scenes of some of boxes, artwork & puppets featured in “House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES”, & catch the show to follow after!

What is PiPs?
PiPs is an informal gathering for testing out new puppet and object-based performances. Bring whatever you’re working on and get encouragement and feedback from other disciplines & puppet-folks!

Puppets-in-Progress has sister branches in NYC at @greenfeatherorg & Minneapolis at @intheheartofthebeast.

About our Special Presentation:
“House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES”
Join us for a free behind-the-scenes tour of some of the incredible boxes, artwork, and puppets showcased by dozens of Chicago’s finest and scariest puppetry artists featured in Rough House’s annual haunted puppet peep show anthology series.

📸Puppet image puppet made by Xavian Velazquez from July 2026 PiPs

#PiPs #PuppetsInProgress #RoughHousePuppetArts (edited) taken in Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theater by @roughpuppets

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a month ago

👋Hey friends, we’re baaaaack for week 2 of House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES (tonight through Sunday!) Jack here wants you to know that there are a few spots left open for the backstage tour tonight (book the All Inclusive package-link in bio) *just* in case you want to get in to a room with him. 😬 No pressure. But it does include a drink ticket and a giveaway ticket and lots of insider tidbits about the show.🤩

#btstheatre #hauntedchicago #houseoftheexquisitecorpse2026 #roughhousepuppetarts A large life-size white older gentleman Puppet named Jack Money with a creepy stare faces the camera with a faint smile in his face. He is the antihero of his puppet room. by @roughpuppets

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a day ago

Sending a big shout out to the organizations who donated to the Rough House giveaway!

Visit our lobby during show hours until Nov 1 at House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES for more information and to submit your entry for some amazing goodies donated thanks to the generosity of our giveaway participants, including:

“Long Live Storefront Theatre”-2 tickets to Impostor Theatre and 2 tickets to Red Twist Theatre shows of your choice.

“Drama, Drama, Drama!” -2 tickets to “Adirondack Chair Circle” at Steppenwolf Theatre and 2 tickets to any show of your choice at Raven Theatre.

Printers package- A $50 gift certificate for Midwest Ephemera letterpress printing and a $60 gift certificate for Field Notes.

Grand prize -Dinner for two with the director and select puppeteers, plus a limited edition show poster signed by cast and crew.

#roughhousepuppetarts #chicagohorror #storefronttheaterrocks by @roughpuppets

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2 days ago

📣Shout out to our powerful production stage management team at House of the Exquisite Corpse (shown in image 1: Tess Duncan, Kacey Lindeman & Emi Cruz), and Front of House team (shown in image 2: Mikayla Wilson & Lucy Wirtz). These are the people who keep the show going smoothly! 👏👏👏

More candid moments to come from other team members soon🤞🤩

#theaterproduction #frontofhousetheater #hauntedhousechicago by @roughpuppets

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3 days ago

Wake up! You were having a nightmare and yes, week one of House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES is already over.

If you missed it—Check out these gorgeous photos from @greginda. They capture the vibe of a few of the 6 rooms and nooks and crannies that get you there.

Doors open again on Thursday October 15th at 6:50 PM. The 7:50 & 8:05 time slots are already sold out and the weekend is filling up fast…so we know you need your rest, but maybe slumber after you grab those tickets.

#houseoftheexcquisitecorpse #roughhousepuppetarts #SpookyChicago by @roughpuppets

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4 days ago

Meet Jackie Berland, the environmental designer! Jackie stitches the seams of the show together by fully immersing us in a haunted world from the minute we enter the House of the Exquisite Corpse!

Jackie is a Chicago based fabricator and immersive world activator. They work their little tushy off to open portals to unfamiliar places, new and old. They always have one eye in the fairy realm, and work to bring that into unexpected places. By stumbling into a fantasy, presentness and soulful encounters become as easy as breathing.

Come see Jackie’s installations between the rooms and marvel!

#puppeteer #chicagohauntedhouse #roughhousepuppetarts #houseoftheexquisitecorpse by @roughpuppets

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7 days ago

🖤Happy opening night! The House of the Exquisite Corpse is officially launching its 6th edition, LULLABIES—where each story explores the creepier side of those soothing and oddly threatening songs!

🎶Come find your inner child with us at Rough House Puppet Arts this October at Chicago’s famous immersive haunted puppet anthology! No jump scares-just pure puppet horror.

🗓️Shows October 8th - November 1 Thursdays-Sundays
🕕Evenings & Sunday matinees
📍The Merle at Steppenwolf
✔️Accessible accommodations
➕All-inclusive tickets with backstage tours available Thursdays and Sundays

#roughhousepuppetarts #chicagopuppets #hauntedchicago taken in Steppenwolf Merle Reskin Garage Theater by @roughpuppets

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8 days ago

Meet Lobby Immersion creator, Jacqueline Wade! 🤩

Jacqueline is a native of Philadelphia who has lived in New York and Chicago. A graduate of Temple University Theater Department, Jacqueline also attended Circle in the Square Two Year Certificate Actor’s Training Program in New York City. She holds a graduate MFA Degree from the City College of New York in Film from the Film Department.
Jacqueline’s goal is to create works of art as an activist artist that deal with the human condition, race, and social justice issues. She wants to make positive changes and actions through her work. She wants to empower others. Jacqueline comes from an extensive theater background of acting, directing, playwriting, puppetry, teaching, producing, and film work. She combines puppetry, theater with documentary and narrative filmmaking, animation along with interactive media.

Come see her epic creation in the lobby of House of the Exquisite Corpse VI:LULLABIES, opening TODAY-Thursday, October 8, and playing until November 1!

#puppetactivism #puppetarts #puppeteersofamerica #chicagohauntedhouse by @roughpuppets

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8 days ago

This year, lobby immersion at House of The Exquisite Corpse is provided by Sion Silva (with costume assistance from Rosalie) and Jacqueline Wade (our next featured artist).

Sion and Rosalie have created a true horror scape which Sion says is “Inspired by religious imagery of The Theotokos mixed with the Highland Fairy Lullaby, ‘The Fae Tithe’ is an idolatory bust of a Fae Priestess presenting her Changeling child as a sacrifice to the gods that grant their long lives and mystical essence. Inside her belly lies a tree where small Changeling infants are gathered to be taken away by an otherwordly creature, a messenger know as The Phage, while deeper within her ribcage hidden are the faces of The Taken that secretly loom in mourning.”

🦇Sion is a non-binary Chicago based visual artist, puppet maker and performer whose personal work specializes in the philosophy of myth and the macabre. As a freelance art and puppetry fabricator, they often work alongside Chicago Puppet Studio, Rabbitfoot Puppetry, and Rough House.

🐦‍⬛Rosalie is a costume technician, scenic & props artist, and designer with nearly fifteen years of experience in their craft. Rosalie made their debut with roughhouse in this years earlier Expansion Showcase event, performing in and costuming the world of “The Graveyard of Eden”. Although they are a newer face in the puppetry scene, Rosalie’s theatre and cosplay background serves to provide the whimsy, textural beauty, visual storytelling and attention to detail desired to uplift the art and the fantasy world that it brings to life.

Come see their amazing collaboration in the lobby of House of the Exquisite Corpse—opening in a heartbeat🖤 at The Merle @steppenwolfthtr .

Ticket link in bio✔️🗝️🐈‍⬛

#houseoftheexquisitecorpse2026 #roughhousepuppetarts #chicagohorror #puppetsinchicago taken in Steppenwolf Theatre Company by @roughpuppets

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9 days ago

BTS of @thecharlieuniverse and @caitlinmcleoddesign 's box at House of the Exquisite Corpse this year! taken in Steppenwolf Theatre Company by @roughpuppets

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9 days ago

As the House of the Exquisite Corpse poster unfolds, we want to remind you to always heed the wise words your caretakers sang to you as a child…

And in just a few days, you will be reminded of those cautionary tales as you stroll through the rooms of the House of the Exquisite Corpse searching for some of the Easter eggs @bogwater.taffy embedded in this design here. 🌩️

LULLABIES opens October 8th with timed entries! Ticket link in bio.

#roughhousepuppetarts #hauntedchicago #whattodoinchicago by @roughpuppets

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10 days ago

Just a couple of days until opening and we’ve got a newsflash for you: Interior design can be creepy—just add dolls 😬🍼 🙀. @jackie_blnd, @ninadngr, Melissa Schlesinger, and @ken.buck.ham have been busy putting together the vibes (aka interstitial dramaturgy) of the venue as you stroll from room to room at House of the Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES.

Thanks to @omollyberry and Jackie for photos!

Tickets available now!👆🍼👆🍼
#houseoftheexquisitecorpse2026 #hauntedchicago by @roughpuppets

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11 days ago