Our History
Our Birth
In 2010, Phyllis’s dream of entertaining children with puppets, whimsy and laughter became a reality. With the help of her engineer husband Bob, who designed a custom, three-tiered mobile puppet theatre, Ruby’s Troupe was born. Starting with two puppets and a very active imagination, their shows quickly became a local hit…playing at Head Start, memory care facilities, Sunday Schools, YMCA pre-schools and Down Syndrome adult activity days. Word quickly spread, and the troupe started to expand…
Two Years later
As the Troupe continued to grow in number and popularity, Phyllis expanded the shows to include several aspects of character-building, including paying attention, sharing, making friends, manners, accepting those who are different and bullying. The YWCA, Head Start, Compassion Connect, Street Alive Festival and foster care facilities became part of the Ruby’s Troupe family. It was really fun to provide wholesome and practical shows that helped kids and their parents – with engaging, 7-12 minute shows that were filled with laughter and learning.
Halfway Between the Start and the Stars
In 2014, the live events started really gaining popularity and size, with picnics for 2,000 people, continued focus on pre-schools and Head Start classes, community-wide Section 8 housing family gatherings, public school events for K to 2nd grade, as well as designing custom scripts for amazing special needs kiddos.
Aiming for the stars takes on a couple of amazing twists
While we continued to share belly laughs and add more amazing shows and activities to our program, we were starting to feel the need to share more shows that could truly be life transforming for kiddos – and that was to teach them core skills around money.
With the help of a spunky grandma CPA who loves teaching kids, the first puppet shows around saving and giving were developed – and instantly were a huge hit. While we were thrilled, we were also sad as we could only drive so far to share the magic of Ruby and her entire puppet Troupe, which was nearing 70 strong.
Listening to caring parents and fellow grandparents during our summer reading kickoff and Compassion Connect shows, we were asked to consider making a DVD or taking the program online so children all over the country could enjoy the simple, practical and powerful puppetry…
Adventures in Puppetopia and Stargate to Laughter and learning is born!
After several months of research, effort and planning in 2016, Ruby’s Troupe “grew up” and was officially organized as a WA Social Purpose Corporation, so children all over the country (and possibly the world) could easily enjoy the magic, the laughter and the fun learning that is at the heart of Ruby, all her puppet friends, and their loving caretakers, Phyllis, Debbie, Bob and Doug.
Adventures in Puppetopia – Stargate to Laughter and Learning will be released in the Spring of 2017…along with all kinds of new activities and learning fun! So…get on the First Commanders List and be the first to be notified when “Adventures in Puppetopia” is available…
P.S. As a cool bonus, check out “Giving it Away” under the “About Us” tab…
Our Mission
To Engage and Empower Young Minds!
At the heart of every skit, every activity, and every single video from Ruby’s Troupe is the desire to engage, inspire and empower young minds to be the Commander of their life…
And to share these jewels of knowledge with BELLY LAUGHS and FUN LEARNING!
