This summer, Duke University’s Professor of the Practice in Theater Studies Torry Bend led a six-week initiative in Beaufort, N.C., blending puppetry with environmental education. As part of the Arts+ Resilience Through Puppetry program, Bend and a team of students and alumni collaborated with local experts to create a life-sized parade puppet of Granite, a North Atlantic right whale frequently seen off the North Carolina coast. The project, rooted in the Bass Connections initiative “Fostering Climate Resilience through Education and Arts,” builds on the Ready, Set, Resilience curriculum developed with educators in NC. The curriculum integrates storytelling, breathing exercises and embodied practices to teach middle schoolers about climate sustainability and emotional resilience. Bend’s team—comprising undergraduates Ally Doss, Jocelyn Morgenstein, Naflah Mohammed and MFA alum em Liptow—worked with Beaufort’s community, including the Bonehenge Whale Center and local artists, to ensure the puppet’s scientific accuracy and cultural relevance. Their creation debuted in Beaufort’s Independence Day parade, captivating spectators and sparking conversations about marine conservation. LEARN MORE.
Torry Bend and her team finished their parade puppet, an homage to Granite the North Atlantic right whale, in time for the Beaufort Independence Day parade. Photo courtesy em Liptow.