Heidi Rugg is a Richmond-based puppeteer, puppet builder, playwright, director, and educator.  As a puppetry artist, she approaches her works with equal parts curiosity and creativity and is thrilled when her work sparks meaningful conversations. She enjoys tackling complicated themes and breaking them down for young audiences while infusing her work with rich language, vibrant visuals, and a joyful exuberance for the creative process.

Specializing in wet-felting applications in puppetry and rod puppet mechanisms, Heidi has a passion for sustainable practices in art-making and has been exploring a variety of techniques while on a quest to create biodegradable puppets. When she is not on the road, Heidi maintains a studio practice from her home on the edge of a swamp in Richmond’s Northside where she lives with her husband (and fellow company member), Sam Rugg, an immortal gecko, a rescue pup, and a host of puppets.

Photo: Randy Davidson