For more than three decades, Green Fools Theatre has been a creative force in Calgary, transforming puppetry, circus, spectacle, and theatre into tools for joy, education, and community connection. At the helm is Executive Director Shelley Bareham, who has been with the organization since 2011. Founded in 1991, Green Fools has grown from staging gritty, boundary-pushing performances to running acclaimed programs like Social Circus, which empowers vulnerable youth through confidence-building and creativity.
Describe your charity/non-profit/volunteer work in a few sentences.
Green Fools Theatre is a Calgary-based charitable organization that has been pushing boundaries, evolving the art forms of theatre, puppetry, circus and spectacle performances since 1991. We use these art forms to inspire, educate, and connect people of all ages and backgrounds. From large-scale entertainment to community outreach programs, our mission is to bring joy, creativity, mentorship and belonging to everyone we reach.
What problem does it aim to solve?
Our Social Circus program specifically addresses barriers faced by at-risk, marginalized, or underserved youth. Many young people struggle with self-esteem, inclusion, and finding a safe place to express themselves. Through circus, we give them an opportunity to build confidence, teamwork, creativity, and resilience in a supportive and non-competitive environment.
For artists in our community, we provide free open training at our circus school, heavily subsidized professional development intensives, paid internship opportunities, free stilt walking training so they can be added to our roster of performers, and grant writing guidance, all to provide more tools and employment opportunities.
When did you start/join it?
I started in 2011, but Dean Bareham founded Green Fools Theatre in 1991.
What made you want to get involved?
I am a visual artist from the 90s; there were not many opportunities for artists to make a successful living from their art at that time. I struggled for many years. The green Fools have always supported artists and cared for the vulnerable. When I was given the opportunity to explore multiple art forms, share my knowledge by teaching, and see the impact the Fools had on the community, I wanted to be part of that!
What was the situation like when you started?
In the early days, the Fools focused mostly on creating theatre shows and big spectacle performances for adults. We were the first to bring stilt walking to Calgary, we built giant puppets that no one had ever seen before, and had masked characters doing mischievous things! We embraced clown work because founder Dean Bareham just returned from Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre, and he wanted to share what he learned and loved so much! We started the Halloween Howl, the April Fools’ Day parade, had crazy parties, and even crazier shows! We worked with incredible talent and pushed boundaries with everything we did. It was a creative, exciting, gritty, and grassroots time. Funding was easier to get, so the sky was the limit on the creative projects we could take on. We were all about the art and the experience!
How has it changed since?
Over time, our scope expanded. We shifted our audience from adults to children. We still create shows, build puppets, and entertain, but now we also perform and teach circus. Our shows focus on conservation, we run Social Circus programs that impact vulnerable youth, and we focus on mentoring and empowering artists. We have transitioned from the young, freaky artists to the skilled professionals that others come to for learning opportunities. Most recently, we have become experts in creating spectacle puppets, so much so that zoos and aquariums across North America seek us out. We work with artists who have worked on blockbuster productions, who don’t know any of our techniques, so we are teaching veteran artists new skills. Lastly, the funding has changed; it is no longer easy, even with our expertise, we struggle to keep the company alive. Sadly, making great art isn’t enough anymore.
What more needs to be done?
There is a huge need to address our children’s mental health! We need help to continue to offer accessible, creative programming for young people, especially those who can’t afford classes, don’t fit into traditional sports or arts programs or don’t feel safe or that they fit anywhere. We need to continue growing our mentorship program for teens, expanding our outreach, and supporting emerging artists with mentorship and employment opportunities. We also need to educate the public that we can’t afford to lose the art,s and sustainable funding is very important for charitable organizations that take care of the vulnerable population.
How can our readers help?
Readers can support by donating, volunteering, helping us spread the word about our programs and the importance of charitable organizations. If you’re an organization, consider partnering with us. If you’re a parent, bring your kids to one of our camps or book us for a birthday party. And of course, follow us and share our work online.
Do you have any events coming up?
This fall, we’re relaunching our Social Circus weekly classes for youth ages 9–17. We’re also booking entertainment for holiday parties and community events, so you might see our stilt walkers, living statues, or giant puppets around Calgary!
Yes! We’ve got a busy year ahead at Green Fools, with something for all ages:
Social Circus Weekly Classes – Our ongoing free program for youth ages 9–17, designed to build confidence, teamwork, and creativity through circus arts.
Green Fools Physical Theatre Intensive
📅 February 16–20, 2026 | 10 AM–4 PM
A week-long intensive for adults exploring mime, mask, clown, and Buffon. Participants will dive into physical theatre techniques, improvisation, and performance tools in a highly interactive, physical environment. Perfect for performers, students, or the fearless curious.
Green Fools Puppet Intensive
📅 April 17–19, 2026 | 10 AM–5 PM
A three-day immersive workshop in puppetry, exploring everything from object animation to shadow puppetry, Bunraku, marionettes, and TV puppetry. Bring your own puppets or use ours—this is a hands-on playground for puppet lovers.
Puppet Theatre for Young Audiences
Sleeping Beauty with Pro Musica Society
📅 May 3, 2026 | 1 PM & 3:30 PM
🎟 Tickets: calgarypromusica.ca/family
Green Fools is building and performing with all the puppets for this magical, family-friendly show.
The Tale of the Gifted Prince with Theatre Calgary
📅 February 14–March 15, 2026
🎟 Tickets: theatrecalgary.com/shows/2025-2026-the-tale-of-the-gifted-prince
We’re thrilled to collaborate with Theatre Calgary on puppetry design and direction for this epic production.
Workshops & Camps:
– PD Day Circus & Theatre Camps (in partnership with Calgary Young People’s Theatre) – Fun, high-energy one- or two-day camps for ages 6–12, aligned with CBE PD Days.
– Spring Break & Easter Break Circus & Aerial Camps – Multi-day adventures in juggling, stilts, aerial hoop, silks, trapeze, and more.
Summer Camps 2026 – Circus, aerial, and even puppet-building camps for kids ages 5–17. Each camp ends with a showcase performance for family and friends.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
PAY IT FORWARD: What is an awesome local charity that you love?
We love Calgary Young People’s Theatre (CYPT). They’re doing amazing work in empowering youth through theatre and storytelling, and we’ve been lucky to collaborate with them for many years.
