Museum Opens Exhibit on Shadow Puppeteer Larry Reed
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry in Storrs honors the late American shadow puppeteer with a new exhibition.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Puppetry
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry opened the exhibit "Larry Reed: Cinematic Shadows" in Storrs, celebrating the work of the American shadow puppeteer who died in March 2026. The opening included a tour led by curators Farley Gwazda and Caryl Kientz and a panel moderated by Matthew Cohen of the University of Connecticut.
Why it matters
The exhibit preserves the legacy of an artist who was one of the first Western practitioners to train in Wayang, traditional Balinese shadow theater. It gives Storrs residents and visitors a chance to see the work of a figure central to the history of shadow puppetry.
Reed spent a decade learning the art form and two languages, and founded ShadowLight Productions in 1972. His best-known works include the 1979 documentary "Shadow Master" and the multimedia production "In Xanadu."
The players
Larry Reed
Larry Reed was an American shadow puppeteer who founded ShadowLight Productions and was one of the first Western artists to train in Wayang.
Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is a museum at the University of Connecticut dedicated to the study and display of puppetry.
Matthew Cohen
Matthew Cohen is a University of Connecticut faculty member who moderated the exhibit opening panel.
The details
The exhibit includes recreations of Reed's puppets and 3D shadow masks. Visitors can put on recreations of his 3D shadow masks and play with their shadows on a screen.
Timeline
March 2026: Larry Reed died.
November 9, 2026: The exhibit opened and the panel was held.
Legacy Context
Reed trained in Wayang, the Balinese shadow theater tradition, and carried its techniques into Western performance through ShadowLight Productions, which he founded in 1972. The exhibit places his Western work in that lineage, which draws on a centuries-old Indonesian tradition.
Visitors to the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry can view recreations of Reed's puppets and 3D shadow masks in person. The exhibit offers a hands-on chance to play with shadows on a screen using the masks.
The takeaway
Reed's decade of study across two languages shows how deep craft traditions can be carried across cultures. The exhibit is a reminder that shadow theater rests on patient, long-term training.
Further reading
Explore more about the craft in our Puppetry coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Campus.
