MICHELEE PUPPETS INC

What MICHELEE PUPPETS INC does

MicheLee Puppets Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational puppetry organization founded in 1985 by Tracey Conner and headquartered at 4420 Parkway Commerce Blvd., Orlando, Florida. It operates with a small team of 7 employees and delivers issue-based live puppet shows, workshops, and digital content to schools, after-school programs, churches, youth groups, arts organizations, and social service agencies, primarily across Central Florida. The organization serves primarily Pre-K through 5th grade audiences through curated programs including 'Rhyme Time' (reading readiness), 'A Good Day for Pancake' and 'The Upstander League' (bully prevention), 'EXTREME Health Challenge' (nutrition/activity), 'Mission STEAMpossible' (STEM), 'Una Borinqueña en Florida' (Spanish-language crisis support for displaced Puerto Rican youth), and 'Little Heroes' (domestic violence awareness). Underlying capabilities include multiple puppetry styles (hand, rod, shadow, sock, Bunraku-influenced, and toy theatre), a television studio for video production, and co-developed curricula with child welfare experts. The organization also runs 'Sock Puppets with a Heart', a corporate volunteer program that has produced over 2,000 donated puppets for shelters and hospitals since 2010.

The business model is hybrid. Programmatic revenue comes from live performance fees (subsidized from a $4/child full cost to $1/child via fundraising), workshops ($10/person at Puppet Lab), online classes ($40-$55 per registrant), and e-commerce sales of downloadable songs ($0.79-$9.99), an Upstander League comic ($0.99), sock puppet kits ($15.99), and $50/year individual memberships. The dominant revenue lever is donations and grants from corporate partners (Universal Orlando Foundation, Florida Hospital, Publix Super Markets Charities, Dr. Phillips Charities), foundation grants (Florida DOT, Safe Routes to Schools), and individual giving, supplemented by Amazon Smile referral revenue. Distribution is primarily direct-sales touring with online self-serve channels layered on after the 2020 COVID-era pivot to Live Puppet Chats and online classes.

Name

MICHELEE PUPPETS INC

Legal name

MicheLee Puppets, Inc.

Website

https://micheleepuppets.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MicheLee Puppets Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 in Orlando, Florida, delivering issue-based educational puppet shows, workshops, and digital content to Pre-K through 5th grade students across Central Florida schools and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Puppetry Services

NAICS

Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Puppetry & Marionette Theatre (MPAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Support Instructional Materials (Structured Teaching, Visual Supports) (EDAGAMAK), Occupational Therapy & Fine-Motor / Sensory Integration Instructional Materials (EDAGAMAG), Speech-Language & Communication Intervention Materials (EDAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Educational puppetry
• Children's live performances
• Issue-based programming
• Puppetry workshops
• School assembly shows

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: MicheLee Puppets is a non-profit organization that relies heavily on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and grants from foundations. They actively seek funding to subsidize performance costs from $4 per child to $1 per child.
2. Product Sales (E-commerce): The organization operates an online shop selling downloadable songs ($0.79-$9.99), the Upstander League Comic Book ($0.99), Sock Puppet Kits ($15.99), and individual memberships ($50).
3. Live Performance Fees: Schools and venues book live puppet shows. Costs are subsidized through fundraising efforts to make programs accessible ($1-$4 per child after subsidy).
4. Workshop and Class Fees: Fees charged for workshops including Puppet Lab sessions ($10 per person), online puppetry classes ($40-$55), and classes for youth through adult learners.
5. Amazon Smile: A portion of qualifying Amazon purchases is donated to MicheLee Puppets when customers select them as the benefitting non-profit through Amazon Smile program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MicheLee Puppets produces and delivers live educational puppet performances, online classes, downloadable educational videos, and hands-on puppet-making workshops that address social issues such as bully prevention, reading readiness, health education, STEM, disability awareness, crisis support, and pedestrian safety. Programming is delivered primarily through touring shows at schools and community venues across Central Florida, with supplemental online/virtual offerings and an e-commerce shop. The organization also runs the 'Sock Puppets with a Heart' program that engages corporate volunteers to build puppets donated to shelters and hospitals.

Product overview

MicheLee Puppets is a non-profit educational puppetry organization offering a portfolio of live performances, digital content, and educational resources designed to empower youth through the art of puppetry. The core offering consists of touring live puppet shows that address issue-based topics (bullying prevention, reading readiness, health education, crisis support) performed at schools and community venues. These are supplemented by educational videos, downloadable music/content, DIY puppet-making resources, and in-person/online classes and workshops. The company operates a shop selling puppet kits, memberships, and downloadable educational materials. The products work together to provide a comprehensive educational entertainment experience, with live shows serving as the primary audience engagement touchpoint, supported by digital resources for extended learning and creative activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rhyme Time: Reading readiness puppet show series for preschool audiences featuring toy theatre sized stages, paper puppets, shadow puppets, music, singing, and audience participation
• The Upstander League
• A Good Day for Pancake
• EXTREME Health Challenge
• Sock Puppets with a Heart
• Una Borinqueña en Florida
• Puppets Helping Kids in Crisis
• Little Heroes

Products and services

• Live Puppet Shows (Touring) Live educational puppet performances delivered by a 3-person cast at schools, after-school programs, churches, youth groups, arts organizations, and social service agencies across Central Florida. Shows address issue-based topics including bully prevention, reading readiness, math/science education, health awareness, and crisis support.
• Educational Videos Online educational video content covering topics including pedestrian safety (Walk to School: Safe is Cool), financial literacy (Raising Money-Wise Kids), reading readiness, and bully prevention. Includes both Classroom and Family Activity Guides.
• Rhyme Time Songs (Downloadable MP3) Downloadable MP3 songs supporting the Rhyme Time reading readiness program for preschool audiences. Available individually ($0.79 per song) or as the Rhyme Time Songs bundle ($9.99).
• Individual Membership Annual membership at $50 per year providing supporters with membership benefits and supporting the organization's nonprofit mission.
• Sock Puppet Kit (Single) Sock puppet construction kit sold for $15.99, supporting home puppet-making activities and educational engagement.
• The Upstander League Comic Book Comic book tied to the Upstander League bully prevention program, sold for $0.99 to extend educational messaging beyond live shows.
• Intro to Hand Puppetry (Online Class) Live online workshop teaching basics of animating a moveable-mouth hand puppet including head and mouth movement, eye focus, puppet posture, and lip sync. Available in two age categories (ages 8-12 and ages 13 to adult) at $40 (basic) or $55 (deluxe with Sock Puppet Kit). Taught by Jamie Donmoyer.
• Live Puppet Chats Free virtual sessions allowing children to interact in real time with a puppet character through singing, dancing, reading a story, or chatting. Each session is child-guided and unique. Launched in 2020 in response to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Classes and Workshops (In-Person) In-person Puppet Lab workshops held at the Orlando studio for youth and adults to experiment with puppetry styles. Includes Puppet Lab sessions at $10 per person and other studio-based learning experiences.
• E-commerce Shop Online storefront at micheleepuppets.org selling memberships, puppet kits, downloadable songs, comic books, and other educational resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 2 million children and youth reached since 1985
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OUTFRONT MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided in-kind billboard donation to celebrate MicheLee Puppets' 30th anniversary, featuring the organization on billboards across Central Florida.
• Harbor House of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Florida domestic violence shelter partnered to create 'Little Heroes' puppet play and hosted puppet workshops for children in the shelter.
• Florida Department of Health in Volusia CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided content for 'Walk to School: Safe is Cool' pedestrian safety video series commissioned through grants from Florida Department of Transportation and Safe Routes to Schools.
• Head Start of Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to create 'Rhyme Time' puppet show series introducing pre-reading skills through puppetry, music, and student participation.
• CareerSource Central FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to provide welcome events for Puerto Rican families where adults learn about job resources while children participate in MicheLee Puppets' program.
• SOS by UrbanderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSami Haiman-Marrero partnered to provide welcome events for Puerto Rican families displaced by 2017 hurricanes.
• Universal Orlando ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner participating in 'Sock Puppets with a Heart' team-building program where employees build puppets for donation to children in need.
• Venue on the Lake / Maitland Civic CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaitland Civic Center partnered to host Sunday Family Fun Days with free public performances and puppet-making workshops.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sesame Workshop: The nonprofit behind Sesame Street and a dominant force in educational children's media with deep SEL, autism, and trauma content. Broadly comparable audience and mission, but operates at massive national scale versus MicheLee's regional model.
• Jim Henson Foundation: Funds and supports American puppetry artists and companies, including Jamie Donmoyer's network. Adjacent to MicheLee through shared talent ecosystem and mission to advance puppetry as a fine and applied art.

Emerging players

• Happenstance Theater: Small-scale puppetry and physical theater ensemble producing original issue-aware and poetic work for young audiences. Comparable in artistic approach to MicheLee's craft-driven original scripts, though smaller and more arts-festival oriented.

Direct peers

• Imagination Stage: Maryland-based professional children's theater and education organization producing issue-based and curriculum-aligned performances for school groups — comparable touring, SEL focus, and education-customer base.
• Kids on the Block: The original disability-awareness puppet program that Tracey Conner brought to Central Florida to found MicheLee in 1985. Both organizations use puppetry to deliver social-emotional and disability-awareness curricula to children in schools.
• National Theatre for Children: Minneapolis-based touring educational theater company that performs live issue-based shows (health, safety, social-emotional learning) in elementary schools nationwide — same touring-into-schools GTM and curriculum-driven programming model as MicheLee.
• Center for Puppetry Arts: Atlanta-based nonprofit that produces educational puppet performances, runs a museum, and offers puppetry workshops — directly comparable mission of using puppetry as an educational and therapeutic art form for children and families.

Regional players

• Pop Up Productions: UK-based puppetry and visual theater company creating educational and socially engaged performances for children and schools — similar mission and methodology, but serving UK schools rather than US districts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MicheLeePuppets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIMF1PnkvZQy892uO68ggLQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/169066456212
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michelee-puppets-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MICHELEE PUPPETS INC