The live experience
What reaches the room
Manual Cinema is a Chicago-based, Emmy Award–winning performance collective founded in 2010 by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace, Ben Kauffman, Julia Miller, and Kyle Vegter. Their signature blend of handmade shadow puppetry, overhead projection, live silhouette actors, and multi-channel sound design creates immersive, genre-defying theatre. The group’s work is recognized for its inventive use of shadow play, original scores, and cinematic storytelling, delivering performances that feel both intimate and expansive.