Treeples follows the adventures of three lively forest creatures, who call on everyday kids to help them defeat monsters. This 20-minute pilot stars humans and live puppets in a forest world. It is written with children ages 6-9 in mind.

Each episode of Treeples begins with a kid facing an everyday challenge. From unfair adults to unfortunate bullies, the child runs from their problem, only to find a portal to the middle of the woods where they meet the Treeples!

Treeples Character Art, 2014

The Treeples are three creatures (An Explorer, an Athlete, an Engineer), who protect the forest and take care of each other. Unfortunately, the child’s conflict has manifested into a monster who is wreaking havoc in the forest. With the help of these three zany friends, our hero confronts the monster and saves the day. After an adventure with the Treeples, the child returns to the world, ready for anything.

Below: "Lana" approaches the portal from her school.

Treeples is part of Sarah Nolen's Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Project for the Puppet Arts Program at the University of Connecticut. She developed, wrote, and directed the show. The puppets were designed and built by Sarah and a team of brilliant UConn students.

With the help of students, faculty & staff, principle photography was completed in May 2015. Post production took place until November of 2015, and the project premiered at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. After screening at half a dozen film festivals across the US, you can now watch Treeples online as of April 2020!