Still in rehearsal
The prototype is on a table most weeks, being argued with. Nothing is final until the notes stop coming.
Stagehand Games Presents
Pull the Strings
Everyone’s a puppet. Only one pulls the strings.
A competitive card game for rival puppet masters. Draft your cast, build your show, then get up and perform it.
- 2 to 5 players
- Ages 10+
- 30 to 45 minutes
Coming soon.
The Premise
Five puppet masters. One stage. No supervision.
Draft Puppets, Settings, and Plot Twists from the Spotlight. Build three shows before your rivals build theirs. Borrow a co-star if you have to. The audience will never know.
One hundred and five cards, five genres, and one rule that changes the whole table.
The Heart of the Game
Showtime!
Finish a Plot and the table goes quiet. That is your cue.
Lord Darkcloak arrives at Grimwood Manor. “I have returned.” Sparkles the Unicorn trots in behind him. “The mortgage is due.” Long pause. “...I know.”
You get fifteen to thirty seconds on stage. Use your puppet names, your setting, and your plot title. Give everyone a voice. There are no wrong answers, and the sillier the better.
Every Plot card carries its own Showtime tip, so nobody has to start from nothing.
Meet the Cast
Sixty puppets. Twelve are Villains. Statistically, one of them is your friend.
Heroes, Villains, Sidekicks, Creatures, and Comic Relief, across Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Comedy, and Horror. Every one of them has an opinion.
Give a string a pull.
The galaxy's bravest captain. Also its most enthusiastic one. Nobody's complaining.
His name was chosen at age seven and he has fully committed.
She leaves glitter everywhere. She is not sorry.
He never stops laughing. Nobody's asked why.
Tiny arms. Enormous attitude. Zero regrets.
The simplest puppet in the show. Somehow always the last one standing.
She's lived for three centuries and still has notes on your choices.
She's found 43 ancient treasures. She's kept exactly none of them.
He's worked here for forty years. He prefers not to discuss the previous owners.
Good dog. Very good dog. Zero-gravity fetch champion three years running.
Critics call him derivative. He considers it a compliment.
Technically qualified. Outcomes may vary.
He'd steal the stars if they weren't bolted down. He's checking.
Programmed to purr. Refuses to comply.
Queen of the high seas and low expectations.
The pie wasn't in the script. Neither was the second pie.
The Spotlight
Four cards, face up, and everyone wants the same one.
The Spotlight is a shared market in the middle of the table. Take a card and a new one takes its place. Your rivals were watching.
Draft one and see.
The Stage
Thirty places for it to go wrong.
Every show needs somewhere to happen. Some of these locations are helpful.
The puppets perform every night. Nobody pulls the strings anymore.
No refunds. No returns. No eye contact.
Self-driving cars. Self-checkout. Self-doubt. Progress marches on.
The show must go on. The lion couldn't care less.
Stunning view. Warm climate. Lava activity rated "moderate to brisk."
The ghosts have opinions about the renovations.
Welcoming atmosphere. Excellent acoustics. Zero prior guests available for review.
The high score has been falling for three years.
Three years of coursework. One semester is just shoes.
The map said 'turn left.' The map was a trap too.
The Bill
Thirty shows, from Matinee to World Premiere.
Each Plot tells you what your show needs and what it is worth. Meet the Base Goal and it is yours. Stretch for the Bonus Goal if you think you have the time.
- Matinee
- Evening Show
- Opening Night
- World Premiere
The rescue signal worked. Unfortunately, everyone heard it.
Formal attire. No garlic.
The hostage has started giving the orders.
He conquered seven kingdoms. He was not prepared for this.
A Turn, Briefly
Draw or draft.
Take a card from the deck, or take a face-up card from the Spotlight.
Play a card.
Attach a Puppet or Setting to one of your two active Plots.
Complete the show.
Meet the Base Goal and the Plot is finished.
Perform it.
Showtime. Then lock it away and let someone else sweat.
The first player to lock three shows starts the final round. Most Puppet Points wins.
What Is In The Box
One box. A great deal of felt.
- 105 Main Deck cards. 60 Puppets, 30 Settings, 15 Plot Twists.
- 30 Plot cards across four difficulty tiers.
- 16 Director cards. Secret objectives, revealed at the end.
- 5 Featured Genre cards. One is drawn per game.
- 5 Quick Reference cards.
- 1 Intermission card.
- 1 rulebook. Twenty pages, five minutes to teach.
From Backstage
Production notes.
Printer proofs, playtest nights, and whatever else happens between here and opening.
Be here for opening night.
One email when the game goes on sale. Maybe one before that, if something worth reporting happens. Nothing else, ever.