Reimagining the healthcare experiences of children with osteogenesis imperfecta through puppetry and musical theatre

This article chronicles the developing stages of an international, interdisciplinary, research project that bridges puppetry and paediatric healthcare. This project embeds collaborative partnerships, musical theatre and puppetry practice to advocate for the agency of children living with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) in hospitals. The research presents co-creation and art-based research as methodologically innovative. The project partners include McGill University, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the Brittle Bone Society, and participants include students studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). From 2025 to 2026, 39 MA/MFA musical theatre students adapted and devised co-created puppetry scripts that tell the hospital experiences of children with OI and their families. This platformed the healthcare experiences of children with OI and their communities, and exhibiting how theatre arts can act as an effective arts and health tool.