February 18, 2008 is the 90th. birthday anniversary of Carol Fijan.

Carol has been a long time member of the Puppeteers of America and the guiding force for the Puppet Guild of Long Island. She has recently authored her own book on her life in puppetry and co-authored wonderfully informative puppet books with Frank Ballard, and Larry Engler.

The idea for the National Day of Puppetry was Carols and has resulted in a major increase in the outreach for puppetry and of puppeteers across the country. 

You may send greetings to:
Carol Fijan 
53 Rose Avenue
Great Neck, NY 11021-1524

On the weekend of January 25, 2008 the current boards of Puppeteers of America and UNIMA-USA met in Atlanta for a facilitated conversation to discover how each group might mutually benefit from collaborative efforts. 8 of 9 Puppeteers of America board members and 8 of 11 UNIMA board members met over three days, shared meals and enjoyed two performances at the Center for Puppetry Arts, host of the meeting.
Each board also invited five past leaders to join the meeting, to access more of the history and past practices of the organizations, while keeping the total attendance at a level that would allow for deep dialogue.  The meeting was facilitated by Atlanta-based consultant Kathie deNobriga.

The stated outcomes of the meeting were to:

• Celebrate and affirm each organization’s vision and purpose; discover alignments and/or frictions.
• Discover ways in which each organization can support the other.
• Explore possible duplications in service and how collaborations might be beneficial.
• Provide time and space for each organization to discuss possible joint projects or efforts.
• Create action plans to move forward, and in general to lay the groundwork for cooperation.
  

Attendees expressed a desire to understand what unites and what separates the two organizations, to explore how coming together can help each other, and even to test the possibility of a future merger.

 In this first-ever meeting of the two boards, attendees spent time to understand in more detail the relative operations and values of both organizations.  A discussion of similarities and differences and individual/joint strengths and challenges led to the group identifying 16 possible action arenas, from agreeing to continue the joint meeting on a regular basis, to sharing financial management resources.

The ‘hot button’ issue of merger was addressed through deep and passionate dialogue, with some members questioning the basic need and premise, others seeing a merger as the best way to serve the changing needs of the puppetry field and respond to the call for greater diversity.  One key aspect of the dialogue was the dynamic between the global mission of UNIMA as a peaceful international exchange, and the mission of Puppeteers of America as a national service organization to a broad range of puppeteers.  Ultimately, the group agreed that a merger is not on the horizon now, but did agree to continue talking about the benefits -- and drawbacks -- of the two organizations coming closer together.

In the meantime, the two boards did agree on a handful of immediate collaborative actions, in the belief that joint efforts would benefit both organizations and the field in general:

• Closer cooperation between the two publications, including an advertising exchange, cross-promoting the scholarship opportunities, coordinating the publication calendars, and adding “highlights from” the other publication.
• Closer coordination and possible combination of their respective awards ceremonies.
• Identifying ways to find and pay for staff support.
• Working together to facilitate the presenting of international puppet companies at puppetry festivals, using the model already in process for the 2009 Atlanta National.
• Coordinating and expanding resources for the preservation of puppet collections.
• A joint membership campaign, targeting puppet centers, guilds, companies and college students, offering discounts for a limited time. Both organizations have a desire to appeal to culturally diverse and under-served populations

Small action teams, with people from both organizations, will continue to discuss other collaborative efforts such as a joint fundraising event, shared promotional efforts encouraging libraries to subscribe to both publications, and tighter coordination between the two websites.

Other ideas that received strong support and may be discussed at a future time are new membership structures, a shared directory and greater advocacy to other professional associations.  The two boards agreed to meet again in July 2008, in conjunction with the regional festival in College Park, Maryland to continue the dialogue.

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The Guild Connections

Kurt Hunter
5918 W. 39th Street
St. Lois Park, MN 55416
E-Mail Address

Nancy H.Sander
1250 Granger Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
E-Mail Address

Greetings, Creative, Talented, Clever, Artistic Puppeteers…and the rest of us, too.  Are you building your summer show yet? I am, and already I am freaked out by the very ambition of the project. Why should I worry? The opening is only six months away! I can’t imagine why I am not sleeping nights.

Click-ToCall: Marketing my shows has changed so much since I started in 1974. Today the web is where everyone goes to find me but the phone is the best way to reach me. I recently went looking for an 800 number service and ran across a really useful and cool service. If you haven’t heard of Vitacall listen up! I’m so pumped. Vitacall has a service called “Click-to-Call.” Click-to-Call works like an 800 number--it provides a free call to your customers – but it’s way cooler than that.

First, when your customer clicks the “Call now: It’s free!” button their phone connects to yours! You can put a Click-to-Call link or button anywhere on your website, in your email signature... anywhere.

Second, it costs about the same as an 800 number but there’s no monthly fee. You just pre-purchase minutes (I started with 100 minutes for about $11.50) and start using it.  800 numbers cost between 6 and 10 bucks a month plus the cost per minute. With Click-to-Call I only pay when my phone rings. I obviously can’t use it in print advertising but, since almost all my business comes from the web these days, Click-to-Call is all I need.

Third, 800 numbers help to get people who don’t know me to make the decision to call, but once they know me it’s no longer that important. The last thing I need is to whittle down my profits (yeah, right!) by paying for every call that anyone ever makes to me - and that’s exactly what happens with 800 numbers. With Click-to-Call my potential customer who gets a free call is already looking for a puppet show because he/she is visiting my site thus generating MORE WEB TRAFFIC – which increases its ranking on Google and other search engines. When  potential clients see that they can make the call for free they feel more inclined to do so. The way I look at it, the simpler I can make it for a potential client, the more likely I will get the gig.

I have been in contact with Jim King, of Los Angeles, who is webmaster of Speedy Puppy (where I have my web page) and he is in the process of setting up a special template for Site Studio, used by many web builders, so that  Click-To-Call can be put on the contact page. For those of you who edit your site through Site Studio, this will probably be available by the time you get this column, but check to make sure you can ad a link where you want it before you take the plunge.

Easy Web Page: Face it, folks: no longer can you really make it in business without your own website. Again, let me tout the easiest, fun-est, do-it-yourself website building site ever. Rick Morse, from Flint, Michigan, had to call me to thank me for steering him to the site. I, the computerlexic granny, built my very own website (www.puppetswithpizazz.com) all by myself. I pay all of $10.95 a month for all the space I need. I have my e-mail come through there (I had to buy my URL) too. Especially good is Speedy Puppy’s support service. I’ve never had to wait more than overnight to receive a very specific answer to my very stupid question. Contact www.speedypuppy.com. Mention my name. I owe them lots of thanks.

Voice Care:  “Avenue Q” came to Cleveland and our guild went together to see it. Afterward we stayed for a talk with the puppeteer, Robert McClure, of New York City, New York. He was asked how he was able to do the “Cookie Monster” voice without damaging his voice, since he performed eight shows a week month in and month out. He said that, while the gravelly sound sounded like it was coming from the vocal folds, actually it was not.  He was trained to imitate that gravel by vibrating his soft palate instead. He demonstrated the difference in the two voices and even though I could hear a slight difference, I was sold. Since then I have been going around the house, practicing. My husband asked me if I was catching cold, so I guess I have a ways to go. But, again, I can’t stress enough the care you must take of your vocal folds. They are muscles, and as all muscles, they can develop blisters which turn into callouses (in the throat they are called nodules). Just listen to Kenny Rogers, king of nodules. If the voice you use makes you clear your throat, or cough to relieve a tickle, or if you feel like you have a phlegm buildup in your throat, change your voice. Period.

Controls For Shadows:  One of the grand old gals of the Columbus Guild, Elsie Dunnington, showed me her easier-than-easy controls for shadow puppets. She used bendable straws. She laid the short end against the shadow and secured it with glue gun and tape. Then she took three kabob skewers and ran them up the long part of the straw. When they were tightly wedged, she trimmed the skewers to be all the same length. The result was surprisingly sturdy.  She said that she used them with children too, but she always cut the points off the skewers before letting the children handle them. God bless you, Elsie. She passed away last week.

Shadow Saver: Speaking of shadows, Jim “Nappy” Napalitano, of North Haven, Connecticut writes: “When cutting thicker cardboard I like to run white glue along the edges. This keeps the many layers of paper that make up the cardboard together a little bit longer”

Mod-Sign Shadows:   “Recently I’ve been making shadows out of Mod-Sign, High Density (HDPE) .055” Thick Sheet plastic sheets that I get from Modern Plastics. Their Website is: www.modernplastics.com/modsign-hdpe-sheet-p-1041

I recommend brown or gray color because black is very difficult to see your cut line. I cut this plastic with heavy scissors, tin snips and or chisels from Bali.

Chisels From Bali:  I bought a set of chisels from Maria Bodmann quite a few years ago and it took me quite a while to use them well but they are incredibly useful in cutting wonderfully intricate shadow designs. Check out her website: www.balibeyond.com/ for great gamelan music and, of course, the carving tools from Bali.”

I gotta get me some of them. But first, I have to heal up from the neat Dover Whittling knives I bought at auction last week…By the way, Dover whittling knives are the best ever made.

And P.S. Don’t cut toward yourself with a Dover Whittling Knife. The first stroke I nearly cut off my thumb. The second try sliced neatly through my pants. I no longer wondered why they were selling a leather apron to go with the knives. 

In any case, I really could use some tips. I know you have a gem; I just don’t know what it is.  So write, call or e-mail.

I’m waiting.
- Nancy

Gazing at my  quick  view of the mountain  tops  covered  with  snow, I am aware that the National Day of Puppetry is upon us. It looks as if the Day of Puppetry is getting  better every year. Plans are in place all over the country and it looks like success is  assured. How great  to have the country aware of us at least once a year.  It all started with an idea that  Carol Fijan of Great Neck, New York  had 10 years ago. So Happy birthday  DOP  and  Happy Birthday to Carol whose 90th Birthday is celebrated in February.

Bob Baker’s Marionette Theatre in Los Angeles has opened its newest show “Musical World.”    It is full of circus acts and toys and joys of  childhood. The Puppet Co. in Glen Echo Maryland. is charming  their audiences with a  new production  of “Alice in Wonderland”.   I was in St. Louis and saw Bob Kramer’s Marionettes new production  of  “Peter and the Wolf.”  It is delightful and I was fascinated that the children actually  knew the names of the musical  instruments.  I have done the show with Kramer’s and it was a funny feeling watching “SASHA” the bird, (my part) in someone  else’s hands. In  McLean , Virginia,  at the Alden Theater,  Applause Unlimited (Christopher Hudert)  did  “Traveling  Jack & Co.” A gathering  of American Folk tales.   Joining them at the theatre were Drew Allison’s GRAY SEAL PUPPETS of Charlotte, North Carolina with, “Salsa Cinderella.”

Cincinnati  puppeteers recently honored  Larry Smith by celebrating  a Larry Smith Day!   Bernie Beauchamp of Reno, Nevada  has taken to the road and is headed  west, ready to perform at any time.  If you need him, you can find him listed in our new members’ directory.

Great  e-mail  from Penny Jones in New York. Penny is spreading the gospel of puppetry to young children in schools both  private and public. Last December, she produced , “Sebastian’s Dream,” the prologue to a 20 year old show she is reviving called, “The Circus and Sebastian.”

The San Diego Guild sent a wonderful color  page with their activities during the past year.  I wish all  the Guilds could  produce a page like it. It would be a record of  P of A  activities.  The Puppet ART theatre in Detroit, Michigan, Igor Gozman, director, received a $22,500.00 grant from the Kresge Foundation.  That indeed is good news . Ted and Patsy Hornaday of Chestertown ,Maryland had wonderful  reviews  for  their Christmas show.  The review offered one of those moments that make you smile, hearing that the audience is standing in the aisles.

You may not  be aware that Luman Coad of Vancouver, Canada, also publishes books about puppetry.  He is publishing a new book in late spring about puppetry:  ‘The Diary  of  Doll Wiggler – A Bob’s Eye View into the Wacky & Wonderful  World of Puppetry. ‘ The  author  is none  other then  my favorite humorist Bob Nathanson. It is the story of Bob’s thirty years in puppetry and any one who knows Bob,  knows it is going to be fun.  Congratulations to Steve Axtell of Ventura, California on 25 years of developing and making puppets that are outstanding.  He is about to release some new remote control puppets.  Get ready for a new era.

Kurt Hunter of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has given me a great  idea.  Kurt will be performing in the middle of a frozen lake in  Minnesota. (Just the thought makes me shiver ) in a black box theatre (8 ft. by 8 ft.). Kurt  says it is a glorified ice fishing house. The idea is for  an “Art Shanty Project.” Now that sounds like winner. I am convinced we are all crazy.

This is the idea: Tell me, if you have ever done a show in  strange and wonderful  setting?   I did one once in the corner of an Airline hanger. We looked  like ants.  My  favorite story was a puppeteer years ago from Alaska named Pinky Renaldo. She won our discussion, having done a show off the back of a dog sled in a snow storm. Think back. We have all had strange and wonderful moments.   Fess up. Where is the craziest place YOU have done a show?  You may be  retired  or maybe just tired of carrying your stage on your back. Write and tell us where is the strangest place you have ever performed. It is your turn-to show up in the column.

I hope everyone is well and dodged the flu. Let me know if you win the lottery. 

‘Till  spring...  M’El