The Puppeteers of America is proud to announce the presentation of the following awards in 2005. P of A presents awards in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of puppetry.

History of Awards
Awards Descriptions - 2005

Every two years the Puppeteers of America gives awards in several categories, announced and presented at the National Festival.

The current Award’s Committee Chair is Jody Wren. The committee receives nominations from the membership and studies them. Nominations may be sent to Jody Wren at 7107 N. Howard Ave Tampa FL 33604 (813) 932-9252 E-Mail Address All nominations are carefully considered and it is sometimes very hard to make the final decisions.

Those receiving awards have contributed much more than these brief profiles can show. Each recipient receives a special PofA medallion along with a certificate

PRESIDENT’S AWARD - given for outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry. This high honor is for lifetime achievement.

• BOB BROWN - In 2007 Bob Brown celebrates his 50th year as a professional puppeteer. Early in his career Bob left New Jersey to work with Len & Patsy Piper, and appeared on WKOW in Madison WI. He also worked with The Cole Marionettes. Bob Brown was hired by Bil Baird for the Broadway production of Davy Jones Locker. He toured with Baird to India, Afghanistan, Nepal and Russia. For a time he worked with Jim Henson's Muppets. In 1965 he designed puppets for, “Barnyard Frolics” published in Woman's Day Magazine and he developed his trademark felt and styrofoam puppets.
  
  In 1967 Bob was invited to Washington to create the Smithsonian Puppet Theatre. Washington area performances include work at Wolf Trap, 28 years performing with the Baltimore Symphony and White House appearances for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. From 1971 to 1975 Bob Brown and his wife and partner, Judy Brown made many appearance on Mister Roger's Neighborhood. Bob Brown Puppets have performed with symphony orchestras in Atlanta Baltimore, Detroit, New Jersey, Boston, Sacramento Pittsburgh, and Honolulu. Bob and Judy also made an award winning video Beauregard's Bottle Puppets.
  
  In 1980 Bob created a traveling production that was performed in conjunction with PofA's touring exhibit Puppetry Arts & Entertainment. Even with a busy performance schedule he still found time to serve on the board of Puppeteers of America, Puppetry Guild of Greater New York and National Capital Puppetry Guild. His contribution to the art of puppetry includes sharing his experience by training puppeteers for his company and giving countless workshops to aspiring puppeteers locally and nationally.
  
  http://www.bobbrownpuppets.com/
  

TRUSTEE’S AWARD given for service to the Puppeteers of America

• RANDEL MC GEE - Randel McGee, a long time member of Puppeteers of America has given his time and talents to the organization, helping out at festivals whenever needed, serving as regional director, and serving on various committees. He is great promoter of the organization. He shares his expertise as a puppeteer and story teller with many universities in California. His nominator writes, “Your generous giving of your time and talent is to be commended. Because of your enthusiasm for Puppeteers of America many students have joined the PofA. You are our mentor.”

THE PUPPETEERS OF AMERICA AWARD recognizes contributions to puppetry by persons or groups not immediately involved in the field

• JARVIS CONSERVATORY - For the past 11 years the Jarvis Conservatory has presented the best in North American Puppet Theatre to the public. Leticia and William Jarvis founded the Jarvis conservatory in 1995 converting an old winery in Napa, California into a 300 seat theatre. The conservatory presents opera, ballet, Zarzuela and puppetry to appreciative audiences with a special outreach to members of the Latino community. The Jarvis Conservatory has presented Griffoul Marionettes from France, and Coad Canada, Grey Seal Puppets, Huber Marionettes, Paul Mesner Puppets, Oregon Shadow Theatre, Nappy's Puppets and Parasol Puppets. Not every show at the Jarvis Conservatory is a financial success. The Jarvis Family is fully committed to presenting excellent puppet theatre to the residents of the Napa Valley.
  
  http://www.jarvisconservatory.com/
  
  

JIM HENSON AWARD FOR INNOVATION recognizes innovation in puppetry that is technological, dramaturgical or collaborative in nature

• BRIAN WINDSOR - Brian Windsor is recognized for his innovative computer work that combines optical motion capture with puppetry. The process developed by Brian Windsor lends itself to giving very complex motions to fairly simple computer generated puppets. He had collaborated with others to develop a very straight forward way to create animation with puppets that would be both cost effective and fairly efficient. He wrote, “the key to the whole process is the puppeteer and how much control he or she can be given over the puppet.” Brian used video game software and joysticks .He also says that “digital puppetry can be integrated into normal puppetry performance. “It's a new way for puppeteers to express themselves. Children really enjoy seeing these and I let them control the puppets after or ever during the shows.”
  
  http://brianwindsor.com/

GEORGE LATSHAW AWARD for accomplishments in writing and publishing in the field of puppetry

• STEVE ABRAMS - Steve Abrams has written an incredible number of articles and reviews for Puppetry Journal, Puppetry International, and the Puppetry Today, the international UNIMA magazine. He is associate editor of Puppetry Journal and writes a regular column, Scene East. He contributed the foreword to American Puppetry: Collections History, History, Performance. Steve wrote “A Century of Puppetry” in the PofA Membership Directory, and helped Paul Eide and Alan Cook with The Timeline of American Puppetry. He served as North American Editor for the World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Art. He writes clearly and concisely. He researches thoroughly and demonstrates insight as well as knowledge of his subjects. The quality and quantity of his contributions to published work on a wide variety of aspects of the art of puppetry deserve recognition.
  

MARJORIE BATCHELDER MCPHARLIN AWARD for contributions in the field of education

• JUDITH O'HARE - For the past 18 years Judith O'Hare has organized and led the Puppets: Education Magic Institute (PEMI) for educators, therapists, librarians and hobbyists. The first institute was at the Puppeteers of America festival at MIT 1989. The institute has grown to include participants from many states as well as from Canada and Israel. Judith O'Hare serves as education consultant for Puppeteers of America and is a leader of seminars and workshops for educators at national and regional festivals. She teaches graduate courses at Lesley College, Cambridge MA. Her students find her lessons valuable and easily applied to classroom situations. Judith has worked with students, teachers and puppeteers all over the USA and has also visited China and Kenya. She is active member of the Boston Area Guild of Puppetry. Most recently she co-edited the book Puppetry and Education and Therapy: Unlocking the Doors to the Mind and Heart. The book is a series of essays by puppeteers, educators and therapists.
  
  http://youandmepuppets.com/Welcome.html