Awards are typically presented every two years at National Puppetry Festivals. Any member of Puppeteers of America can make a nomination for an award. The awards committee is entirely independent and its recommendations cannot be altered by the Board of Trustees.
- 2013 Awards Application Guidelines & Deadlines
- Awards 2011
- Awards 2009
- Awards 2007
- Awards 2005
- History of all Awards prior to 1968-today
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Do you know any individual or group that has made an extraordinary contribution to the art form? Please submit your nomination for one of the POA Awards!
Any member of Puppeteers of America may submit a nomination for an award.
The Puppeteers of America Awards Committee delights in giving recognition for achievements in the Art of Puppetry!
The awards committee is entirely independent and its decisions are final. The awards presentation takes place national festivals. Each recipient receives a special PofA medallion along with a certificate.
THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD: For outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry.
THE TRUSTEE’S AWARD: For outstanding service to The Puppeteers of America organization.
THE PUPPETEERS OF AMERICA AWARD: For contributions to puppetry by persons or groups not immediately involved in the field.
THE JIM HENSON AWARD FOR INNOVATION: For innovation in puppetry that is technological, dramaturgical or collaborative in nature.
THE GEORGE LATSHAW AWARD FOR WRITING: For accomplishments in writing and publishing in the field of puppetry.
THE MARJORIE BATCHELDER McPHARLIN AWARD: For puppetry-related contributions in the field of education and therapy.
TELL US WHY YOU ARE MAKING THE NOMINATION
Write a profile telling the committee about the accomplishments of the nominee (one page maximum). Materials supporting a nomination may include links to articles by and about the candidate; copies of awards, citations, or anything that can help to document the expertise and abilities of the nominee.
Some things to be mindful of before nomination:
- Any member of POA may submit a nomination.
- You must not nominate yourself.
- It is best to keep the nominations secret; do not tell those you are nominating or broadcast who you have nominated.
The deadline to submit nominations is May 15, 2013. The current Award’s Committee Chair, Brian Hull. The committee receives nominations from the membership and studies them. Nominations may be sent to Brian Hull, Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219. Phone: 615.862.5785 at brian.hull@nashville.gov All nominations are carefully considered and it is sometimes very hard to make the final decisions.
2011 AWARDS
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – given for outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry. This high honor is for lifetime achievement. The 2009 recipient was Nick Copoola and was accepted by Bob Nathanson.
Nick Coppola - “Nick Coppola is widely revered in contemporary American puppetry for launching many professional puppetry careers while maintaining high standards in traditional marionette theatre. Coppola is not only an esteemed director, writer, and brilliant marionette performer, he has mastered the the fine arts of teamwork, cooperation and collaboration.”
Nick is the perfect mentor. He wants the production to shine. Each detail of puppet design, costume, music and script show get careful attention. Nick lets his shows and performers hold center stage, with Nick quietly in the background avoiding attention
NIck joined P of A in 1952 and was hired by the Suzari company in 1954 and rose quickly to become the artistic director. After serving in the army, Suzari’s Ruth Waxman formed a new company based on Nick’s talent. The Nicolo Marionettes was an actively touring troupe from 1962-1978.
In 1980 Nick founded The Puppetworks. In 1987 Puppetworks became a permanent theatre in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn and Puppetworks is still actively presenting shows.
He’s written a few articles for the Journal, and wore a few Organizational hats:
Served on Board in ‘80s, was Consultant’s Chair, and on Journal Editorial Board. Chairman of Endowment fund Committee. M.C. at National Festival at Bryn Mawr
During the ‘80s, Nick also taught Puppetry at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn and The Children’s Aid Society, Manhattan, and was part of the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater as puppeteer and builder and costumer.
Perhaps Nick’s greatest contribution to the art of puppetry is as a role model, of quiet professional commitment to entertain his audience, and to work with others with charm and grace. His love of people and love puppetry have enriched the art of puppetry and the careers of many puppeteers.
Bob Nathanson accepted the award on Mr. Coppolla’s behalf.
TRUSTEE’S AWARD - given for service to the Puppeteers of America. The 2011 recipient was Fred Sauers and was accepted by Dave Herzog.
Fred Sauers - Fred Sauers recently retired as the coordinator of the P of A Liability Insurance Program. In fact, Fred developed the insurance program that all puppeteers can buy into and has served our professional puppeteers since with good humor and prompt service.
Fred has spent most of his 82 years enjoying artistic pursuits. He is an accomplished stage, radio and movie actor (look for his 3-second appearance in The Dark Knight), make-up artist, set designer, wood-worker, sculptor, potter, and puppet-maker, and has explored magic, sewing, weaving, and jewelry-making.
He attended Grinnell College in Iowa and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He entered the field of data processing at ITT-Kellogg and was a pioneer in Electronic Data Interchange with Sears Roebuck. He retired from IBM in 1998.
Fred’s interest in puppetry coincided with his interest in his future wife, a puppeteer. Together they founded Roberts Marionettes in 1982 and co-produced eight touring productions. Fred is Technical Director for the company and has built more than 100 hand-carved, lifelike marionettes and bunraku puppets and designed and built several puppet stages. Fred and his wife are long-time members of the Chicagoland Puppetry Guild, have been Registrars for many regional and national festivals and Great Lakes Potlatches, and Fred served as Treasurer of the Great Lakes Region for several years.
MARJORIE BATCHELDER MCPHARLIN AWARD for contributions in the field of education. The 2011 recipient was Karen Konnerth and was accepted by Jean Kuecher.
Karen Konnerth - Karen Konnerth is Founder and artistic director of Calliope puppets in New Orleans where she writes shows, designs and builds puppets in a wide variety of techniques, and performs with live voice, presenting either solo or with accompanying musician, or other collaborator. Calliope Puppets have been known for high quality programs in puppet theater since its founding in 1976. Presenting in theaters, museums, festivals, and schools in urban and in remote communities in the United States, South and Central America, Europe, and Asia, Calliope Puppets invite family audiences on explorations of folklore, culture, and fantasy to bring imagination to learning.
Karen is also a specialist in the integration of the arts across the curriculum, creating formats in active learning successful in motivating enthusiasm in students towards comprehension and retention of core content. Dedicated to educational advancement and support for children, families, and teachers, Karen engages students in meaningful learning as well as challenging and inspiring creative thinking on current issues affecting our education and world communities.
Karen presents workshops regionally, nationally, and internationally. Her Calliope Puppets also have presented in festivals and tours in Peru, Argentina, México, Guatemala, Spain, and Puerto Rico.
Closer to home, in their New Orleans studio space six blocks from the Mississippi River, Calliope Puppet Center shares connections with the local community, as it hosts workshops for children, teachers, and other adults, including collaborative works with community members and visiting puppeteers.
Most recently, Karen has been involved in the writing and implementation of arts in education residencies for Pre-K through grade 5 in a variety of curriculum areas including social studies and reading comprehension strategies, all using puppetry in active learning formats.
Karen was touring during the festival and was unable to attend – Jean Kuecher received the award on her behalf.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – given for outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry. This high honor is for lifetime achievement.
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ALLIE SCOLLON – At the age of seven Allie Scollon started turning her dolls into marionettes and making up shows. Allie’s childhood fascination became the passion and profession of a lifetime. Her commitment to the art of puppetry grew as she did. She researched and taught herself all she could about building, costuming, manipulating, and writing for puppets.
Allie married and soon her husband got involved with the marionette building. Even as a busy young mom, Allie found time to perform original puppet shows for birthday parties and organizations. In the late 1950’s when a new TV station opened, she saw an opportunity and became star of her own TV show, The Bar J Ranch in Syracuse, NY. In the 1960’s the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. With growth of the enclosed shopping mall Allie realized that when people gathered at mega-shopping complexes, they needed to be entertained. She and her husband founded Scollon’s Marionettes, Inc. In a rented storefront they produced four new marionette shows and developed portable staging especially for shopping center promotions. The company hit the road touring across the US with marionette and hand puppet shows.
Dozens more people were trained as puppeteers to meet the demand for performances and over the years, she has personally trained hundreds of people in the art of puppet making and performing. Costume character shows were added to the mix in the late ‘60’s. By the mid 1970’s the costume character business had also grown to include creating costume mascots and cartoon characters for theme parks, sports teams and companies around the world.
In 1982, the company moved to Chapin, South Carolina, just outside Columbia. Allie returned to her roots and established a non-profit theatre dedicated to the art of puppetry, The Columbia Marionette Theatre. With a Board of directors, a slate of crowd-pleasing shows, a rented warehouse converted into a theatre, funding from her own pocket, her son John and a small staff of volunteers, she opened the doors to the theatre in the autumn of 1988. The theatre was a hit.
The next step was acquiring a permanent home for the theatre. Allie didn’t want to renovate an existing space. Her vision was to design and build a marionette theatre from the ground up. The new home of the Columbia Marionette Theatre opened its doors on May 11, 1995.
For tens of thousands of audience members, Allie Scollon is responsible for countless looks of wonder, squeals of laughter and smiling faces She deserves to be recognized for her lifetime of work and commitment to the very first passion of her life. Puppetry.
TRUSTEE’S AWARD given for service to the Puppeteers of America.
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MARIANNE AND TOM TUCKER – Marianne and Tom Tucker have each served the organization on individual endeavors and often they’ve worked together on projects. Each has presented many workshops in his and her own field of expertise at puppetry festivals regionally and nationally. Tom served on the Board of Puppeteers of America also serving as the president from 1991-1993.
Marianne has served on the Board as well as being a Regional Director for the organization. She’s served as a past chair of the Scholarship committee. They’ve served as the registrars and/or assisted with registration at numerous festivals, including the 2009 Festival. Marianne and Tom pair co-directed the 1995 National Puppeteers of America Festival in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. They are dedicated professionals in the field of puppetry and staunch supporters of this organization, always willing to help out where needed.
THE PUPPETEERS OF AMERICA AWARD recognizes contributions to puppetry by persons or groups not immediately involved in the field.
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BRUCE REGES – When Bruce Reges was growing up with a Mom who was a puppeteer, no one could realize what an impact puppets would have on him and on other lives he touched when he was an adult. Stationed in Iraq, the army assigned Bruce to help rebuild schools in Iraq. An article in the Washington Post set the scene: “The reaction was immediate when Army 1st Sgt. Bruce L. Reges strode into the classroom in the Baghdad suburb of Baqubah, in the volatile Diyala province. At 6-foot-5 and wearing full body armor, Reges, 57, looked fearsome to the schoolchildren.”
As a teacher and a builder and someone who loved kids, Bruce was profoundly upset to be seen as a monster, and began searching for some way to put children at ease. How could he help Iraqi children see American soldiers as friends?He wrote to his puppeteer Mom: “Please make me two hand puppets for my slash pockets I need them ASAP. ” Soon after he wrote: ”Mom, I need as many puppets as you can send, as quickly as possible.” In a short time the non-profit humanitarian organization, “Peace Through Puppets” was born.
In another he wrote: “Hey Mom, The soldiers in our movement team have started to ask for puppets to give and work with. One of them told me how kids are coming up to them and using their hands to make a “puppet” sign. The Iraqi kids are starting to talk about the puppets. They know we are the ones who give them out.” In another e-mail Sgt Reges wrote: “I think of all the things I am involved with here, the puppets seem to create the most joy and genuine affection. Despite war, death, and destruction, some things transcend it all. Thanks again for doing this with me.”
http://www.peacethroughpuppets.com/
GEORGE LATSHAW AWARD for accomplishments in writing and publishing in the field of puppetry.
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BOB NATHANSON – Bob Nathanson has given us countless laughs over the years. His wit has been a fun addition in his co-hosting many a late night potpourri at a National or regional Festival. He is the humor consultant for our organization and has given numerous workshops on how to write humorously for the puppet theater.
But it doesn’t stop there. He has written a number of articles for the Puppetry Journal relating experiences as a puppeteer, lovingly called “War Stories” to him. He’s also written about how he, and possibly all of us, might suffer “withdrawal” symptoms after having attended a great puppet festival. Always giving his own special humorous take on whatever subject he writes about.
Bob’s most recent accomplishment is the writing and publishing of his book, DIARY OF A DOLL WIGGLER: A Bob’s Eye View into the Wacky Wonderful World of Puppetry. This book relates Bob’s and his wife Elise’s memoirs of how he got into puppetry and happenings from his nearly 30 years of puppetry career.
MARJORIE BATCHELDER MCPHARLIN AWARD for contributions in the field of education.
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MATTHEW BERNIER – Matthew Bernier is a registered and board-certified art therapist and puppeteer. He is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Art Therapy Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Matthew has extensive experience in therapeutic puppetry especially with cases of child abuse and domestic violence and presently serves on the board of Directors of the American Art Therapy Association. He has lectured and led workshops in the US, Canada and Italy on a variety of topics including: art therapy, domestic violence and therapeutic puppetry. Matthew is a member of MUSE, an educational performing arts troupe of creative arts therapists and has performed “Celebrating the Cycle of Life Through Art, Dance, Music and Poetry many times throughout the United States. He is the co-editor of “Puppetry in Education and Therapy: Unlocking doors to the mind and heart.” He is currently working on a PhD in Expressive Arts: Therapy, Education and Social Change at the European Graduate School in Switzerland. He brings knowledge and experience in the area of puppetry in therapy and his expertise gives credibility to this very important aspect of puppetry arts.
http://www.evms.edu/evms-school-of-health-professions/matthew-bernier-mcat-atr-bc.html
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 MCGEE – 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.”
http://www.mcgeeproductions.com/
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.”
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.
http://www.unima-usa.org/directory/SteveAbrams.html
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.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD – given for outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry. This high honor is for lifetime achievement.
RENE ZENDEJAS – Rene and his puppet creations have entertained audiences across the country and around the world. He enjoys an unequalled reputation in his field, for his complete mastery of the puppet-maker’s craft, as well as his unique, individual style of showmanship and manipulation. This combination accounts for the truly universal appeal of his productions. Rene began studying performance in Hollywood at the age of seven. When he was 14 he built his first marionette and began an apprenticeship with Bob Baker. After 60 years Rene continues to create beautiful puppets, with painstaking attention to detail. His special style of manipulation, which has become a trademark, keeps him in constant demand, as a performer working in Las Vegas showrooms, on-board luxury cruise ships, and in clubs and cabarets abroad. His work has delighted visitors at Southern California’s Knott’s Berry Farm, the San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios. Television variety credits include Ed Sullivan and Hollywood Palace. His educational program for children, Domingo, enjoyed a run of three years on ABC-TV in Los Angeles, and won a local Emmy award. His creations have been seen on Fantasy Island, Murder, She Wrote, You Bet Your Life and Bill Cosby’s Christmas Special. His puppets appeared in films with Lily Tomlin and Jim Carey. His clients for commercials include Toyota, Continental Airlines, Burger King, Sylvania, Keebler, and Bell Telephone. He animated a Model T car, hamburgers for McDonald’s and the instantly recognizable, Pillsbury Doughboy.
http://www.reneandhisartistsproductions.com/
BILL FOSSER – William B. Fosser’s Puppet Production Opera in Focus presents fully staged scenes from operas by Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Wagner and Gershwin Although the puppet opera takes place on a stage only five feet wide and two feet deep, the illusion of live musical theater prevails. The rod puppets manipulate by puppeteers who are seated below the intricately slotted stage floor… The remarkable sets are designed, built and painted by Mr. Fosser. Paul Guerra conceives and executes all of the beautiful and intricate costumes. Scenes from Aida and Phantom of the Opera and many other classics capture the imagination of a wide range of audiences. Miniature opera with puppets has been a Chicago tradition since 1936. Developed by Ernest Wolf and produced by Frederick Chramer, the first Kungsholm Miniature Opera Theater opened in 1941. Bill Fosser began working at the 208 seat Kungsholm theater at the age of 14 in 1943 and he returned in the 50s and again from 1963-1966 to serve as the director. Kungsholm closed in 1971 but Bill Fosser never gave up on the vision of opera with puppets. Bill’s Opera in Focus was first presented in 1958 while pursuing his career as a motion picture art director and set decorator. Since 1993 Opera in Focus has presented regular seasons at the Rolling Meadows Park District building charming audiences – from the lover of opera to the adult or child simply fascinated by the fine art of puppetry.
TRUSTEE’S AWARD given for service to the Puppeteers of America.
JEAN HASSELSCHWERT – Jean served the Puppeteers of America as trustee for three years and then as President for another three years (2001-2004). Jean’s presidency was marked by several important procedural innovations. She spearheaded the development of a Strategic Plan that will act as a roadmap for years to come. She sought wise advice inside and outside the organization so that she could offer helpful suggestions. She also oversaw the creation of new manuals for Regional Directors and Guild Presidents. Jean re-organized the presidential files and improved reporting procedures. She updated the duties of the Trustees, and was always there to help if someone fell behind on a job. While serving as Regional Director the board recognized her artistic abilities and asked Jean design a pin to present to all Trustees as they went out of office. She also created official P. of A. “Thank You” notes and had them printed at her own expense. During her term of office she devoted countless hours to the Puppeteers of America and rarely asked for reimbursement. She treated it like a full time job, and she did it superbly.
JIM MALONE – Jim Malone has served Puppeteers of America as Regional Director, Festival Director, Festival Business Manager, Trustee, President, and as chair of various committees. In 1991 and again in 2003 he arranged for the national festival to be presented at Tahlequah, Oklahoma where Jim is on the theatre faculty. The success of the first Tahlequah festival lead directly to the establishment of PofA’s scholarship program. While serving as President of Puppeteers of America (1993-1996), Jim initiated retreats for the board so that issues of importance could be pondered, discussed, and brainstormed outside of the more formal requirements of board meetings. During his time as President Jim devoted considerable energy to gathering and publishing the Festival Resource Manual a tangible guide to the complex process of running a national festival.
THE PUPPETEERS OF AMERICA AWARD recognizes contributions to puppetry by persons or groups not immediately involved in the field.
CBS SUNDAY MORNING – For 26 years, Sunday Morning CBS has provided a rare oasis of calm, civilized reflection on network television. Each week 5 million viewers enjoy the arts coverage that is a hallmark of this program. Theater, opera, dance, classical or jazz musicians are often featured subjects. They have a long tradition of celebrating our very eclectic art. In 1983 a crew from Sunday Morning attended the National Festival in Ames, Iowa and produced a wonderful profile of Bil Baird. In their history they have celebrated Jim Henson & the Muppets, Carol Spinney, Julie Taymor, Avenue Q, Little Shop of Horrors, Howdy Doody and many more. Museum exhibits, performances, and personalities are all treated in exquisite detail. In October they presented a puppetry segment that featured the Puppet Co’s new theater in Glen Echo, Maryland. The host of Sunday Morning is Charles Osgood and the executive producer is Rand Morrison.
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml
JIM HENSON AWARD FOR INNOVATION recognizes innovation in puppetry that is technological, dramaturgical or collaborative in nature.
GREAT SMALL WORKS – Great Small Works is a puppet company created by a collaborative of extraordinary puppet artists from different backgrounds in New York City. They have worked steadily for years to make the art form of Toy Theatre something innovative and relevant to the world today. Toy theaters became popular in the early 19th century, as cardboard replicas of actual stages. The miniature, two-dimensional, mass-produced theaters became popular entertainment. Great Small has been successful in attracting many new devotees and inspired many puppeteers to experiment with the form. Their annual Toy Theatre Festival is a “must see” event for puppeteers and the public. Since 1993, at seven festivals, hundreds of artists from around the world (Jerusalem, Mexico City, Toronto,) around the county (California, Illinois, Vermont) and around New York, converge at a New York location for a ten-day celebration of the power of the miniature. The 7th festival held in 2005 was held in Brooklyn at St Ann’s Warehouse. Working with guest artists, they reinvent the nearly extinct tradition of Toy Theater for contemporary audiences. The venue is reconfigured to house small-scale performance spaces where dramatic spectacles unfold, often simultaneously, alongside a grand toy theater exhibition!
In addition to Toy Theater the artists of Great Small Works: John Bell, Trudi Cohen, Stephen Kaplin, Jenny Romaine, Roberto Rossi, Mark Sussman, utilize puppetry of several sorts, as well as live actors and some very inventive stage technology. Through out the year the monthly performances of Great Small Works are successful in making puppetry accessible to people from all walks of life.
http://www.greatsmallworks.org/
GEORGE LATSHAW AWARD for accomplishments in writing and publishing in the field of puppetry.
LARRY ENGLER – Larry Engler is the co-author (with Carol Fijan) of Making Puppets Come Alive, a book, which has won awards from The American Library Association and The Puppeteers of America. He is also co-producer of a popular educational puppet video. Larry has served as consultant to Dover Books, advising them on puppetry titles that should be re-published. As producer and distributor of DVD’s highlighting artists Frank Paris, Rufus and Margo Rose, Bil and Cora Baird and others he has made significant material on puppetry widely available to a new public. Larry’s performing credits include: The Metropolitan Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Buffalo Philharmonic, The Detroit Institute of Arts, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Westbury Music Fair. International workshops and performances include work in Honduras, India, Israel, and Singapore.
MARJORIE BATCHELDER MCPHARLIN AWARD for contributions in the field of education.
BART P. ROCCOBERTON JR – Since 1990, Bart Roccoberton has served as Director of the Puppet Arts Program and Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts in Puppetry at the University of Connecticut. Bart is recognized worldwide as a leading advocate for the Puppet Arts in the United States and abroad. He serves as a counselor for the Professional Training Commission of the Union International de la Marionette. He is a founding member of the O’Neill Puppetry Conference along with Jane Henson, George Latshaw, Richard Termine, Jim Rose and Margo Rose. His students have gone on to work at The Henson International Festival of Puppet Theatre, The Puppet Showplace The Sandglass Theatre, The Center for Puppetry Arts and on television shows including Sesame Street, Between the Lions, and Bear in the Big Blue House. Bart has a B.A. from Montclair State College, NJ and his M.F.A. from University of Connecticut in Puppet Arts, working as a student of Frank Ballard. Starting in 1973 Bart toured his popular puppet performances to schools, libraries, colleges, theatres and museums earning a solid reputation as a director, before he began his distinguished academic career. He directed The Institute of Professional Puppetry Arts before he began directing the program at University of Connecticut. His understanding and advocacy for the power of puppetry to teach and touch and communicate at every level is in the spirit of Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin, for whom the education award is named.
http://www.drama.uconn.edu/Puppetry/Puppet_home.htm
http://bproccoberton.com/
President’s Award, established in 1968.
For outstanding contributions to the Art of Puppetry.
| 2009 | Allie Scollon |
| 2007 | Bob Brown |
| 2005 | Rene Zendejas Bill Fosser – Opera in Focus |
| 2003 | Tony Urbano Puppetmongers – Ann & David Powell |
| 2001 | Ronnie Burkett |
| 1999 | Kermit Love Julie Taymor |
| 1997 | David Simpich Terry Snyder |
| 1995 | Phillip Huber |
| 1994 | Grey Seal Puppets – Drew Allison & Donald Devet |
| 1993 | no award |
| 1992 | Jero Magon |
| 1991 | Jim Gamble |
| 1990 | Paul Vincent-Davis |
| 1989 | Vince Anthony |
| 1988 | Ralph Chesse Lewis Mahlmann |
| 1987 | Bob Baker |
| 1986 | Ron Herrick |
| 1985 | Carrol Spinney |
| 1984 | Frank Oz Frank Paris |
| 1983 | Basil Milovsoroff |
| 1982 | Lettie Schubert |
| 1981 | Martin Stevens |
| 1980 | Coad Canada – Arlyn & Luman Coad |
| 1979 | The Bread & Puppet Theatre – Peter Schumann |
| 1978 | George Latshaw |
| 1977 | Dick Myers |
| 1976 | Frank Ballard |
| 1975 | Bil Baird |
| 1974 | Rufus & Margo Rose |
| 1973 | Burr Tillstrom |
| 1972 | Olga Stevens |
| 1971 | Marjorie Batchelder-McPharlin |
| 1970 | no award |
| 1969 | Jim Henson |
| 1968 | Rena Prim |
Puppeteers of America Award, established in 1972
Recognizes contributions to puppetry by persons or groups not immediately involved in the field.
| 2009 | Msgt Bruce Reges |
| 2007 | Jarvis Conservatory |
| 2005 | CBS Sunday Morning |
| 2003 | Joseph Papp Public Theatre |
| 2001 | Lawrence Baranski: Detroit Institute of Arts |
| 1999 | Children’s Fairyland |
| 1997 | Hartford Stage Company University of Connecticut |
| 1995 | Maxwell Gluck Foundation |
| 1994 | City of Tampa, FL |
| 1993 | Rita Dove Freida the Opera The Discovery Theater of the Smithsonian Institute |
| 1992 | Nickelodeon Network |
| 1991 | Federal Theatre Project of George Mason University |
| 1990 | Craft and Sew Magazine WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC Charles MacNider Museum, Mason City, IA |
| 1989 | Maurice Sendak |
| 1988 | Horizon: the Magazine of the Arts “Little Shop of Horrors” |
| 1987 | Entertainment This Week |
| 1986 | The Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Illinois Federation of Women’s Club |
| 1985 | The Asia Society |
| 1984 | Neiman-Marcus, Fort Worth, TX |
| 1983 | The 11 Museums that exhibited “Puppets: Art and Entertainment” |
| 1982 | Fred Rogers |
| 1981 | WQED Television, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 1980 | no award |
| 1979 | no award |
| 1978 | no award |
| 1977 | no award |
| 1976 | no award |
| 1975 | American Broadcasting Company |
| 1974 | Snoopy (Charles Schulz) |
| 1973 | Mississippi Authority fo Educational Television Children’s Television Workshop Detroit Institute of Art |
| 1972 | Plays Inc. |
Trustee’s Award, established 1974
Honors outstanding service to the Puppeteers of America.
| 2009 | Marianne & Tom Tucker |
| 2007 | Randel McGee |
| 2005 | Jim Malone Jean Hasselschwert |
| 2003 | Allelu Kurten Jody Wren |
| 2001 | Joyce & Chuck Berty Norma Bigler |
| 1999 | Tom Fogarty Jan Berckefeldt |
| 1997 | Marilyn Myers Arlyn & Luman Coad Norman Gibson |
| 1995 | George Latshaw M’El Reum |
| 1994 | Evey Brown Nancy Frazier Lynne Jennings |
| 1993 | Lettie Schubert Frank Ballard Steve Schutt |
| 1992 | Paul Eide |
| 1991 | Rod Young Nancy Laverick |
| 1990 | Doug & Gayle Anderson |
| 1989 | Peter Zapletal |
| 1988 | Margo Rose |
| 1987 | Kathy Piper |
| 1986 | no award |
| 1985 | Audley Grossman Don Schluter |
| 1984 | Alan Cook Gayle Schluter |
| 1983 | Fern Zwickey |
| 1982 | Lanelle Rice |
| 1981 | Ellen Proctor Nancy Staub |
| 1980 | no award |
| 1979 | Rachel Redinger |
| 1978 | Mollie Falkenstein |
| 1977 | Don Avery |
| 1976 | Greg and Marie Samanisky |
| 1975 | Emma Warfield |
| 1974 | Archie Elliot |
Jim Henson Award, established in 1997
(formerly Vice President’s Award for Innovation) Recognizes innovation in puppetry that is technological, dramaturgical or collaborative in nature.
| 2007 | Brian Windsor |
| 2005 | Great Small Works |
| 2003 | Hanne Tierney |
| 2001 | Michael Curry |
| 1999 | Rose Sage, Puppetry Home Page |
| 1997 | National Puppetry Conference |
George Latshaw Award, established 1999
Recognizes accomplishments in writing and publishing in the field of puppetry.
| 2009 | Bob Nathanson |
| 2007 | Steve Abrams |
| 2005 | Larry Engler |
| 2003 | Paul Eide Luman Coad |
| 2001 | Andrew & Bonnie Periale |
| 1999 | Mabel Beaton |
Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin Award, established in 2001
For contributions in the field of puppetry in education and therapy.
| 2009 | Matthew Bernier |
| 2007 | Judith O’Hare |
| 2005 | Bart P. Roccoberton, Jr. |
| 2003 | Michelee Puppets |
| 2001 | Bruce Chesse |
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