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Dolores
Hadley
by: Diane Houk & Robert L. Smith
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If
of Thy Mortal Goods thou art bereft, and from thy slender store
two loaves alone to thee are left, Sell one, and with the dole Buy
hyacinths to feed thy soul.
-Attributed to the Gulistan of Moslih Eddin Saadi, A Mohammedan
sheik Perisian who lived about 1184 -1291.
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS,
DoLores Hadley, a single mother with four small children directed
her exceptional artistic talent toward making hand puppets as gifts
for her family. Whether knowingly or not this was the beginning
of "La Famille (Family) Marionettes." Performances at
birthday parties evolved into community center workshops and shows
under the auspices of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department.
The whole family, Dana, David, Diane and Dan pitched in when they
performed at the zoo in a covered theater with outdoor seating,
that had canvas on rings, that slid along wires. If it had rained
they had to hit this canvas with a broom handle, to empty pockets
of water. Puppeteers must be jacks of all trades.
Another time, when they had a trailer theater, DoLores had her old
Pontiac stationwagon going down grassy slope to reach the performance
site (when she hit a chuck hole and the trailer over turned. Much
to DoLores' dismay a reporter turned up and took a picture - not
the kind of publicity she had hoped to receive. But alway full of
energy, the family tackled whatever obstacles came along and the
show went on!
Next the Parks Department purchased old Post Office vans and turned
them into specialty wagons. The "Puppet Wagon" toured
the parks each summer with a different "theme" show. One
summer it was about the Lewis and Clark expedition, but using her
own special sense of humor, Lewis became just “Lou” and
Clark was “Cluck”. Other summers they did "Popeye,
Olive Oil and Sweet Pea" "Dr. Dolittle" and the "Smile
Show" when the yellow smiling face first became popular.
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Music was always
an integral part of ever show, played on a reel-to-reel tape
recorder DoLores listened to many records to find tha perfect
piece for a character. Scott Joplin was a favorite composer.
In 1970 she attended a Puppet Festival in Nashville.TN. To
pay her expenses, DoLores sold some marionettes. One puppeteer
from California sold his airplane ticket and got a bus ticket,
so he could purchase one of her creations. Then in 1973 she
heard that "Worlds of Fun" was looking for a marionette
show. DoLores called for an audition and was hired on the
spot. She was so excited that she went to her youngest sons
sixth grade class to tell him the news. Thus started a twenty-three
year career of ten, twenty-minute shows a day, seven days
a week, April through October. These were music shows done
in the cabaret style with the children helping in front and
behind the scenes. They worked out of a Gypsy Wagon purchased
from MGM Studios prop department. DoLores usually had one
character each season, who was dressed like a Gypsy or Clown
to match a marionette dressed the same. Each year a new show
was created over the winter months. For several years they
were moved to the main stage and then back to the Gypsy Wagon.
"La Famille Marionettes" also performed during the
winter at local Malls, with the Kansas City Philharmonic,
and did "Breakfast With Santa" for the Jones Department
Store.
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Born in 1926
in Kansas City, MO, she lived in Independence, MO and died
May 29, 1999. In her last years she went into doll making,
again winning praise and prizes for her creativity. DoLores
will be remembered by friends and family as a gracious attractive
woman, who had a unique flair and zest for living, personified
by another of her favorite poems.
"My
candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But
ah, my foes, and oh, my friends— It gives a lovely light!"
by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Characters
by DoLores Hadley, Photos by Diane Houk
Originally Published in VOL 51 NO 2 WINTER 1999
Copyright ©1999 The Puppeteers of America, Inc All rights
resrved
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