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The organization and promotion of Puppetry Festivals
is one of the main activities of the Puppeteers of America.
For a number of years beginning with the founding of the organization, festivals were held every year in different parts of the country. The exception was the period of World War II when travel was difficult and everything was put on hold. The first National Festival following the War was held in 1946 at the studio/home of Rufus and Margo Rose in Waterford Connecticut, with some performances and workshops at Connecticut College for Women in New London.
Currently, national and regional festivals are held in alternate years. Seven day national festivals are produced during the odd numbered years in various parts of the United States and Canada.
Regional festivals, usually lasting 3 to 4 days, are held during even numbered years and organized within the eight regions of the organization.
The 2009 Puppeteers of America National Festival:
July 14 - 19, 2009
Georgia Tech University
Atlanta, Georgia
Jeff Cornett and Lee Bryan - Festival Co-Directors
Look for current information posted on the PofA Web site : (www.puppeteers.org) and also published in the Puppetry Journal and Playboard.
July 8-11, 1936
First American Puppetry Festival,
Detroit, Michigan
Paul McPharlin, Organizer
June 28-July 1, 1937
Second American Puppetry Festival Cincinnati, Ohio
Martin and Olga Stevens, Chairmen
June 27-30, 1938
Festival at The Medinah Club, Chicago.
Don Vestal, Chairman
June 27-30, 1939
Hotel Van Rennselaer
New York City, New York
Catherine Reighard, Chairman
June 25-28, 1940
The Hotel Lowry
St.Paul, Minnesota.
Dell Wheeler, Chairman
June 24-27, 1941
Melbourne Hotel
St.Louis, Missouri.
Romain Proctor, Chairman
1942- 1945
Due to the war effort, no national puppet festivals were scheduled. In 1942 Romaine and Ellen Proctor organized a Midwestern Puppeteers Festival at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield, Illinois, and in 1943 Martha and Anna Hargraves organized a Midwestern Puppeteers Festival at the Aurora Hotel, Aurora, Illinois.
June 27-30, 1946
The Studio/Home of The Rufus Roses
Waterford, Connecticut.
Rufus and Margo Rose, Chairmen
June 25-28, 1947
St. Peter’s Church
St. Louis, Missouri.
Leona Thompson, Chairman
June 22- 25, 1948
Skervin Tower Hotel
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Margaret Trent, Chair, with the Junior League
June 28- July 1, 1949
The Tuller Hotel
Detroit, Michigan.
Ed Johnson, Chairman
June 27- 30, 1950
Western College for Women
Oxford, Ohio
William Ireland Duncan, Chairman
June 26- 29, 1951
Western College for Women
Oxford, Ohio
William Ireland Duncan, Chairman.
June 24- 27, 1952
University of Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Wesley and Jean Starr Wiksell, Chairmen
June 23-26, 1953
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Lem Williams and John Shirley, Chairmen
June 23- 26, 1954
Dartmouth College,
Hanover, New Hampshire.
Basil Milovsoroff, Chairman
June 28 - July 1, 1955
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio.
Archie Elliott, Chairman
August 6- 11, 1956
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois.
Ann Thurman, Chair, with the Junior League
August 5- 10, 1957
The University of California
Los Angeles, California.
Melvyn Helstein and John U. Zweers, Chairmen
August 4- 9, 1958
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
George Merten, Chairman
August 3- 8, 1959
The Western College for Women
Oxford, Ohio.
George Merten, Chairman
August 1- 6, 1960
The Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit, Michigan.
Dorothy Oden, Chairman
June 19- 24, 1961
Asilomar
Pacific Grove, California
Lettie Connell Schubert, Chairman
June 25-30, 1962
The Western College for Women
Oxford, Ohio.
Ronald Herrick, Chairman
June 24 - 29, 1963
New Morningside Hotel
Hurleyville, New York.
Jim Henson and Earl Wertheim, Chairmen
June 29- July 5, 1964
The DeLido Hotel
Miami Beach, Florida
Jero Magon, Chairman
June 24 - 28, 1965
Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit, Michigan.
Dr. Audley Grossman, Jr., Chairman
June 25 -30, 1966
U.S. Grant Hotel
San Diego, California.
Pat Platt, Chairman
July 3- 7, 1967
University of Waterloo
Ontario, Canada.
Ken Wyndham, Chairman
August 19- 23, 1968
Webster College,
St. Louis, Missouri
Don Avery, Chairman
August 18 - 22, 1969
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Nancy Giles and Glenn J. Bealey, Chairs
August 16 - 21, 1970
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut.
Carroll Spinney, Chairman
August 16 - 20, 1971
Scarritt College,
Nashville, Tennessee.
Tom Nankervis, Chairman
August 14-18, 1972
Mills College
Oakland, California.
Lewis Mahlmann, Chairman
June 24-29, 1973
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan.
Rhea Dow and Phyllis Maner, Co-Chairs
August 7- 11, 1974
Tulane University
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Nancy L. Staub, Chairman
June 22 - 27, 1975
Lindenwood Colleges
St. Charles, Missouri.
Marilyn Myers, Chairman
June 13 - 18, 1976
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut
Margo Rose, Honorary Director;
Frank Ballard, Co-ordinator
August 14- 19, 1977
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California.
Gayle G. Schluter, Chairman
June 26 - 30, 1978
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas.
Peggy Howard Bright, Chairman
August 12 -18, 1979
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio.
Roger Dennis, Festival Director
June 8 - 16, 1980
World Puppet Festival and UNIMA XIII Congress
Georgetown University Washington, DC.
Nancy Lohman Staub, Executive Dir.
August 9-15, 1981
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California.
Don Ave, Festival Director
June 27 - July 3, 1982
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia.
Carol Daniel, Festival Director
July 31 - August 6, 1983
Iowa State Center
Ames, Iowa.
Steve Schutt, Festival Director
June 24- 30, 1984
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan.
David Holquist, Festival Director
July 7 - 13, 1985
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California.
Lettie Connelll Schubert, Festival Director
August 3 - 9, 1986
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
Luman Coad, Festival Director
August 9 - 15, 1987
Drawbridge Inn
Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
Kathy Piper, Festival Director
July 9 - 15, 1989
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Boston, Massachusetts.
Nancy Laverick, Festival Director
July 28 - August 3, 1991
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Jim Malone, Festival Director
July 11-17, 1993
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
Mike Oznowicz, Lettie Schubert, Ronna Leon, Festival Directors
July 13-17 1994 (Mini-National)
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota
Wayne Krefting, David Sleeper Co-Directors
July 23-29, 1995
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Tom and Marianne Tucker, Co-Directors
July 27-August 2, 1997
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Joyce and Chuck Berty, Co-Directors
August 1 - 7, 1999
University of Washington
Seattle, Washinton
Chris & Stephen Carter, Co-Directors
July 8 - 14, 2001
University of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Jody Wren, Festival Director
June 29 - July 5, 2003
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Jim Malone, Festival Director
July 24 - 30, 2005
Concordia College
St. Paul, Minnesota
Kurt Hunter, Festival Director
July 17 - 22, 2007
Concordia College
St. Paul, Minnesota
Drew Allison & Bob Nathanson-
Festival Co- Directors
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