Fall is slowly insinuating itself into the
Upper Midwest, teasing with sunshine and threatening with
cold rain and winds. A reminder that the seasons can bring
upheaval, but are also comforting in their regularity.
The Puppeteers of America, as an organization, has had some
upheaval over the past few years. Some of those changes
have been exciting (the new website, online Playboard, to
name just a few); some have produced discomfort and confusion.
For a variety of reasons, the membership office has experienced
disruptions that have caused a number of problems for membership,
old and new. At the last meeting of the Board of Directors,
by teleconference, action was taken that will help restore
some order and regularity to this “core” component
of our organization.
Fred Thompson, whom many of you know as the editor of the
“Playboard”, was appointed as the “Membership
Officer” to fill the vacancy left by Jean Newkirk's
departure. We thank Jean for her hard work in pulling the
various strands of membership data together, and wish her
well for the future.
Fred, as the new Membership Officer, already is experienced
with the membership database, handling the Playboard and
Membership Directory, and “catching up” on the
membership renewals and applications that were still in
need of attention.
Working with Fred is Board of Trustee member Anna Vargas.
Together they will ensure that the office returns to smooth
operation and accessibility to member communication.
Membership is the heart of the Puppeteers of America. We
all are the force that gives energy to our mission of promoting
the Art of the Puppet. Not only on the continent of North
America, which is our base, but around the world through
our network of communications and international membership.
And speaking of energy and promoting the Art, next summer's
National Festival-Puppet Rampage 2007-looks to be one of
the most exciting and energizing festivals of the Puppeteers
of America has held. This will be a festival you do not
want to miss. Mark your calendar now.
Puppet Rampage
2007
July 17-22, 2007
St Paul, Minnesota
www.puppetrampage2007.org
Tell your friends, loved ones, fellow puppeteers, strangers
on the street, “Puppet Rampage Rocks!”
In the meantime, since you are a member of this community,
please consider volunteering some of your time to helping
the Puppeteers of America grow and advance our mission furthering
this Art. Big jobs and little jobs, you can commit as much
as you feel able, but everyone's help is needed. Don't know
what you can do, or where to start? Contact one of the Trustees,
or drop me a line, E-Mail Address
with the subject line, “I Want to Help”.
Thanks. See you in a couple months.
Wayne Krefting, President.
THE
MEMBERSHIP OFFICE HAS MOVED.
If you have questions regarding your membership, publications
or other concerns, please contact us:
Email: E-Mail Address
Phone: 1-888-568-6235
Write: Membership Office
26 Howard Avenue
New Haven, CT 06519-2809
PUPPETEERS
OF AMERICA NATIONAL FESTIVAL.
Puppet Rampage 2007
Matt Adler and Alice Rhodes-Adler - Registrars
3637 VICTORIA DRIVE
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 30083
Phone: 404-296-7288
Email: E-Mail Address
The
Guild Connection - Kurt Hunter
As the guild newsletters arrive in the mail,
they are placed in a large manila envelope. The various
guild emails, Yahoo group email messages, and electronic
newsletters are all printed off and added to the envelope.
That's my filing system. I like paper and I like having
everything together. Reading through the contents of the
envelope in my spare time is a great pleasure.
The contents of the envelope for this column, however, were
unusually thin. In search of additional news, I headed to
the Internet.
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The Puppeteers of America website, www.puppeteers.org,
includes links to all of the guild websites organized
by region, which made it very easy to jump into each site
and browse for tidbits of guild news. It was very interesting
seeing the range of guild websites in one sitting. All
are quite good and some are very impressive. The website
of the Atlanta Guild of Puppetry even has a password protected
“Members Only” section thanks to their webmaster,
Kevin Pittman.
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Technology is being used to good advantage
by guilds across the country. Christopher Hudert, newsletter
editor for the National Capital Puppetry Guild's “D.C.
Puppet Times” now has live links in the PDF version
of the newsletter. If a website or email address is listed
in the newsletter, you can just click on the link to get
to the site or start sending an email.
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To promote their Puppet Slam coming up
in October at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Cincinnati
Area Puppetry Guild now has a MySpace page. Set up by
Terry Burke, you can check it out at www.myspace.com/cincinnatipuppetslam.
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The Cincinnati folks also make great use
of their Yahoo group for email communications. Other guilds
that use Yahoo groups (to greater and lesser degrees)
include the Puppet Guild of South Florida, the Phoenix
Guild of Puppetry, the San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers'
Guild, and the Puppeteers of Puget Sound.
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Of course, paper is still a very effective,
if costlier, way to communicate. The flier arrived recently
announcing the Greater Houston Puppetry Guild's Annual
Houston Puppetry Festival. The beautiful, full-color flier
is a definite attention getter. Once again this looks
like an exciting, well put together event. In addition
to catching performances and workshops, educators can
earn six education certification clock hours by attending
the festival. They even offer group discounts and lunch
is included.
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Technology may be moving us forward, but
it is always well worth looking back. There seem to be
lots of milestones being reached this year. As you probably
read in the last issue of the Puppetry Journal, the Detroit
Puppeteers Guild is celebrating their 60th anniversary
this year. The celebration will culminate with a gala
celebration the end of September. The event will include
a fairytale costume contest and a performance of “The
Pied Piper” by Nancy Sander.
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My own guild, the Twin Cities Puppeteers
reached our own 65th anniversary last year, but we were
too busy pulling together a national festival to celebrate.
Maybe we'll have to have a belated celebration this year.
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The Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry also
has a grand celebration planned. They'll be celebrating
their 50th anniversary at the legendary magician's club,
the Magic Castle, in October. The program will feature
performances by 'Rene and His Artists', Lois Harmeyer,
Thom Fountain, Tony Urbano, Alan Cook, and Bob Baker.
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Up the coast, the members of the San Francisco
Bay Area Puppeteers' Guild were busy in August helping
Children's Fairyland in Oakland celebrate the 50th anniversary
of the Fairyland Puppet Theater. In addition to performances
through out the day, guild members were invited to an
after hours bar-b-que.
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The Great Lakes Region's annual Potlatch
is in its 20th year now. Plans for this year's event,
coming up in November, are especially grand to mark the
occasion.
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Most guilds take the summer off and get
rolling again in the fall. If the September meeting plans
are an indication, it looks to be a good year coming up.
The Puppetry Guild of Northeastern Ohio has puppets for
the stories “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” and “The
Ants and the Grasshopper”, but no scripts. To remedy
this situation, they planned some improv for their September
meeting.
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Similarly, the members of the Mile High
Puppet Guild gathered wolf and pig puppets for an improv
session of “The Three Little Pigs” at their
September meeting.
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The Boston Area Guild of Puppetry had
a great September meeting planned. Gathering at the Puppet
Showplace Theater, they were to see the documentary “The
Puppeteer” and meet the filmmaker, Gary Henoch.
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Video was also the drawing card for the
Chicagoland Puppetry Guild. They were checking out the
appearances by Topo Gigio on the Ed Sullivan show.
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The Connecticut Guild of Puppetry had
a complete showcase of puppet video planned for September
at The Puppet House Theater of Stony Creek, Connecticut.
The plans included videos by Ray and Betty Mount of The
Mount Puppets, Marilyn O'Connor Miller, Tim Lagasse and
Jim “Nappy” Napolitano, and Jon Bristol.
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The Puppet Guild of Greater St. Louis
had a double header planned for September with a shadow
puppet workshop by Pat Breithaupt and a performance by
Pat Vandivort.
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In honor of Grandparents Day, the Puppet
Guild of South Florida arranged a performance of “Vintage
Lives” by Anne Marie de Maret.
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The September meeting of the Columbia
Association of Puppeteers was to be hosted by Kathy Karbo.
They were to discuss Tears of Joy Puppet Theater's call
for artists who are interested in making shoes for their
production of “The Elves and the Shoemaker”
in Feb.
Well, I've got to get busy now putting together the program
for the Twin Cities Puppeteers' meeting. I'm supposed to
be presenting the opposition response to the June program
on Model Magic presented by Chris Fehring and Paul Eide.
So far Magic Sculp, Paperclay, and Quik Wood are on the
bill. Wish me luck. While we're wishing, I wish I'd hear
from you before I have another column to write.
KURT HUNTER
5918 W. 39th Street
St. Lois Park, MN 55416
E-Mail Address
REUM...with
a view - M'El Reum
I don't know why but my New Year has always started in September.
I think it is because I spent so much time in school and then
I spent so much time getting kids off to school. Anyway I'm
ready to start fighting lions and tigers and everything, once
school starts.
Thanks for all your news. A special thanks to Jean Newkirk
for sending me bits and pieces. I look forward to any news
you have for me. I read snail mail, E-mail and fax with great
joy. If you know something about one of your local puppeteers
just send it to me. I will be delighted. It looks like the
puppet year is off to a good start. Tears of Joy in Oregon
are opening a new “Aladdin”.
Norma Bigler is busy in Florida. starting up her production
of ”Falling in Love With Shakespeare".
I rejoice over new ideas. Tears of Joy in Oregon is having
a contest for their future production of “The Elves and
the Shoemaker”. They have invited twenty-five artists
to come up with shoes, to either be in the production or in
an accompanying exhibit. What a great idea. The Phoenix puppeteers
are having a Pinocchio Open. Puppet golf:now there's an idea.
Last but not least the Boston Guild did a wonderful survey
of their membership. Drop them a line and ask for a copy.
The answers were worth checking out.
Kate Katz at the University of Connecticut will be opening
her new show late October: “It Can't Happen Here”,
based on a novel by Sinclair Lewis.
Wayne Martin was busy at the Watertown Mall in Boston this
fall with his “Back To School Show.” Another new
show coming to Los Angeles that sounds like a “must see”
is the “Victorian Hotel.” Sean Cawelti tells me
it is being done by the Rogue Artists Ensemble and from the
description it sounds like great adult fun. It features four
human actors playing opposite a hotel full of puppet ghosts.
A note from Elani Meyers tells me she is busy settling in,
in New York, and hoping to get more active in the puppet world
there.
Allyn Gooen, another New Yorker writes that he and his wife
Annie had a busy summer and they looking forward to a little
down time there.
It was fun to see my old buddy Barbara Faye Wiese with one
of her giant puppets. She is moving from Boston to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is lucky to have her.
Gray Seals always has a cool brochure. It's their 30th Anniversary
and they are premiering “Salsa Cinderella”. Sounds
like a fiesta to me. Our own Nancy Sander has a new version
of “The Pied Piper of Hamlin”.
Amy Weinstein, former member of the Connecticut Guild, is
in Germany working with Sebastian Roser. They have produced
three new shows and are now touring Europe. One of the shows
is “Babui” written by Wiltrud Roser a well-known
writer and illustrator. I received an interesting print out
on the Rousseau Family entertainment. They are in Florida
and are celebrating 60 years of shows. They do magic and puppets.
Great news for the Ballard Museum of Puppetry in Storrs, Connecticut.
Marilyn Miller has donated a portion of her husband, John's
shadow puppet collection and a number of Rufus and Margo Rose
marionettes. The museum will also receive the entire collection
of Dick Myers Puppets. Our thanks to those people who help
us keep these collections together for generations to see
and enjoy . The University of Maryland opened the new Henson
video collection and gallery, at the Clarice Smith Performing
arts center honoring the life work of alumnus Jim Henson.
The Sicilian Marionettes will be performing at the Stony Creek
Puppet House theatre in Connecticut.
Poobley Greegy Puppet Theatre won an award from the Northeast
Region for Service and Artistic Achievement. The Ritz-Carlton,
Amelia Island (I'm not sure where that is) won a Child Magazine
award for offering Puppet Shows. Lets face it puppet shows
are winners. We know that !
Congratulations to the Puppet Co. Playhouse on receiving a
transition grant from the Montgomery County Council. They
certainly deserve it.
I love Bob Nathanson's articles about our infant audiences,
and lo and behold a flyer from THE PUPPET CO. , now featuring
Tiny Tot Tuesdays. A great idea. They list it as ages 0-4.
I will be interested to see how it goes. How many times have
you heard a parent say “but my child is so advanced.”
Ya hoo !!!
The ever-busy Detroit puppeteers held their famous Potlatch
as well as making sure the annual Bixby Festival was a success.
Baltimore, Maryland's Black Cherry Puppet theatre is busy
growing and offering lots of shows. The Denver Puppet Theatre
got a wonderful write up in our newspaper here. It told the
story of Annie and Dave Zook renovating their building and
turning it into a great theatre and a beautiful home to live
in. Lots of pictures and fun for the Denver bunch who meet
at Annie's theatre.
That's about the news I have, please let me know what you
are up to. E-Mail makes it so easy. Also, if you have an idea
or a question, I'll take that to. Hope the new season is a
great one for everyone. Write if you get work.
M'EL REUM
827 Milwaukee Street
Denver, CO 80206
E-Mail Address
FAX (303) 393 - 1367
THE
MEMBERSHIP OFFICE
receives and processes almost 1800 membership forms
during renewal time each year.
More
than 100 forms are returned because of incorrect addresses.
Many are returned with no forwarding addresses. We have no
way of knowing when or where you have moved unless you tell
us.
If you have not received a renewal form or are missing any
of your PofA publications, PLEASE CONTACT US.
Email:
E-Mail Address
Phone: 1-888-568-6235
Write: Membership Office
26 Howard Avenue
New Haven, CT 06519-2809
Eureka!!
will appear next issue. Send those hints to:
Nancy H. Sander
1250 Granger Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
E-Mail Address
FESTIVALS
= SHARING….
In a few short months many of us will pack
our bags and head off to St. Paul for a full week of puppet
bliss. As we begin to make plans to attend the Puppeteers
of America National Festival in July, one might wonder where
it all began.
It really started with Tony Sarg. Tony went to great lengths
to discover even the most basic “secrets” of puppetry.
Take a few minutes to read of his struggles and “antics”
to gain knowledge about this art form. (See Membership Directory:
Page 3.)
When Sarg came to this country in 1915 and established what
became one of the most distinguished marionette companies
ever, he made sure that everything he knew about puppets
would be available to any and all that were interested.
His performances and publications were a gift. And so it
continues...............
If only one word could be used to describe any PofA festival,
regional or national, that word would be “SHARING!”
Sharing! What a concept! Each and every festival is a CELEBRATION
of sharing. There are no barriers.
“Celebrity” is checked at the door.
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PERFORMERS have an opportunity
to present their most recent works for the enjoyment and
edification of all, and it doesn't end with the performance.
Professional companies featured throughout the festival
often invite the audience backstage to explore, and ask
questions following their shows.
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POT POURRI and other events, offers
professional and amateur alike the opportunity to try
a new work for feedback or perform just for fun. Whether
it be High Art or “high jinx,” we learn from
them all.
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WORKSHOPS are another highlight
of a festival. We gain insight into aspects of production,
costuming, construction, playwriting, business, music,
etc., etc. These intensive workshops are offered by experts
in their fields, sharing years of experience with festival
goers.
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THE PUPPETRY EXHIBIT is a regular
feature at festivals and is usually open to all puppeteers
to display their art and craft. Always a popular attraction,
the exhibit is yet another way of sharing and learning
about this multi-faceted art. Puppets made by past and
present masters stand along side puppets made by future
masters.
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THE PUPPETRY STORE is one of the
busiest places at a festival. Puppets, books and related
sundry items - even stages, at times_- are offered up
for sale. From the newest in print to collectibles, the
Puppetry Store has them all.
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MEALS Some of the most rewarding
sharing is done at mealtimes when we get to sit for a
while, relax and perhaps meet new friends.
Festivals, sometimes, are the only opportunity to reconnect
and swap stories with old friends. Opportunities to socialize
come in many forms at a festival, including cabarets,
receptions, and -
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THE FESTIVAL BANQUET which caps
the festival. The banquet is usually a grand affair where
the festival participants sit down for good food and fun.
Here, one can show his appreciation for the organizers
and staff of the fest, or recognize achievements of their
fellows in the art of puppetry. Performances by outstanding
puppeteers usually ends the evening's festivities.
For those who have attended many festivals,
these words can serve, hopefully, as a pleasant reminder of
good times past. For those of you contemplating your very
first festival, we hope that they help to encourage you to
join in the fun. A world of fascinating people, puppets and
performers awaits you at the 2007 Puppeteers of America National
Festival.
I dare say that if Tony Sarg were still around, he'd pack
his bags, head West, and jump in with both feet. I think he'd
be very pleased................. F.T.
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