This biennial East Coast PofA event, entitled "Bridges - Linking the Past and the Future" was hosted by the Puppetry Arts Program, part of the Dramatic Arts Department of the Fine Arts School at the University of Connecticut in the bucolic hills northeast of Hartford and would not have been possible without the heroic efforts of its current head, Bart Roccoberton and his crew of students. Moreover several featured performances were done by graduates from the program. Some were students of the program's past director, Dr. Frank Ballard, who received a special tribute one afternoon. Steven Kaplin of NYC's Chinese Theatre Works, narrated "Tiger Tales" a overhead projector shadow show built on the Chinese tradition performed by his wife, Kuang-Yu Fong, CTW's co-director and CTW members Chiyuam Ho and Seo-Youn Hong. Crabgrass Puppet Theatre, the joint effort of Bonnie Hall and Jamie Keithline presented their rocking version of "Bremen Town Musicians", using Czech-style marionettes and shadow puppets made by the Festival's master of ceremonies, Jim Napolitano, a more recent grad.
Two shows by recent M.F.A.'s were highlights of the fest. Hua Hua Zhang's "Butterfly Dreams" appeared last season at the CMCAC as part of Puppet Showplace Theatre's "Puppets at Night" series. This series of fantastic vignettes was performed with the assistance of collaborator David Regan, whose M.F.A show, The Puppetmaster of Lodz was a highlighht of the last PofA regional held at UConn. Hua Hua was also assisted by recent grads Ceili Clemens and Fay Dupras. Dupras, who hails from Montreal, together with Andi Rubenstein from Brazil, presented their MFA production "By the Willow", a storytelling show in which the two play various parts in a rambling Romanian folktale, manipulating direct contact and shadow puppets using ingenious technical effects created by designer Will Pike. "Foreign Landscapes", as the duo is known, recently received a Best Production Award for this show at the Ottawa Fringe Festival. Original music was composed , performed, and improvised by French violinist Yann-Gael Poncet. The show was directed by Maine's Julie Goell, celebrated physical comedienne seen last winter in Boston at Longy performing her one-person "Opening Night...Carmen" as part of Puppets at Night. The exceptional quality of these two presentations is indicative of the continuing high standard of the work being done at UConn.
Established N.E. puppeteers were equally well represented. David Syrotiak's National Marionette Theatre, which operated for many years in Hartford, but which relocated to Brattleboro, presented his current "In Concert", ably assisted by David Syrotiak Jr.. The program included old favorites, a sequence from one of his renowned holiday shows and a new dissertaion on the art of expressive puppetry. Syrotiak's solo work has always gone beyond superficial cabaret acts concentrating on character. NMT's full-scale production of "Beauty and the Beast" received an UNIMA Citation for Excellence presented at this festival. A Connecticut and Boston favorite, Michael Graham's Spring Valley Puppet's performed his classic "Jack & the Beanstalk" which received its UNIMA citation in 1994. The internationally celebrated Sandglass Theatre, from Putney VT, known for its striking visual imagery, presented "One Way Street", their evocation of cultural critic Walter Benjamin, performed by founders Eric Bass and his wife Inez Zeller-Bass with Merrill Grabus. This collage of ideas and images was directed by Salvadoran Roberto Solomon from Geneva, with music by Paul Dedell, and puppets/set design by David Regan. The show ran a week in Boston at the New Rep in the fall of 2002 to inaugurate Puppets at Night.
Boston-area fixtures, the Underground Railway Theatre, seen performing for schools all over the East Coast, presented their large-scale shadow show based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest", created to accompany an original composition by Robert Xavier Rodriguez commissioned for the 100th Anniversary of Symphony Hall. This production continued their longtime association with the Symphony, for which they've been cited by UNIMA. There was also a tribute to the Showplace's Artist-in-Residence Paul Vincent-Davis, winner of four UNIMA citations, who performed a reprise of his Japanese Festival Dances in response.
A company from Bar Harbor, Maine, the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers made their PofA debut with "Everybody Loves Pirates", a wild-and-wooly juvenile adventure which has been enjoyed by younger audiences at the Puppet Showplace. Siblings Eric, Brian, and Robin Tobeck also were hits at their first potpourri with "The Bird Act" seen a season ago at Puppet Slam/Boston. Heidi Rugg's "Galapagos George" a true environmental tale also seen at the Showplace and the Smithsonian, showcased her genial talents. She too got to blow off steam at potpourri. So did this reviewer; check back for a link to a Tech Note on the subject of manipulation.
Media puppetry, which employs many UConn grads, was well represented. The festival kicked off with a visit from Grundgetta (aka Pam Aciero) a UConn grad and currently the Artistic Director of the O'Neill's Puppetry Conference. Ms. Acerio, a veteran of Sesame Street, was joined by Carroll Spinney (aka Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, etc.) who lives nearby. She showed an end of the season blooper real from CTW, after which the two regaled the crowd with their experiences and answered questions. Late Thursday evening, Brian Papciak and Jeff Sias, who teach stop-motion animation at RISD and run Hand Cranked Film in Watham, showed a variety of films including a rare 1930's featurette, "The Mascot". Mike Artelle from Ottawa showed his CBC film "John Conway and Uncle Chichimus", detailing a long and successful career in the 1950's on Canadian TV. The film highlight however was MFA candidate Lindsey "Z" Briggs' documentary "Rufus & Margo Rose", detailing their career and influence, beginning with Tony Sarg, moving the revival of the PofA after WWII, their celebrated work on "Howdy Doody", the Rose's own productions spanning some thirty years, and their part in the establishment of O'Neill Center in Rufus' hometown of Waterford. The film includes interviews with many PofA veterans and old friends of the Rose's , plus many rare stills and interesting footage. The finished version may be shorter, but for the Festival audience, every bit was appreciated.
A special performance by Fred Greenspan of his Traditional Punch & Judy, featuring new handcarved figures based on an antique set he acquired, was played outdoors before Sunday lunch. His non-violent script of "The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy" still has the traditional rowdy spirit. Much use is made of the late Victorian sausage machine and the Old Boy's famous stick is disposed of early on, after being used offstage on the puppeteer, when the big green pussycat aka the Croc swallows it. Gastric distress also plays a large part in the action. The Festival Committee, headed by Tom Fogarty achieved its goal of raising the general level of performance and expertise. This festival also hosted meetings by the Board of the the Puppeteers of America and the officers of UNIMA-USA, our branch of this international alliance of puppeteers, some of whom did workshops or conducted programs. UNIMA presented citations to Preston Foerder for his "Tales of the Brother's Grimey", seen at the PST, Blair Thomas for his "...Blackbird" shadow crankie, and National Marionette's "Beauty..." as noted. The site of the next regional is yet to be decided but may possibly be near NYC.