The final performances by participants in the annual Puppetry Confernce held at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center in Waterford have often led to a program prersented later in the season in NYC. This year's offerings were an eclectic mix, starting with poetry-based pieces created by guest artist, Blair Thomas and his group of puppeteers. Thomas, one of the founders of the Redmoon Theatre in Chicago, has been experimenting with the ancient tradition of moving scroll drawings. For this project he brought three large standing frames from his studio, which allow drawing to be cranked simultaneously so that images appear to move from one to the next. In itself this is sedate performance art, but when combined with live actors and shadow puppetry, the possibilities are intriguing, creating a multimedia cinema. It should be possible to dramatize extremely complex issues using this relatively simple process. The addition of cross-fading, as well as front and rear projection increases the possibilities. The intensive focus of a weeklong fullday workshop, with input from particpants and other conference attendees, can really jumpstart innovation.
The other major project, which turned the Rose Theatre Barn into a television production studio, was the filming of a pilot for an educational project for an international charity called "No Strings" to teach children, primarily in Afghanistan, about the danger of landmines. "ChucheQhalin"--the little Carpet Boy--adapts the Pinnochio story to new circumstances. The project was directed by Kathyrn Mullen, a veteran of "Sesame Street" and more recently head puppeteer on "Between the Lions", with conceptual design by Michael Firth, whose little boy made of carper scraps, wise-cracking camel, and devious djinn will probably become international icons. A dozen conference members plus puppeteers Heather Asch, Jim Kroupa, Tim Lagesse, and Kathy Mullen took part in the taping. Watch for excerpts from this video with a documentary on its creation made simultaneously, on PBS next season.
Perhaps the most important part of the conference are the several Emerging Artist projects, coordinated by former Artistic Director, Richard Termine, done by returning participants who develop short innovative pieces of their own. Heather Henson, a regular attendee now working on a dance degree in California, created a participatory outdoor movement piece on the migration of the endangered whooping crane, as a sundown pre-show activity. With the help of New London's Flock Theater , directed by Derron M. Wood, Wendy Morton, Emily C. Wilson, and Johanna Smith developed strong scenes. Smith's "Gravid Images" based on her current pregnancy--due in August--poked good-natured fun at HMOs, ultrasound, and new parents. In the second half, Colette Searls' "Molta" used a unique abstract paper figure requiring three operators exploring its inner demon and scissors. Shae Uisna's Brecht songs featured Ceilli Clemens' as "Pirate Jenny" with shadow show accompaniment. The evening ended with Eric Wright's "Food", a crowd pleasing conflict between a man and his lunch, where a second actor became the arms of the main performer, whose hands served as the treacherous food, voiced by the second Look for repeats of some of these acts at HERE programs in the City.
Each participant has the opportunity to create or participate in a small original project. These are shown on Saturday morning, with a few chosen to fill out the final evening. This year there seemed to be a concentration on eggs resulting in Lindsey "Z" Briggs contributing a feminist comedy "Sally Sells an Egg". Briggs M.F.A. documentary about Margo and Rufus Rose will have its premiere showing at the Puppeteers of America Regional Festival in July at UConn. Lesley Smith, known to many school children in New Hampshire, communed with some of her puppets in "Mid-life". And Aki Shinozaki presented a fast paced toy theatre interpretation of "The Man Who Made Trees Blossom" with dialogue entirely in Japanese. Also on the program were several marionette specialties done by members of marionette workshop run by Jim Rose. Dan Luce exhibited his unique figure angular figure in "Evolution" while Sarah Frechette had fun playing Rapunzel in "A Night of Shining Amore" with a somewhat clueless suitor on strings. Everyone there, participants and audience alike, could find something to take home from another eclectic evening of puppetry at the O'Neill. And more than a few will be back next year.