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Ye Olde Rumpelstiltskin Society |
PuppFest MidWest 2005 is over but not forgotten. Read the wonderful review and relive the experience.
Or join us at PuppetFest MidWest 2008 and experience it firsthand!
| PuppetFest MidWest 2005 in Review A fun time was had by all who attended this year's PuppetFest MidWest, an annual, independent puppetry festival that is held every July in Trenton, Missouri. This is the third year that a core group of puppeteers has come together to share their talents in this unique event. Everyone continues to enjoy the opportunity to focus on their chosen week-long workshop, as well as nightly performances and special events. It's amazing how much can be accomplished in a workshop in just one week! Workshops and performances were offered by: Jim Napolitano of Nappy's Puppets (Connecticut) workshop on Shadow Puppetry has always been popular both with beginners and experienced puppeteers. In one week, participants create their own puppets, a puppet stage (and a box to carry it in) and at least one vignette so they can go home and start performing. Luman Coad of Coad Canada Puppets (North Vancouver, Canada) offered his Script Writing workshop and performed "Up Please", a wonderful puppet mime about life at the top of the ladder. |
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 A workspace in Jim Napolitano's class |
 Luman Coad demonstrates after his show |
Drew Allison of Grey Seal Puppets (North Carolina), offered his Polyfoam Puppet Boot Camp, where participants build a foam puppet head and then work with it for focus, lip sync and manipulation exercises. He also performed "The Emperor's New Clothes", a classic tale enacted with great style. Lynne Jennings (California) offered her workshop on Tabletop Bunraku. |
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 Drew Allison and camel puppet |
 Lynne Jennings' Bunraku workshop |
| Paul Mesner of Paul Mesner Puppets (Missouri) led a rowdy group through a Rod Puppets and Performance workshop where everyone made at least 3 puppets and then performed with them. He also charmed the audience with one of his most recent shows, "Cats and Dogs or Dogs and Cats". Leon Van Weelden of Chameleon Puppet Theatre (Missouri) performed "Babaji and the Tigers", a delightful rod puppet performance of a well known children's story. |
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 Paul Mesner instructing students |
 Leon Van Weelden's demonstration |
| Phillip Huber of Huber Marionettes (Tennessee) opened the festival with the dazzling "Suspended Animation". He also offered his workshop on Marionette Design on Paper. Pam Corcoran (Wisconsin) opened everyone's eyes with her new workshop on Needle Felted Hand Puppets. Converts to this new style of construction were enthusiastic and very vocal. |
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 Phil Huber demonstrates after his show |
 Carol Talley needle-felting a cat puppet |
Every year, PuppetFest MidWest provides a venue for anyone who wishes to share what they do with an audience. PuppetFest MidWest provides the space, lights and sound system, the performer does the rest. We call it the Open Space. Taking the festival up on its offer this year was Dr. Neff's Incredible Puppet Company featuring George and Ann Szabo Neff. They performed a toy theatre piece by Robert Poulter entitled "The Cure - A Gothic Melodrama". This was described as a work in progress and half the fun was watching the two performers still learning to work with each other. |
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 George & Ann Szabo Neff's performance |
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| The other Open Space entry was even more of a work in progress and was created and performed by people who should have known better. Drew Allison directed a stunning cast in the world premiere of Stephen Carter's translation of "The Temptation of St. Anthony". St. Anthony was played by Luman Coad, His Pig and constant companion by Pix Smith, Peter Allen and Lynne Jennings played the King and Queen of Hell, Paul Mesner was their Prime Minister, Phillip Huber his main lackey, all the other devils in Hell (six of them) by Nick Barone, the Saving Angel by Jim Napolitano, Orchestra (bowed psaltery, toy piano, chimes, accordion and kazoos) by Todd Hart and Debbie Lutzky Allen. | |
 "St. Anthony" backstage |
 "St. Anthony" orchestra |
| Small 10-inch carved wooden sicilian type puppets, costumes enhanced by their manipulators, vied for space to stand on a miniscule stage with 3 changes of scenery, and a burning pig's tail. Quite a production. A video does exist and is sure to be fodder for blackmail material in the future. Rumor has it that the cast had a lot more fun than the audience. | |
 A scene from "The Temptation of St. Anthony" |
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| Following a hard day of workshops, performances and other puppet related stuff it is nice to kick back and relax. In a stroke of inspiration before the first festival, PuppetFest MidWest organizers reserved The Wild Onion Cafe for festival participants after the final performance every night. This is an intimate diner just over the college property line where food and beverages (of your choice) flow happily. It has become a very important feature of the festival and has already been reserved for next year. | |
 Festival goers enjoy The Wild Onion |
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| The 2005 PuppetFest MidWest has come and gone and future plans are taking shape. Dates have been set for the next two years. Future performers and workshop leaders include many of the same puppeteers as this year, with the addition of the Carter Family Marionettes. Future Festival Dates: July 11 - 16, 2006 and July 10 - 15, 2007 For more information contact: PuppetFest MidWest Peter Allen & Debbie Lutzky Allen, Directors P.O. Box 14 Jamesport MO 64648 Phone: (660) 684-6825 |
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Join us at PuppetFest MidWest 2008!