Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 12:09:38 -0400
From: Katie George <katmargeo-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Cc: 
Subject: [Puptcrit] American puppetry and children


Hello all,

Recently, my rocket scientist fiance, in his earnest efforts to
understand "this puppetry thing", alluded to puppets being for kids.

Heaving a heavy sigh I explained that Americans are unusual in their
belief that puppetry is for children and their slow and recent
discovery that it can be for grown-ups, too.  All over the world
puppetry has conveyed far more adult themes--political commentary,
bawdy humor, ceremonial purposes just to name a few. etc.etc.

Then he asked me "why?"

"Why what?"

"WHY has American puppetry been mostly for kids?"

Hmm.  As usual, I had not given him enough credit.  I'm more of a who,
what, when, and where kind of person.  I had never really thought
about "why".  But I took a few stabs.

Was it because so much of Tony Sarg's work (puppetry and other) was
associated with children and many other American puppeteers took their
cues from him?

Was it because upwardly mobile Americans took many cultural cues from
old monied-Europeans?  (Assuming that wealthy Europeans were watching
Opera and high drama more than they were watching subversive puppet
theatre.)

Was that just what the American market was willing to bear?

Was it because industrialist Americans were busy earning the almighty
dollar and didn't know how to have fun?

Any thoughts?

Katie

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