From: Johnthomasbell-AT-aol.com
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 10:36:23 EDT
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Chiodo Brothers - Creation
To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org


    It's great that the Chiodo Brothers are finding good work after Team
America: World Police, but let's be clear about what Creation is: an entry in the
ongoing debates about creationism (or "intelligent design") vs. evolution,
which George Bush this past week got into by saying "intelligent design" should
be taught in schools.  An recent article from the Orange County Weekly about
Creation puts it a bit more clearly:   
    "In short, it=E2=80=99s all about intelligent design, that au courant creation
story phenomenon with the scientific-sounding moniker. A variation on the
200-year-old =E2=80=9Cwatchmaker=E2=80=9D conjecture, intelligent design represents a back-door
attack on evolution. Karl Rove=E2=80=94or was it Cain?=E2=80=94says the key=20to a successful
political campaign is to attack the enemy=E2=80=99s strength. Co-opt words such as =E2=80=9C
intelligent=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cdesign=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Ctheory=E2=80=9D and=E2=80=94poof!=E2=80=94science isn=E2=80=99t science
anymore." (http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/05/48/theater-rosenberg.php).
    It's great that Schuller and company are connecting to European theater's
roots in Christian spectacle and puppet theater (i.e., the kind of theater
that thrived between 800 and 1600 A.D.).  It's also really interesting that=20so
much puppet spectacle is involved.  I think we should be as interested in what
the spectacle is saying as in how it is achieved technically.
    I am working with Bread and Puppet Theater this summer, and I would be
remiss if I didn't report that in addition to amazing puppet spectacle (a
30-foot-tall puppet god operated in a pine forest as a giant marionette! 
large-scale outdoor spectacle and massive choruses!  clowns and music! bread and
aieoli!), our point in doing this is to understand and try to explain what we think
is going on in the world (including war, violence, etc. as well as the
persistent beauty of things).
    Those of us who make puppet shows with political content are often
criticized for "injecting" politics into the pure art of puppetry.  I find nothing
wrong with making puppet shows about religious or political subjects, but think
it's good to be upfront about what exactly one is saying with one's theater.

john bell
               

In a message dated 8/7/2005 4:56:17 PM Eastern Standard Time,
steve-AT-axtell.com writes:
The musical production "Creation" is being shown
at the Crystal Cathedral in So. California.   It
has a 28 ft. T Rex dinosaur and other large scale
puppets made by the Chioto Brothers.  It's
combined with aerobatics and animated projection
backgrounds 7 screens.  LA Times gave it a great review.

http://www.creationlive.com

The Chiodo brothers has a video clip under "sights and sounds".

Ax

Steve Axtell / Axtell Expressions, Inc.
***************************************
Amazing Puppet Characters  http://www.axtell.com
New show "AxTelevision" on DVD  http://www.axtelevision.com
Performer's Directory   http://www.axtell.com/ipd.html
The original content of this email or attachments
is =C2=A9 2005 Axtell Expressions, Inc.

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