From: Stephen Kaplin <skactw-AT-tiac.net>
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:19:08 -0500
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] Preserving Puppet History


Dear Liz,
  The issue of recent Puppet History fading out in a mist of decomposing 
video stock should be of interest to every practicing puppeteer on the 
planet. Preserving fragile puppets from crumbling to dust is hard 
enough, but the essence of our artform is performance. Other 
performance genres such as dance and live theater have enough large 
institutional support to insure that the best work of the past and 
present get preserved in some manner and archived. But the Puppetry 
field has only its own practitioners to depend on. There must be dozens 
of eccentric collections all over the country, like the one put 
together by Emma Warfield and Murry Engle- very few of these are lucky 
enough to land in the hands of institutions like the  Center for 
Puppetry Arts, the Ballard Institute or the Detroit Institute of Art.
So the question is how to best preserve our work from the inevitable 
ravages of time? Should there be a central archive of  North American 
Puppetry? Where would that be and who would oversee its archival 
activities?

These are not just academic questions, since I have recently  been 
appointed to head a committee to recommend changes o the P of A  
Lending Archive.

Stephen

These aren't just
On Feb 26, 2007, at 3:25 PM, Ashley and Mary Aimee Sydnor wrote:

> Liz Evans wrote:
>
>> Hello All,
>>
>> Something that has come up in the past on the list is
>> the loss of Puppetry's History.  Several folks have
>> taken on the job of trying to preserve information about
>> and puppets from Puppeteers who have gone before us.
>>
>> Some of ou predecessors have names that almost anyone involved with
>> the P of A or UNIMA would know, and some only have meaning to small
>> areas of our community.  All affected our communities with the
>> art of puppetry.
>>
>> I have, over the last couple years, adopted some show that had
>> been performed by puppeteers who were GPAPG members and have
>> retired from performing.  I have also more recently been given,
>> and accepted happily, the task of being caretaker of Puppets, tapes,
>> articles, and even some slightly eccentric collections of Emma
>> Warfield and Murry Engle.  These were in the care of Sally Lilly
>> and are being passed to me so they do not fall into boxes never
>> to be seen again.
>>
>> I am cataloging items. I have had some tapes of Murray's transfered
>> to CD, and I am taking pictures of puppets in their current state
>> before trying to stop times rampant effects and cleaning pieces.
>>
>> One of the reasons I am writing is because I would appreciate 
>> receiving
>> antic dotes that fellow puppeteers may have about these three women.
>> I am fortunate to be able to speak with Sally, but I know she has
>> touched many puppeteers in our community and would love to get stories
>> from them as well. I never had the privileged of meeting either Emma 
>> or
>> Murry and I would like to include some of their influence on 
>> individuals
>> in the archive.
>>
>> I am particularly interested in anyone's knowledge of Emma's Aprons.
>> She evidently really liked aprons.  In fact she collected a lot of 
>> them.
>> I believe I am up to the forties now in my count.  If anyone has a
>> story that goes with this idiosyncrasy, or any other stories you might
>> like to add to these archives, I would be grateful to receive them.
>>
>> Unless they are stories you would like to share with the board, you 
>> can
>> send them to me directly embedded into an e-mail or as a word doc
>> attachment.
>>
>> Thank you all,
>> Liz
>>
>>
> Dear Liz,
>      I moved to Secane in l97 O  and became a member of QVP.  Emma
> Louise was my mentor.  She took me to my first Fest The Regional  at
> Penn State.  She and Murray were roommates.  The three of us had a Ball
> especially me.  Emma and I were roommates in  New Orleans in  '74 and a
> number of times after that.
> including her last Fest  on our 50th at the Drawbridge when they only
> let her come for three days.  Emma was a saver, like me.  I know Sally
> went thru her stuff at the end however I still have all her QVP
> Newsletters  Would you be interested in them by any chance?      Love
> and Blessings    Mary Aimee Sydnor
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