Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 17:04:32 -0700 To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org From: Mary Decker <marydeck57-AT-sbcglobal.net> Subject: [Puptcrit] Bruce David Schwartz Hi Alan. When was Bruce Schwartz' first Regional Fest at Asilomar? Where and when was Bruce Schwartz' first National Festival? -Mary Decker > > >Message: 4 >Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 22:17:14 GMT >From: "Alan Cook" <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com> >Subject: [Puptcrit] Bruce David Schwartz >To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org >Message-ID: <BAY113-DAV109B3BB9D9BCB668128E05BC4E0-AT-phx.gbl> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > >Bruce had a short write-up in 2005 October issue #37 of Yogi Times, >Los Angeles Edition (Theme of issue: "All one music") with a >thumbnail photo of him. > >www.yogitmes.com/los_angeles/articles/10_2005/editor_word.html > >He is a partner in YOGA HOUSE in Pasadena CA and in the just-opened >Yoga House in Tolucca Lake (North Hollywood) CA. > >I'm glad so many remember his puppet artistry, but you might be >surprised at the difficultes there were to bring him to the >attention of Puppeteers of America. His first Regional Festival >appearance at Asilomar CA began with a five minute PIERROT on the >Pot Pourri late night program (Richard Green was not willing to >allot him more time for the 15 minute RAT OF HUGE PROPORTIONS first >performed at Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Agoura and Mill Valley CA >and scripted by Bruce at age 17). Thanks to Lettie Schubert, we were >told that if the Membership Business Meeting ran shorter than usual, >he could have a 15 minutes but if only 14 minutes or less remained, >there would be no perfomance. Several who saw the PIERROT the night >before, helped make sure the Busness meeting was more efficient than >usual. So Bruce debuted at a REGIONAL Festival during or immediately >after the Busness Meeting (in the same chapel space). > >His first Nationl Festival was in a LARGE AUDITORIUM, which he very >nearly cancelled cuz 300 was about the maximum size audience for his >chamber puppetry. Well, I advised him to perform anyway because 300 >more people would know about his work, and I proceeded to buttonhole >some of our more effective PofA members and plead with them to >arrive early for a close-up seat. I was unaware that others >eavesdropped in the cafeteria line and also arrived early. That was >the only show that week which had a big waiting line before the >doors opened. > >Later, Bruce did an unofficial bonus performance in a 500-seat >classroom---still too big, but an improvement. > >At the 1980 World Puppetry Festival in Washington, DC headed by >Nancy Staub for PofA/UNIMA Bruce did REPEAT PERORMANCES IN AN >INTIMATE PERFORMANCE SPACE. Among the resulting benefits was a tour >of Japan (Finally!---we had sent photos to Japan of his beautiful >puppets with no results earlier. In fact I asked one Japanese >puppeteer if they had received the earlier photos & press kit and >was told, "Yes, but we didn't know what he DID with the puppets" >until the 1980 Festival. Once they saw, Bruce went to Japan, >performing in Japanese, went to France (where some puppets were >stolen then returned after news releases) and finally a lot of >people got to see him around the world. > >It should not have been so difficult, but all too often there is a >lot of struggle involved. It WAS made easier by help from some great >allies in PofA (including Mary Churchill & Paul Vincent Davis in the >Boston area and Jim Henson put Bruce on the Muppet Show as a guest >with Cleo Lane), > >The full story was an example that when a puppeteer is REALLY GOOD, >too many assume that such a performer does not need any help in >finding audiences. If that were true, who needs theater critics or >puppet organizations??? > >ALAN COOK > _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Admin interface: http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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