From: "Mark S. Segal" <segalpuppets-AT-comcast.net> To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org> Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:37:46 -0500 Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] The risk of it all... Sure, I'll give a rebuttal.... So what? It doesn't keep us from producing. It does not keep some theatre professionals from exploring the possibilites. It doesn't stop some companies from producing great pieces of theatre (utilizing puppets). I went to a theatre school and you are right they did not teach puppetry - But ya know I wasn't taught to tap dance either. Mark S. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Chesse" <brucec-AT-chesseartsltd.com> To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org> Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 10:36 PM Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] The risk of it all... Ahaaaaaaaa.Thy nail has been hit it on the head. Professional theater has very little respect for puppetry. Do any theater designers ever in their training in theater or theater departments get an overview of how puppetry can be a part of their design pallet? Do professional directors have the slightest knowledge of puppetry as a theatrical medium? If puppetry is included in any college curriculum it is in as part of the children's theater department or teacher training (also a repository for women professors as well becoming their glass ceiling). On the other hand Puppetry is often a department that selfishly does not try to integrate itself into major theater productions but prefers to live in isolation, not always a matter of choice however. I have been a puppeteer since I was 13 and a professional actor as well. Yet I have met very few theater practioners who do not tend to snicker when the craft of puppetry is brought up. When puppets are to be used in a production puppeteers are rarely brought in to advise as to their use much less their proper incorporation into the production. For the same reason film scripts incorporate puppets only after the script has been written by someone devoid of any knowledge of what a puppet can and cannot do. Talk to the Phil Hiuber and the puppeteers that did the puppets for "Finding John Malkovitch.Yet we call them "Legitimate' theater practioners. It is an age old problem. We are 2nd class citizen until we have to correct their gross inadequacies. I must out of experience look upon "legitimate" theater's relationship to puppetry with some degree of cynicism . Any rebutal? Bruce Chessé >Jon, > >I am perfectly aware of the use of the term. And I >can see someone thinking that I was trying to >be politically correct. > >I am not. That "commonly accepted" term is also >one of the perpetrators of the idea that Puppetry is >not a legitimate Theatrical Art form. I spent many >years in standard theatre. I also listened to the >high attitude of the actors and directors toward >puppetry, no matter what level of the Puppeteers >performance. >Puppetry WAS Not theatre. > >So please excuse me if I or any one else on a >puppetry list might possibly take some offense at >the term legitimate theatre in the context of >Tim's questions. > >I will now bow out of this thread so you can >start being productive. > >Liz > >-- >K. Elizabeth Evans, President & Artistic Director >Renaissance Artist Puppet Company >http://www.RenArtPuppetCo.com >610-630-4259 >Company performing -AT- >The Montgomery County Cultural Center >208 DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA > >Renaissance Artist Puppet Company's >mission is to promote excellence in puppetry as a >Theatrical art form and as an Educational tool by incorporating >historical and cultural diversity along with quality performance >techniques to tell our stories. >_______________________________________________ >List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org >Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit >Archives: http://www.driftline.org _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org _______________________________________________ List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org Admin interface: http://lists.puptcrit.org/mailman/listinfo/puptcrit Archives: http://www.driftline.org
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