From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Mathieu_Ren=E9?= <creaturiste-AT-primus.ca>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:44:12 -0400
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Is Puppetry a dying art?


I love the idea that puppetry is Marginalized, rather than "in decline" or 
dying.
It is a much more positive description.

I've been convinced for three years that there is a lot of PR work needed 
for puppetry to be recognized by the general public, as a "thing to do" or 
better yet a "must see" when they go out for some entertainment.  Movies, 
Stand up Comedy, Sports, and Concerts have become staples of the consumer's 
lifestyles. They've become reflexes. What if we help people have the reflex 
of adding "puppet shows" to their usual list of option?!

Indeed, our field is marginalized. Yet, every good show I attend, I hear at 
least a person or two mention, with awe, how much fun or how inspiring this 
was, and how could they have been unaware that this sort of Art was being 
done today, in "such and such" place?
I think more than a few of those converted people will come back for puppet 
shows, if only we can make them popular enough to make "the machine" big 
enough to afford proper publicity.

Advertise it, and they will come.
Or more precisely: show it on the TV screen, they'll believe it must be 
worth something if it's shown by their rectangular god, and they will come. 
Then, and only there at the theatre, can they be deprogrammed and start 
thinking for themselves again. Or become slaves to Puppetry's spell.
Some sacrifices must be made, so that more people can become enlightened.

One example of the power of television: Last week I'm walking in my 
neighborhood, which is host to a lot of low-income families and individuals, 
a huge percentage of which are TV zombies.
I know what it's like, I was a part-time TV zombie for a long time. Thank 
goodness I was an avid reader, it kind of prevented me from turning into a 
full time TV zombie!
Back to my story: A small billboard is advertising a tax income service and 
accountant place. The message said, and I translate from French: "As 
Television says, this is the best place for your income taxes."  For a 
second, I thought it was sweet that for once, some advertisement agency was 
aware of a public tendency, and honest about the gimmick it used. Then I 
realized that their target audience (TV zombies) would probably not see the 
subtlety, and take it as very good references.


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