File puptcrit/puptcrit.0904, message 377


Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:16:49 -0400
From: Steve Abrams <sapuppets-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] UNIMA-USA's 40 under 40


Thoughts on lists (and awards too)When you think about it, the McPharlin
book, Puppetry Journal, PI the UNIMA Citations are lists .
The people who make it into the history books and magazines are all chosen
by the editors. That is what editors do, they  make choices. (all artists
make choices-what to put in and what to leave out)
If the options are "no history at all" or "editors making choices" I would
go with the editors even though no editors gets it exactly right. With a
complex issue there is always more than one correct version of the story
I think PI did a great service with this issue.
They are by no means saying this is a definitive list. I think they are
saying these 40 have done work of interest so lets keep an eye on them.
When the UNIMA citations began it provided everyone with a great list of
"try to see" or "must see"
works by artists to watch. No awards system or list of "important artists"
is perfect.

I think their very function is to stimulate thought and discussion, just
like this one.
It is always good to look at a list and ask "why are these people on the
list?" and "why was so and so left off of the list?"

By the way, one of the whys has to do with geography. Theatre tends to be
very local. It always has been. It was local audiences in Athens that
supported Sophocles, local London audiences supported Shakespeare, Moscow
audiences supported Chekhov. It is sort of a fluke when theatre artists get
national or international recognition, and many fine theatre groups (and
puppet groups) do not travel much beyond their own town or region.

That is why I was especially intrigued to read about young artists to watch
from other countries. I am sure PI could have included dozens of them.

Now just for fun- a dozen puppeteers over 90

Yves Joly born 1908-French master of the hand ballet
Osmond Moloarsky-mentioned in the first Puppetry Yearbook 1930, the novelist
James Michener worked on puppet shows with Osmond!
Marion Myers born 1913, did puppetry in Delaware and PA
Bernice Silver born 1914 a legend
Ann Cohen born 1916, NY NJ area, performed at many festivals
Dora Velleman 1916 and Leo Velleman 1917, Canadian puppeteers performed at
many festival and perhaps the oldest surviving Citation winners
Marcia Brown 1918 award winning children's illustrator who did puppets in
the 50s
Carol Fijan 1918 a legend
90 Years old this year
Pete Seeger,certainly a legend- folk music icon, and activist, did puppet
shows in the 30s
Doug Anderson, charter member of PofA (only 3 survive) actor, illustrator
Ann Sharon, night club marionette performers, sister of Catherine Westfield
Tamao Yoshisa a Bunraku living national treasure

I am sure I missed some. No list is perfect
Steve







On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 4:10 AM, Andrew <puppetvision-AT-gmail.com> wrote:

> Has anyone got a copy of the latest issue of Puppetry International? I
> think
> the highlight of the issue is "40 Under 40" profiles of 40 puppetry artists
> making a difference and doing impressive work. I haven't seen the actual
> issue myself yet, but read a bit about this online.
>
> There are a lot of names on the list I was really happy to see - Gretchen
> van Lente, Kate Brehm, Heather Henson, Basil Twist, Jason von Hinezmeyer
> and Marsian Delellis among them - but is it just me or did this list ignore
> film and video puppeteers in general and puppeteers who perform mainly on
> the web in particular? Or was it suppose to just deal with theatre artists?
>
> For example, Jim Napolitano is on the list (which is a no-brainer really),
> but no Tim Lagasse? How did John Tartaglia get missed? Sean and Patrick
> Johnson of Swazzle seem to be another glaring omission, if only because
> they
> seem to be busier and more prolific than just about anybody working on the
> West Coast right now.
>
> To be fair, they acknowledge on the UNIMA website that "many worthy young
> artists are missing" and no list like this is every going to be perfect.
> I'm
> not really writing to criticize the list - I'm sure the editors/authors
> worked hard on it and had to make some tough decisions - the whole concept
> of it just kind of piqued my curiosity.
>
> You can see the list online at
> http://www.unima-usa.org/sphpblog_0511/index.php
>
> - Andrew
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