File puptcrit/puptcrit.1003, message 271


Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:00:31 -0500
From: Steve Abrams <sapuppets-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Citations


The reason I was able to assemble my information quickly is that the entire
list of UNIMA Citation Winners is on the UNIMA-USA web site available to
all.  I want to give a shout out to Donald Devet who does a splendid job
with the web site. I find the gallery of citation winners inspiring.

The Jim Henson quote was from a widely available booklet about the UNIMA
Citations that was published in 2002.

you wrote
"Maybe something could be done to expand
the pool of reviewers within a region specifically for non or local
traveling productions"

I don't think this is generally known but I am happy to say that about 3
years ago more reviewers were added to increase coverage all over the
country
Steve


On Thu, Mar 11, 2010 at 2:02 PM, Christopher Hudert
<heyhoot-AT-mindspring.com>wrote:

>
> On Mar 11, 2010, at 12:04 PM, Steve Abrams wrote:
>
> > I enjoyed looking into this. Lining up actual facts as opposed to an
> > impression or opinion often reshapes my own thinking.
>    The only caveat is that partial facts, when truly all (or even most)
> are not available to you sometimes leads to a different way of thinking
> than would have been had you had more facts to flavor the stew.
>
> > If you are asking me whether there are more adult shows now than there
> > were
> > 15 years ago, I can't give a scientific answer based on actual facts.
> > I can
> > give an impression based on observing and writing about puppetry.
> > It seems to me that in the past 10 years there has been an enormous
> > increase
> > in shows for adult audiences.
> > Part of this increase comes from mainstream theatre (broadway and off
> > broadway) where puppetry is now used more than ever before. Puppets
> > are also
> > showing up on the opera stage and at rock concerts.
> > I find this trend very encouraging and exciting. If directors,
> > authors, film
> > makers and musicians are now including puppets, it indicates a broader
> > awareness of puppetry, and I think respect for puppetry.
>    I think the observation is fairly accurate, or at least I share the
> observation and conclusion.
>   In addition to the things you cided, part of this awareness has to be
> attributed to the use of puppets in music videos. I did some puppet
> stuff for a then unknown 7 Mary 3 nearly 20 years ago. And there have
> been lots of other bands with videos that have played on MTV, VH1, and
> various internet sites that had puppets in them. That gives even more
> exposure (and 'cool' exposure) to puppets than when they pop up at a
> concert.
>
> > The Henson Foundation, The programs at Cal Arts and and UConn,
> > theatres like
> > HERE and Art at St Ann's  have all helped to create an environment that
> > nurtures adult puppetry. There are more places for adult puppetry to be
> > seen. Slams are another factor in presenting more puppetry for adults.
>
>    These are all good things and I wish I was able to attend more events
> and shows aimed at an adult audience. Shoot, I go to lots of them for
> children/family audiences, but I wish I could go to more of those too.
> Oh, for a bottomless pit of money and time.
>
>
> > So, even though I cannot provide cold hard statistical numbers about
> > the
> > total number of adult shows and the total number of children's shows,
> > my
> > impression is that there is  more adult puppetry than ever before.
> > Another impression and a very alarming one: It feels like puppetry in
> > the
> > schools is declining.
>
>   Certainly if there is not more adult puppetry, there is at least more
> awareness of adult puppetry, and puppetry in general. At the same time
> there is a bit of a decline in what is called puppetry by the general
> public. Sometimes they don't even realize they are seeing (and
> enjoying) puppets. That's not an entirely bad thing. They shouldn't
> really be thinking about the fact that it's puppets, they should be too
> absorbed in the entertainment. But when they think back on it,
> hopefully at some point they will realize and have a 'wow, that was a
> puppet doing x. Pretty cool.'
>
>   Puppetry, and all arts in general, in the schools is in steep
> decline. The most unfortunate part of this is that this is something
> that is going to be truly felt and paid for in about 20 years. When the
> current and immediate future generations of school kids get out of
> school and don't know how to use creativity to come up with new
> products or solutions to problems, that bill is going to be huge.
> Already we see the problems in conflict resolution that arise from not
> learning about conflict resolution through classic tales. There are
> some modern tales that still show that, but for the most part it is
> missing and the classics have been diluted so much that the conflict
> and resolution are lost.
>
> > About the citations
> > My opinion is that NO system of awards is without flaws. The Tony
> > Awards,
> > the Oscars, the Nobel Prize are all imperfect.
> > <clip>
> >
> > Personally I think that if the choice is having an imperfect system of
> > awards, or none at all, I would rather have an imperfect system that
> > provides a reference point for discussion.
>
> Agreed. And what is 'perfect' for one is not perfect for all, or at all
> times. Wasn't it Lincoln who said "You can please some of the people
> all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't
> please all of the people all of the time."
>
> > Jim Henson thought up the idea of the citations. Here is what he wrote
> > <clip> (see previous post)
>
>   It is as good a system as any. Yes, it has it's flaws, and it's
> better than none, but it doesn't mean it can't be improved. Maybe by
> discussion we can find a way to tweak the current system a little so
> that more of the shows/people that don't travel much can be considered.
> Isn't part of the thing that the shows have to be cited by three of the
> panelists within the same year? Maybe something could be done to expand
> the pool of reviewers within a region specifically for non or local
> traveling productions. Or expand the time frame for that kind f show.
>
> Christopher
>
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