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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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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