Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 14:09:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: jdunfee-AT-shadow.net (Joe Dunfee)
Subject: Re: Festivals this summer


>I think you have hit upon something very important to puppetry and puppetry
>festivals: getting to other people.

>My feeling is that people are afraid to become friendly with people they
>have not seen perform, lest social feelings become conflicted by aesthetic
>ones. What do you say to a new friend with deep, common interests when you
>_hate_ their work? I think most people try to avoid the issue entirely by
>remaining aloof.

  If I know something about what another person does, we suddenly have
something to talk about. Although, it is usually me asking them something
about what they do, it also reveals something about myself - that I am
interested in the same thing. Suddenly we both know that we have a common
interest. Without that, my conversations with straingers at festivals tend
to be like "Hello, how are you doing?" or "How are you liking the festival?"
These are too general to really strike up a conversation.

  Your message mentioned having people perform at po-pouri, yes that is a
major help in getting people known. However, I am primarily a technical
person rather than a performer. I have never performed at a po-pouri.
Perhaps I should get something together, just for the purposes you described.

  Another thing that helps to get people talking are bios. These are usually
done for the workshop leaders and the performers. The E-Mail directory also
allows for a brief bio. I like reading these very much.


Joe Dunfee
Miami, Florida USA



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