WVP Guild Newsletters
2009 through April 2018
For subsequent months' photos and information, click on the Newsletters 2018- tab.
For subsequent months' photos and information, click on the Newsletters 2018- tab.
April 2018 Newsletter
On Saturday, April 7 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. the Willamette Valley Puppeteers offered a free event for children and adults in the Amazon Community Center. Over 35 attendees enjoyed hands-on displays featuring many kinds of puppets provided by five guild members and their families and helpers. Lady Ceera the Kitsune presented two magic shows, and Cosmos Puppets performed The Three Little Pigs with hand puppets.
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A few members of the Guild met at the Eugene Hotel on Saturday, April 14 and discussed plans for next year's World Day of Puppetry and for the coming year's Guild meetings.
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March 2018 Newsletter
A small group of Guild members met on Saturday, March 10 at the Eugene Hotel to plan and practice for the upcoming World Day of Puppetry, which was changed from March 24 to April 7, as the Amazon Community Center was no longer available on March 24. The attendees enjoyed Ceera Murakami's presentation about design and construction of her body puppet Fox, which will perform a magic show at the World Day of Puppetry.
Tinika demonstrated her creations: raven's feet and wingtips, and a fur fox mask and stole. She is bringing some of her creations to the World Day of Puppetry.
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Detail of the construction of the eyes
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February 2018 Newsletter
Members and guests met on Saturday, February 10 in the upstairs lounge of the Eugene Hotel to show and share their puppets and projects in progress.
Doris shows her marionette using a simple but efficient skeleton made from short sections of wooden dowel rod glued onto cloth tape to provide joints (elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, spine) that bend only one direction.
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Tinika's monkey has very flexible joints so he can hang around wherever they may go.
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Suzanne is beginning her new project, making puppets from socks and kitchen mitts.
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Gayle's Couch Potatoes perform their favorite Beatles song.
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January 2018 Newsletter
Eight Guild members and two guests gathered in the upstairs lounge of the Eugene Hotel on Saturday, January 13 at 11:30 a.m. for the first WVP meeting of 2018.
We showed puppets and discussed where they were purchased or how they were made. Recommended sources for patterns and tutorials -- Project Puppet and Puppets & Stuff websites. For materials, check out the Mecca store in Eugene for donated and repurposed craft supplies and materials.
Attendees played some theater games using puppet movements and sounds without dialogue.
We showed puppets and discussed where they were purchased or how they were made. Recommended sources for patterns and tutorials -- Project Puppet and Puppets & Stuff websites. For materials, check out the Mecca store in Eugene for donated and repurposed craft supplies and materials.
Attendees played some theater games using puppet movements and sounds without dialogue.
Judy Adamcyk with the two hand and rod puppets that she made. Teeth are pieces of rubber pedicuretoe separators, eyes are layered buttons or buttons on Christmas tree ornaments, and nose is a button covered in sweatshirt fleece. Ears were shaped by hand stitching.
Charlotte Norlin with Charley Horse that she uses in her Clowning routines (above) and Armadillo used in storytelling (below).
Rozy Weatherby shows her hand puppet dragon (above) and hippo (below) -- hippo came from Toys R Us.
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Gayle Kahane is adding arms (fleece with pipe cleaners inside) to the first puppet she made many years ago -- Mr. Do-Little.
Sharane Norris of Dragon Puppets shows a Raven puppet she made for presenting Native American stories at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. Wings and mouth are operated by controls along the central rod.
Find more about Dragon Theater on the Museum's website at
https://jsma.uoregon.edu/puppets
Ceera Murakami's realistic bear cub hand puppet showed uneasiness at his first sight of the crowd of Guild members, but soon warmed up to their attentions. Thirty years ago this bear cub came from Country Critters, a company in Burlington, Kansas.
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At a future Guild meeting, Ceera will demonstrate the fox body puppet that she designed and built. If you are interested in mascot puppets or costumes, you must come see the Fabulous Fox, and learn how it works.
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November-December 2017 Newsletter
Seven guild members and two guests attended the meeting at 11:30 am. on Saturday, December 9 in the upstairs lounge of the Eugene Hotel.
Doris brought her two new creations, hand puppets Bimo and Bahzi, to be used in story time shows at the Bethel Branch Library.
Gayle and Roscoe are ready for Christmas.
Gayle demonstrates Mr. DooLittle, the first puppet she ever made, with an oatmeal box body covered with a sleeve, and a painted foam block head. The tongue is detachable.
Crystal with her Muppet-style puppet Jenny.
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Trish demonstrated two of her glove-based finger puppets, and attendees brainstormed rhymes and songs to use with them.
Eugene Hotel resident Phyllis tried out several different types of puppet, including this Muppet-style puppet, and taught the Guild members a Hannukah song popular among the Sephardi, to use with one of Trish's finger puppet sets.
Suzanne C. wearing a headdress with her Wizard puppet.
Suzanne S. describes her idea for making an illustrated version of this printed booklet advocating changes in the farm subsidy bill to benefit small farmers. She is seeking puppeteers to provide the visuals.
The next meeting of the Guild will be on Saturday, January 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the Eugene Hotel. Bring a puppet or use one of ours to play theater games. You may be surprised to discover that anything can be a puppet. Mark your calendars for the World Day of Puppetry. We will be presenting puppet shows and participatory activities for children and adults on Saturday, March 24 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Amazon Center in Eugene. |
October 2017 Newsletter
Eight members attended the WVP's first meeting in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday, October 21 at 10:00 a.m. in the upstairs Community Room of the Whole Foods Market on Broadway Street. Attendees discussed the use of puppets in counseling and therapy, and demonstrated some of their favorite puppets. These photos show the wide variety of puppets brought to the meeting, ranging from hand puppets to Indonesian rod puppets, with a marionette making an appearance too.
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To see photos of giant puppets designed and built by Guild member Jill Bowen in Hawaii for the performance of Homer's Odyssey, see the Fall 2005 issue of the Puppeteers of America Journal.
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Members made tentative plans to meet each month, probably either on a Saturday morning or a Thursday evening, in a variety of locations from Albany in the north down to Cottage Grove in the south. Meetings would feature activities including the sharing of puppets and ideas, viewing movies, and the planning of a public event (probably a variety show and hands-on demonstration stations) for World Puppetry Day. Attendees also talked about future visits to the Portland Puppet Museum by individuals or carpool groups, especially on a day when they have a performance or workshop. Doris Hicks will send information about the Museum and a schedule of its events by e-mail to Guild members.
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Spring 2017
Victor Villegas brought his vent figure to the meeting on Thursday, April 20 at Albany's Downtown Carnegie Library. He will be using this puppet (and others) in his educational presentations this summer for 4-H/Agricultural Extension Service programs for young people at Oregon State University.
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Winter 2016/17 Newsletter
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November and December in western Oregon were filled with unusual snow and ice for long stretches of days, causing our guild get-togethers, as well as most other scheduled activities, to grind to a halt. When the usual winter rains returned to melt the frozen roads, the guild was finally able to schedule a meeting. On Thursday, January 19 at 7:00 p.m. four members and one guest gathered at the Downtown Carnegie Library in Albany, Oregon to learn about several types of marionette stringing, and to work on repair and restringing of some of the Library's marionettes. The hands-on workshop was led by Mike Reifel, who brought several of his carved wooden creations as well as a wide variety of controls for attendees to try out. (These photos show Mike and some of his carved wooden marionettes at previous get-togethers.)
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October 2016 Newsletter
At 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, a small group of guild members got together in the Albany, Oregon Public Library meeting room. They brought several puppets, including three of the bottle-head creations made at last month's meeting, to compete in a Halloween costume contest, judged by audience applause. Matt's Roscoe King of the Giraffes tied with Louise's Blue Lady for most original costume. It was a time for visiting and catching up on all the busyness in everyone's life. And we still want to see the other finished bottle heads that were started in September.
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September 2016 Newsletter
On Thursday, September 1 in the Albany Public Library's meeting room, six guild members created a variety of bottle-head puppets. Here are photos of the creations in progress, starting with choosing an empty bottle and a control rod, and ending with almost-completed puppets to take home for adding the finishing touches. Click on each picture to view it in its entirety.
Summer 2016 Newsletter
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August 4, 2016 in Albany, Oregon
At the August Guild meeting, Mike demonstrated his new lower face mask that he could put on to give himself Instant Ventriloquist Superpowers. Matt's vent figure Roscoe seemed quite intrigued by the possibilities for future partnerships. On Saturday, August 6, several Guild members participated in the Midsummer Arts In the Park festival at Monteith Riverpark. Louise and Charlotte came during the first hour of the event to present traditional storytelling. At 11:00 a.m. Doris presented two hand puppet shows, "The Lion and the Mouse" and "The Three Little Pigs," while Sheri presented the story Bark, George using hand puppets. **************************************** 
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Although the guild did not meet as a group during June, July, or August, our guild members were busy throughout this summer. Here are photos taken at the September 3 meeting highlighting some of their puppet activities. Charlotte used a large hand puppet Cheetah in Vacation Bible School shows at the Albany Presbyterian Church. Matt with vent figure Roscoe spent two days at Oregon and Washington chimpanzee sanctuaries learning about realistic chimp movements and sounds, making Roscoe's character into a more realistic chimpanzee.
At the September 3 meeting, the group watched a 1969 episode of Love American Style that featured ventriloquists. Darrell brought carved wooden Native American and Indian-style marionettes and rod puppets that he uses for folk tales and shaman's figures built and used to honor their traditions. Regina demonstrated a large cloth marionette that she purchased, and her cable-operated griffin that she is building. Mike showed some carved wood and cloth dragon and bird marionettes under construction. Louise showed how she used toys such as a grabber and windups to cue classes of preschool children in activities to meet the instructional goal of controlling their body movements -- the students jump up and roar in unison when the grabber opens its mouth or rises up, and stop when the puppet closes its mouth, or the children all stomp their feet or make sounds when a windup figure moves, but watch it and stop moving when the windup stops moving.
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At the October meeting Mike showed us some of the small carved wooden figures that he was working on, and let members try them out.
At the September 3 meeting, the group watched a 1969 episode of Love American Style that featured ventriloquists. Darrell brought carved wooden Native American and Indian-style marionettes and rod puppets that he uses for folk tales and shaman's figures built and used to honor their traditions. Regina demonstrated a large cloth marionette that she purchased, and her cable-operated griffin that she is building. Mike showed some carved wood and cloth dragon and bird marionettes under construction. Louise showed how she used toys such as a grabber and windups to cue classes of preschool children in activities to meet the instructional goal of controlling their body movements -- the students jump up and roar in unison when the grabber opens its mouth or rises up, and stop when the puppet closes its mouth, or the children all stomp their feet or make sounds when a windup figure moves, but watch it and stop moving when the windup stops moving.
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At the October meeting Mike showed us some of the small carved wooden figures that he was working on, and let members try them out.
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At the November 5 meeting, Mike showed us two projects in progress: a large scarf marionette, and a cardboard mock-up of a hand cart for storing, transporting, and performing with marionettes at venues such as renaissance fairs. Guild members are very interested in seeing the real wheeled cart in the future. Louise demonstrated her racks for storing and displaying finger puppets and glove puppets. Darrell showed us two Mexican marionettes he bought at an estate sale. Gina let us try out her new Chinese dragon marionette. And Doris brought her Comedia del Arte Toy Theater, which Mike assembled and demonstrated. Using hand puppets Tino and Spotty, Doris debuted her new show "Spotty Shoots a Cannon."
At the November 5 meeting, Mike showed us two projects in progress: a large scarf marionette, and a cardboard mock-up of a hand cart for storing, transporting, and performing with marionettes at venues such as renaissance fairs. Guild members are very interested in seeing the real wheeled cart in the future. Louise demonstrated her racks for storing and displaying finger puppets and glove puppets. Darrell showed us two Mexican marionettes he bought at an estate sale. Gina let us try out her new Chinese dragon marionette. And Doris brought her Comedia del Arte Toy Theater, which Mike assembled and demonstrated. Using hand puppets Tino and Spotty, Doris debuted her new show "Spotty Shoots a Cannon."
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April/May 2015 newsletter
Guild members Doris, Mike, Jackie, and Louise hosted a table and two short presentations at Community Culture Night on Thursday, May 7 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Calapooia Middle School, 830 24th Avenue SE in Albany, Oregon.
We need to make plans for this summer. Do we want to have meetings? Attend shows? Perform or host an information table at Midsummer Arts In the Park?
Send your suggestions by e-mail to [email protected] or call 541-812-0410.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Willamette Valley Puppeteers Guild met at 7:00 p.m. at the Downtown Carnegie Library in Albany, Oregon. Guild members tried out all sorts of puppets on the enormous wooden stage down in the basement.
April/May 2015 newsletter
Guild members Doris, Mike, Jackie, and Louise hosted a table and two short presentations at Community Culture Night on Thursday, May 7 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Calapooia Middle School, 830 24th Avenue SE in Albany, Oregon.
We need to make plans for this summer. Do we want to have meetings? Attend shows? Perform or host an information table at Midsummer Arts In the Park?
Send your suggestions by e-mail to [email protected] or call 541-812-0410.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Willamette Valley Puppeteers Guild met at 7:00 p.m. at the Downtown Carnegie Library in Albany, Oregon. Guild members tried out all sorts of puppets on the enormous wooden stage down in the basement.
The stage could be configured for hand puppets, with the proscenium at the top.
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Jackie found this goat marionette for sale at a local thrift shop. He seems to be looking for the marionette stage.
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The stage can be reconfigured, with the proscenium at the bottom, and a large stage floor for marionettes.
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Jackie and her Axtell vent figure.
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Doris bought two new moveable mouth puppets to be used in a future act -- the larger puppet is using the smaller one as a vent figure.
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Regina trying out a two-handed monster puppet.
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Louise with the Alien Mother and Alien Child for the story about the last cookie.
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March 2015 Newsletter
Next Meeting:
Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Downtown Carnegie Public Library
302 Ferry St. SW Albany, Oregon 97321
Guild members will bring puppets of all types to demonstrate to the group, or to perform a short skit. We will try out the 8-foot wide puppet stage in the Library's basement with hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes. Adult and teen guests are always welcome. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
Note -- historic building is not handicapped accessible.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
Next Meeting:
Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Downtown Carnegie Public Library
302 Ferry St. SW Albany, Oregon 97321
Guild members will bring puppets of all types to demonstrate to the group, or to perform a short skit. We will try out the 8-foot wide puppet stage in the Library's basement with hand puppets, rod puppets, and marionettes. Adult and teen guests are always welcome. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
Note -- historic building is not handicapped accessible.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
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At the March meeting, Mike Reifel offered a workshop on making scarf marionettes. He provided scarves, pre-cut wooden controls, black string, aluminum foil, adhesive tape, and several sizes of wooden beads. Eight guild members made unique marionettes to take home.
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Afterwards Mike showed some variations and improvements on the scarf marionettes -- such as adding strings to the sides of the head. He showed us his scarf marionette with carved facial features, feet, and hands.
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January/February 2015 Newsletter
Next Meeting:
Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library meeting room
2450 14th Ave SE Albany, Oregon -- northeast entrance
Each month we meet to showcase one type of puppet. December featured ventriloquist figures, and January featured hand puppets. The March 2015 meeting features marionettes, but as always we will discuss every puppet-related topic that attendees bring up. Everyone is invited to bring puppets or ideas to share with the group, to demonstrate any kind of puppet, or to perform a piece for the group. Guild member Mike Reifel will offer a scarf marionette workshop for those who want to make a working marionette and learn how to make it move. Please feel free to bring guests -- older children, teens, and adults. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
Thursday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library meeting room
2450 14th Ave SE Albany, Oregon -- northeast entrance
Each month we meet to showcase one type of puppet. December featured ventriloquist figures, and January featured hand puppets. The March 2015 meeting features marionettes, but as always we will discuss every puppet-related topic that attendees bring up. Everyone is invited to bring puppets or ideas to share with the group, to demonstrate any kind of puppet, or to perform a piece for the group. Guild member Mike Reifel will offer a scarf marionette workshop for those who want to make a working marionette and learn how to make it move. Please feel free to bring guests -- older children, teens, and adults. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
January Meeting
On January 29 ten members (including three new members attending for the first time) got together at the Albany Public Library meeting room for two hours of puppet-centered fun. We tried out hand puppets with moveable mouths, moveable arms, and some with legs or arms operated by rods. Louise demonstrated two hand puppet dragons, a hand puppet genie in a magic lamp, and a pop-up character on a rod. She also offered an entire notebook of stories that can be presented with the set of small people hand puppets from the Dollar Tree. Charlotte gave away a pelican moveable-mouth puppet and a five-legged ladybug hand puppet. We played some short games using hand puppets -- Dr. Know-It-All and Duck, Duck, Goose. Regina showed us the wonderful Griffin -- a cable operated shoulder-sitting puppet in the style of WoodBaby puppets -- that she is making. Mike demonstrated his marionette under construction -- body carved from wood, and European-style vertical controls.
Mike also talked about several local Renaissance Fairs coming up in July, August,. and September, including the Canterbury Faire in Mike's own hometown of Silverton, Oregon on the last two weekends of July. Mike uses his expertise in woodwork and building in his work at this Faire. He told about three different types of puppet performances at these fairs -- Punch and Judy type hand puppet shows, individual puppets carried in a hand basket by a roving performer, and individual marionette performers like the one Mike is currently building and stringing. These shows are performed for a mostly adult audience outdoors. If anyone is interested in working or performing at these fairs, please contact Mike Reifel at 503-873-7645 or [email protected]
On January 29 ten members (including three new members attending for the first time) got together at the Albany Public Library meeting room for two hours of puppet-centered fun. We tried out hand puppets with moveable mouths, moveable arms, and some with legs or arms operated by rods. Louise demonstrated two hand puppet dragons, a hand puppet genie in a magic lamp, and a pop-up character on a rod. She also offered an entire notebook of stories that can be presented with the set of small people hand puppets from the Dollar Tree. Charlotte gave away a pelican moveable-mouth puppet and a five-legged ladybug hand puppet. We played some short games using hand puppets -- Dr. Know-It-All and Duck, Duck, Goose. Regina showed us the wonderful Griffin -- a cable operated shoulder-sitting puppet in the style of WoodBaby puppets -- that she is making. Mike demonstrated his marionette under construction -- body carved from wood, and European-style vertical controls.
Mike also talked about several local Renaissance Fairs coming up in July, August,. and September, including the Canterbury Faire in Mike's own hometown of Silverton, Oregon on the last two weekends of July. Mike uses his expertise in woodwork and building in his work at this Faire. He told about three different types of puppet performances at these fairs -- Punch and Judy type hand puppet shows, individual puppets carried in a hand basket by a roving performer, and individual marionette performers like the one Mike is currently building and stringing. These shows are performed for a mostly adult audience outdoors. If anyone is interested in working or performing at these fairs, please contact Mike Reifel at 503-873-7645 or [email protected]
photos by Janet Annal
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December 2014 Newsletter
Next Meeting:
Thursday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library meeting room
2450 14th Ave SE Albany, Oregon -- northeast entrance
Each month we meet to showcase one type of puppet. December featured ventriloquist figures. January's meeting will feature hand puppets. Several members of the guild will offer hands-on workshops about puppet manipulation and movement. Participants will enjoy using a variety of hand puppets in fun theater games. Many different types of hand puppets will be available for use, and attendees are invited to bring their own puppets or ideas to share with the group. Please feel free to bring guests -- older children, teens, and adults. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
Our December 2014 meeting featured ventriloquism. Members and guests enjoyed two short Thanksgiving themed television show episodes with Edgar Bergen, followed by live skits and demonstrations of a variety of puppets on a Christmas theme.
Thursday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library meeting room
2450 14th Ave SE Albany, Oregon -- northeast entrance
Each month we meet to showcase one type of puppet. December featured ventriloquist figures. January's meeting will feature hand puppets. Several members of the guild will offer hands-on workshops about puppet manipulation and movement. Participants will enjoy using a variety of hand puppets in fun theater games. Many different types of hand puppets will be available for use, and attendees are invited to bring their own puppets or ideas to share with the group. Please feel free to bring guests -- older children, teens, and adults. All our programs are free of charge and open to the public.
For more information e-mail [email protected] or call 541-812-0410
Our December 2014 meeting featured ventriloquism. Members and guests enjoyed two short Thanksgiving themed television show episodes with Edgar Bergen, followed by live skits and demonstrations of a variety of puppets on a Christmas theme.
Louise demonstrated a wide variety of puppets including finger puppets, found object characters, and converted dolls and toys.
Gayle demonstrated her vent figure (also named Roscoe) and a simple Santa Claus marionette.
Dave's vent figure Winkle came dressed for the season.
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Members and guests, including Roscoe (Matt's vent figure) enjoyed the show.
Attendees compared the very limited movements of a toy vent figure with the professional vent figures brought by Dave and Matt.
Louse's husband served as the base of the goal for a quick game of ring toss at the end of a puppet skit.
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November 2014 Newsletter
Photos from the November 2014 meeting --
hover your computer mouse over a picture to read its caption.
hover your computer mouse over a picture to read its caption.
Guild members met on Saturday, November 15 in Albany, Oregon to share their current puppet projects and ideas, and to plan activities and meetings for the coming year. They decided to go with a less formal meetup-format at future get-togethers, to enjoy fun events such as a classic film afternoon in December featuring Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed short films, with the public invited to these informal events.
October 2014 Newsletter
On Saturday, October 11 our Guild hit the road for a get-together in Cottage Grove, Oregon.
What a variety of puppets and puppeteers met at The Healing Matrix, a community gathering place,
to share ideas and to showcase their current or favorite creations!
What a variety of puppets and puppeteers met at The Healing Matrix, a community gathering place,
to share ideas and to showcase their current or favorite creations!
Doris performed a solo hand puppet version of "The Three Pigs" in her portable stage.
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Tinika demonstrated her big parade puppet ostrich.
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Tabletop stages on display in Cottage Grove
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What a variety of puppets -- from Rozy's giant body puppet to Louise's tiny hand puppets!
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Gayle's Wizard offers to grant three wishes -- but be careful what you wish for!
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Gayle showcased a wide variety of her creations, made from an incredible variety of materials.
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Summer 2014 Newsletter
Willamette Valley Puppeteers Guild members were busy this summer. Charlotte performed a series of solo hand puppet shows for the Vacation Bible School at Albany's United Presbyterian Church. Kimbre performed hand puppet shows at the McMinnville Library for visiting school groups. Doris built two big body puppets that she and Rozy will wear in the Puppets for Peace parade in Victoria, British Columbia in the September regional puppetry festival. Louise, Charlotte, Doris, Rozy, and Rozy's grandchildren Mario and Hannah performed the story "The Cow That Buzzed" with hand puppets, marionettes, live actors, and audience participation at the Midsummer Arts in the Park on August 2 at Monteith Riverpark in downtown Albany. Curt Nelson performed a science-themed show using ventriloquism and magic at both Albany Public Library buildings. Matthew performed in the original show "A Step In Time" by the Albany Library Marionette Troupe, directed by guild president Doris. And Louise provided an hour of participatory stories for preschoolers using a variety of puppets and props for the Albany Library's Summer Reading Program.
Spring 2014 Newsletter |
Nine members of the Guild met at the Albany Library on Friday, March 14, 2014.
Rozy provided costume accessories in honor of St. Patrick's Day. David provided the entertainment -- a viewing of "Winnie the Pooh" performed by the Bil Baird Puppets on October 2, 1960 for the Shirley Temple television show. Craig furnished a Lambchop hand puppet for a door prize -- won by Dave! |
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Autumn 2013 Newsletter |
The guild met on September 6 and October 11. At the September meeting, members shared ideas and projects in progress. At the October meeting, puppets showed off their Halloween costumes.
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Puppets dressed up for Halloween. Charlotte's Winny the Crow and Doris's Neon the earthworm both came dressed as vampires. Rozy introduced a
carnivorous plant puppet.
Dave had Winkle the vent figure dressed in a country outfit with mask.
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Charlotte had Winny the crow appearing as a vampire.
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Louise had an Aladdin’s lamp with a ghost instead of a genie. She also showed homemade corncob characters, a potato and carrot rattle.
Barbara showed Azure in a pirate outfit (AARRR!)
Kimbre’s puppet Kitten was dressed as a grasshopper.
Also at the October meeting, attendees enjoyed viewing episode 57 of The Lone Ranger, first televised on
October 12, 1950, with ventriloquist Max Terhune (1891-1973) and his vent figure Elmer Sneezeweed.
Matthew performed in the Halloween show by the Albany Library Marionette Troupe. During November there was no meeting, but some of the guild members attended a performance by Penny's Puppets of Portland.
This group loves movie night! Plans were made to watch two holiday-related shows at the December 2013 guild meeting -- Mabel Beaton's marionettes in The Nativity and The Night Before Christmas, and a Shari Lewis performance from December 1960.
Join us on Friday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library's meeting room at 2450 14th Ave. SE.
***NOTE***
December 6 meeting cancelled due to snow on roads in western Oregon.
October 12, 1950, with ventriloquist Max Terhune (1891-1973) and his vent figure Elmer Sneezeweed.
Matthew performed in the Halloween show by the Albany Library Marionette Troupe. During November there was no meeting, but some of the guild members attended a performance by Penny's Puppets of Portland.
This group loves movie night! Plans were made to watch two holiday-related shows at the December 2013 guild meeting -- Mabel Beaton's marionettes in The Nativity and The Night Before Christmas, and a Shari Lewis performance from December 1960.
Join us on Friday, December 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library's meeting room at 2450 14th Ave. SE.
***NOTE***
December 6 meeting cancelled due to snow on roads in western Oregon.
Summer 2013 Newsletter
Guild members were busy during Summer 2013. Several members participated in:
Midsummer Arts In the Park
Guild members backstage, waiting to go on before our show
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Two short performances highlighted several different types of puppets
Next Meeting:Friday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m.
Albany (Oregon) Public Library 2450 14th Ave. SE northeast entrance to the building |
Puppet Manipulation Workshop for Children and Teens
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May 2013 Newsletter
Hand Puppets with Moveable Mouths
Guild members Louise, Rozy, and Charlotte try out these puppets constructed with silicon pot holders inside the moveable mouths. Doris made the four worms and one slug featured in the video publicizing the Albany Public Library's summer programs for children and youth. The two months of filming was concluded on the day after the guild meeting.
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A Long Way from the Desert
Recently returned from her long cross-country trip, Rozy demonstrates the desert mouse finger puppet she purchased at Saguaro National Park in Arizona as a gift for the Library's story time programs. The Library's mascot puppets Tino the Mouse and Rafiki the Rat will meet their new colleague soon.
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February 2013 Newsletter
At our meeting on February 8, Clifford the big red dog helped Louise to present the story of how Clifford saved his town's big parade before we enjoyed a Valentines Day Puppet Dance, with Louise providing live music on her autoharp for four marionettes sharing the dance floor with two hand puppets and a vent figure.
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Guild Member's Project in Progress
Remember a couple of meetings ago, when Louise showed us the silicon hot-pot holders from Joanne Fabrics, and Doris took them home to use as the framework of the mouth in a new hand puppet? Well, here is a picture of the first puppet made using this great device inside the moveable mouth. The silicon piece provides just the right amount of stability with flexibility to allow great control of the mouth's movement. Doris is building six of these moveable mouth puppets for a short movie promoting the Albany Public Library's summer 2013 programs for children and youth.
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December 2012/January 2013 Newsletter
At the December meeting Louise shared various ways to “puppetize” “Gingerbread Man.”
She’s rewritten the story as a “rap,” which everyone recited together while she acted it out with flannel board pieces, books, masks, and objects manipulated like puppets.
Doris reported that she had used Louise’s Henny Penny story kit at two library story times with school-age kids using socks and hose
over their arms and hands as simple puppets acting out the parts of the animal characters.
She’s rewritten the story as a “rap,” which everyone recited together while she acted it out with flannel board pieces, books, masks, and objects manipulated like puppets.
Doris reported that she had used Louise’s Henny Penny story kit at two library story times with school-age kids using socks and hose
over their arms and hands as simple puppets acting out the parts of the animal characters.
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For our December Showcase we watched the Lucy Show episode featuring ventriloquist Paul Winchell, and two movies from the 1950s: The Night Before Christmas" and "The Nativity" featuring Mabel Beaton's marvelous marionettes. These movies have become a guild tradition as we viewed them in December 2011 and 2012. The intricately detailed puppets and their meticulous manipulation always hold the viewers in rapt attention.
At the January 2013 meeting embers shared their projects and ideas. Charlotte unpacked a marionette bought by her mother in Mexico years ago.
Tim and Lili Turner introduced their puppet Gaffin, and guild members enjoyed viewing the first episode of their YouTube series,“Kingdom of Wishes.” They release a new six-minute episode every Friday. These multi-talented puppeteers do all their own filming and production work. Their first interactive Youtube puppet video got 100,000 hits. We encourage members to check out the work of Tim's Puppet Pals at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-3ImY9UfEA
Louise asked for suggestions to convert a vacuum cleaner doll into a puppet. It is a female pioneer doll with an immovable mouth which generated discussion about the role of dialogue, mime, and ventriloquism. Members suggested filling out the puppet's body, and made plans for the next meeting -- Louise will bring a hanger to strengthen the shoulders, and someone else can bring a sheet of foam for the body.
doris showed a newly built moveable mouth hand puppet worm named "Neon," to be used in the 2013 Summer Reading Program publicity videos being produced by the Albany Public Library. Doris, Barbara, and Craig will puppeteer in this production following the nationwide theme "Dig Into Reading."
Doris also asked for members' ideas for flying new hand puppet props -- a swing, a wooden bench, and other furniture so that puppets can access it from all four sides. Suggestions were made for platforms under the furniture instead of cables hanging from above, as guild members advised on placement of the props to be best seen by the audience.
Matthew introduced his hand puppet or vent figure Carlos Culio.
Ideas for the February meeting include bringing a favorite puppet to participate in a Valentine's Day Dance. Louise offered to bring a
Clifford poem and song. Doris can bring marionettes.
Please come join us at our next meeting on Friday, February 8, 2013 as we celebrate Valentines Day with dancing puppets and the fellowship of fellow puppeteers and fans of puppetry in all its forms.
You are also invited to attend a performance of "The Crane Wife" using puppets and live actors at the Linn-Benton Community College. For information, see http://www.linnbenton.edu/russell-tripp-performance-center/current-season Several guild members plan to attend the February 16 performance, with a backstage tour afterwards.
The Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival in Albany and Corvallis (Oregon)
that had been scheduled for March has been rescheduled for next
September.
At the January 2013 meeting embers shared their projects and ideas. Charlotte unpacked a marionette bought by her mother in Mexico years ago.
Tim and Lili Turner introduced their puppet Gaffin, and guild members enjoyed viewing the first episode of their YouTube series,“Kingdom of Wishes.” They release a new six-minute episode every Friday. These multi-talented puppeteers do all their own filming and production work. Their first interactive Youtube puppet video got 100,000 hits. We encourage members to check out the work of Tim's Puppet Pals at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-3ImY9UfEA
Louise asked for suggestions to convert a vacuum cleaner doll into a puppet. It is a female pioneer doll with an immovable mouth which generated discussion about the role of dialogue, mime, and ventriloquism. Members suggested filling out the puppet's body, and made plans for the next meeting -- Louise will bring a hanger to strengthen the shoulders, and someone else can bring a sheet of foam for the body.
doris showed a newly built moveable mouth hand puppet worm named "Neon," to be used in the 2013 Summer Reading Program publicity videos being produced by the Albany Public Library. Doris, Barbara, and Craig will puppeteer in this production following the nationwide theme "Dig Into Reading."
Doris also asked for members' ideas for flying new hand puppet props -- a swing, a wooden bench, and other furniture so that puppets can access it from all four sides. Suggestions were made for platforms under the furniture instead of cables hanging from above, as guild members advised on placement of the props to be best seen by the audience.
Matthew introduced his hand puppet or vent figure Carlos Culio.
Ideas for the February meeting include bringing a favorite puppet to participate in a Valentine's Day Dance. Louise offered to bring a
Clifford poem and song. Doris can bring marionettes.
Please come join us at our next meeting on Friday, February 8, 2013 as we celebrate Valentines Day with dancing puppets and the fellowship of fellow puppeteers and fans of puppetry in all its forms.
You are also invited to attend a performance of "The Crane Wife" using puppets and live actors at the Linn-Benton Community College. For information, see http://www.linnbenton.edu/russell-tripp-performance-center/current-season Several guild members plan to attend the February 16 performance, with a backstage tour afterwards.
The Tcha Tee Man Wi Storytelling Festival in Albany and Corvallis (Oregon)
that had been scheduled for March has been rescheduled for next
September.
November 2012 Newsletter
The guild met on Friday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. to watch the documentary movie "Stories of the American Puppet." It is always such fun to share a movie (and some popcorn and snacks) with friends who are puppetry fans.
Doris demonstrated how to manipulate her orange Squirmle worm. Louise showed us her latest find -- a green silicon hot pot holder that looks very promising as a component in moveable mouth hand puppets (see photos below). Doris has plans to make some of these puppets very soon, so expect a demonstration of them at a guild meeting in the future!
We also enjoyed a demonstration of Doris's new portable stage that assembles or strikes in five minutes.
Doris demonstrated how to manipulate her orange Squirmle worm. Louise showed us her latest find -- a green silicon hot pot holder that looks very promising as a component in moveable mouth hand puppets (see photos below). Doris has plans to make some of these puppets very soon, so expect a demonstration of them at a guild meeting in the future!
We also enjoyed a demonstration of Doris's new portable stage that assembles or strikes in five minutes.
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Portable Stage
While setup and strike are amazingly easy, the stage does have one big fault as shown in these photos: the backdrop curtain is too short, so the puppeteers are seen by the audience beneath the curtain. With a longer backdrop curtain, the stage should work very well for hand puppet shows.
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Henny Penny and friends
Louise showed a packet she had made with many different book versions of the old story where the foolish chicken and her friends Turkey Lurky, Goosy Gander, and others believe the sky is falling, until Foxy Woxy (or Loxy, in some versions) takes advantage of their silliness and eats them (or not, in some versions). The guild members were expecially interested in a book showing puppets created by painting the puppeteers' hands. Louise improved on the idea with brightly colored socks instead of painted skin. Doris borrowed the packet to use in next week's Library Story Time program.
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September & October 2012 Newsletter
The Willamette Valley Puppeteers elected new officers for the next two-year term. They are:
Doris Hicks, President
Rozy Weatherby and Louise Johnson, Co-Vice Presidents
Janet Annal, Secretary/Treasurer
Matthew Annal, Sgt. at Arms
On Friday, September 21, 2012 several guild members offered a free Puppetry In Libraries conference at the Albany, Oregon Public Library. Library staff from the Pacific Northwest region participated in workshops on a variety of topics including:
Puppet mascots and tour guides
One, two, and three puppeteer performances
Participatory storytelling with puppets
Stages and no stages
Introduction to manipulation of hand puppets and marionettes
Workshop presenters were Kimbre Chapman, Barbara Currier, Doris Hicks, and Louise Johnson.
Doris Hicks, President
Rozy Weatherby and Louise Johnson, Co-Vice Presidents
Janet Annal, Secretary/Treasurer
Matthew Annal, Sgt. at Arms
On Friday, September 21, 2012 several guild members offered a free Puppetry In Libraries conference at the Albany, Oregon Public Library. Library staff from the Pacific Northwest region participated in workshops on a variety of topics including:
Puppet mascots and tour guides
One, two, and three puppeteer performances
Participatory storytelling with puppets
Stages and no stages
Introduction to manipulation of hand puppets and marionettes
Workshop presenters were Kimbre Chapman, Barbara Currier, Doris Hicks, and Louise Johnson.
October 2012
photos by Craig Currier
Several guild members attended the Halloween Variety Show performance on
October 29 by Doris Hicks and one teen puppeteer from the Albany Library Marionette
Troupe.
October 29 by Doris Hicks and one teen puppeteer from the Albany Library Marionette
Troupe.
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2012 Spring and Summer Newsletter
In March 2012 a few members of the Guild attended a viewing of the Olde World Puppet Theatre's new movie "Witch Key, from The Tales of Belvuria," a renaissance marionette fantasy performed with marionettes.
April was a very busy month for members of our Guild! Doris Hicks and Barbara Currier began puppeteering for the Albany Library's publicity video for their Summer Reading Program, being produced by the West Albany High School MediaLab
students.
On April 14 several guild members provided a free costume-making workshop for families planning to participate in the Procession
of the Species parade.
On Saturday, April 21, John Byrne's original puppet play about the life cycle of salmon was performed by 3rd graders from Central School as part of the Procession day's activities.
On Monday, April 30 several guild members attended a performance at the Albany Library by Parasol Puppets of Missouri.
After all those events, the Guild did not meet in May.
In June the guild welcomed new members, and many members old and new attended puppet shows during June, July, and August, including four shows performed by Jason Ropp's Dragon Theater Puppets. Guild members stayed busy in many different ways. Barbara Currier and Charlotte Norlin served as judges for the annual talent show at the Albany Public Library. Doris Hicks directed the Albany Library Marionette Troupe, six high school students who performed at the end of August. Craig Currier built the rowboat prop for the show, which turned out to be more like a character in the play than a prop. Matthew Annal and his vent figure Roscoe maned a booth at the Albany Library's Homemade Carnival two days in a row. And in September Doris Hicks, Barbara Currier, and Kimbre Chapman presented workshops at the Puppetry In Libraries one-day conference.
After all that activity, guild members are ready to begin a new season in October with their newly elected officers leading the way.
April was a very busy month for members of our Guild! Doris Hicks and Barbara Currier began puppeteering for the Albany Library's publicity video for their Summer Reading Program, being produced by the West Albany High School MediaLab
students.
On April 14 several guild members provided a free costume-making workshop for families planning to participate in the Procession
of the Species parade.
On Saturday, April 21, John Byrne's original puppet play about the life cycle of salmon was performed by 3rd graders from Central School as part of the Procession day's activities.
On Monday, April 30 several guild members attended a performance at the Albany Library by Parasol Puppets of Missouri.
After all those events, the Guild did not meet in May.
In June the guild welcomed new members, and many members old and new attended puppet shows during June, July, and August, including four shows performed by Jason Ropp's Dragon Theater Puppets. Guild members stayed busy in many different ways. Barbara Currier and Charlotte Norlin served as judges for the annual talent show at the Albany Public Library. Doris Hicks directed the Albany Library Marionette Troupe, six high school students who performed at the end of August. Craig Currier built the rowboat prop for the show, which turned out to be more like a character in the play than a prop. Matthew Annal and his vent figure Roscoe maned a booth at the Albany Library's Homemade Carnival two days in a row. And in September Doris Hicks, Barbara Currier, and Kimbre Chapman presented workshops at the Puppetry In Libraries one-day conference.
After all that activity, guild members are ready to begin a new season in October with their newly elected officers leading the way.
Photos from 2012 Spring and Summer
Rod puppets educate local families about the life cycle of salmon
Dragon puppet ready for the Procession in April 2012
New Guild member Matthew Annal
Jason Ropp's Dragon Theater performs "Homegrown Heroes"
Marionette Troupe photos by Craig Currier
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January/February 2012 Newsletter
Next Meeting: Friday, March 2, 2012
7:00 p.m. Albany Public Library
2450 14th Ave. SE, Albany, Oregon
meeting room -- northeast entrance
Watch Olde World Puppet Theatre's new movie "Witch Key, from The Tales of Belvuria,"
a renaissance marionette fantasy.
Bring refreshments to share!
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
7:00 p.m. Albany Public Library
2450 14th Ave. SE, Albany, Oregon
meeting room -- northeast entrance
Watch Olde World Puppet Theatre's new movie "Witch Key, from The Tales of Belvuria,"
a renaissance marionette fantasy.
Bring refreshments to share!
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
January and February MeetingsSeven guild members met on Saturday, January 7 at the Albany Public library to look at the Teatrino tabletop stage with four small marionette people in traditional Comedia del Arte costumes, indoor and outdoor scene backdrops, and wing curtains for entrances and exits that Doris bought from Mary Mazzacane in Connecticutt, along with a horse and two people marionettes. Doris also showed a recostumed marionette from Mexico that Craig had bought at the Albany Goodwill store – Senor Pistola en la Mano is not an armed bandit anymore; he is now Mr. Peaceful. Louise brought him a companion, a woman marionette from Mexico.
John shared his new script for a life cycle of the salmon puppet show, to be performed by twenty-one 3rd grade students in Judy Craig’s class at Central Elementary School. Students will make salmon puppets – eggs, smolts on Velcro, fingerlings on sticks, salmon adults. The show will feature both puppets and live student actors, on an environmental theme, in March at their school. The show will also be performed for the public at the Albany Senior Center in Monteith Riverpark around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, right after the Procession of the Species through Downtown Albany. Doris also shared her new book of designs for large processional puppets. Members looked through the book and discussed many of the puppets, especially the cardboard fish in profile and the tall dragon. Kit had an idea for adapting the designs to make a puppet theater mounted on a wheelchair, with a person seated in the wheelchair operating puppets. The Guild may also use some of these designs in a workshop offered to the public at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 14. Participants will make puppets and costumes suitable for wearing in the Procession. Louise has materials and plans for making animal costumes from rain ponchos (Rozy suggested tigers from the orange plastic ponchos), and simple rod puppets on cardboard dowels for the youngest participants. Doris, Kit, Charlotte, and Rozy are all interested in helping with the workshop, to provide a variety of projects for participants to make. The March guild meeting will feature planning for the Procession costume and puppet-making workshop, so members are asked to bring activities or samples. A Workshop -- AlmostThe Guild offered a marionette detailing and manipulation workshop in February for the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in Rozy's recent marionette-making classes at St. Mary's School, but the date chosen fell on the beginning of a three-day weekend for students and staff, so the workshop did not take place after all.
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Assembling the Teatrino -- without directions
photo by Louise Johnson
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Well and happy at the hospital!
Corvallis Hospital puppeteer Doris Memnaugh invited our guild members to come watch one of their shows in January 2012. This is one of several groups of dedicated volunteers over the past 40 years who have been introducing first grade classes from area schools to the hospital with a puppet show followed by a tour of the building. Three of our guild members attended on Friday, January 27. We left a few of our brochures, and we would like to invite all these puppeteers to attend our guild meetings. We would love to share our puppetry projects with you, too.
Notice the tonsils held by the surgeon puppet on the far right! The patient wearing the red cap looks like he is feeling much better now.
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One of the troupes presenting the shows in 2012
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December 2011 Newsletter
Next Meeting: January 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at
541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at
541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
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On Friday, December 3, nine members of the Guild enjoyed a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol directed by Dan Stone at Linn-Benton Community College. Using Dickens' dialogue in a modern setting, live actors (some in masks) as well as giant puppets presented the classic tale in a fresh and unique way. After the show Guild members were treated to a tour and a close-up view of the puppets hanging backstage, shown here in photos by Louise Johnson.
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What Our Guild Members Are Doing
Two events took place in October 2011 at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library.
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On October 24 Doris Hicks and high school student Louis Carnley performed an original skit with marionettes at the Halloween program at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library. After this photo was taken, a shoulder string broke on the clown, but the show went on.
Photo courtesy of Shawna Thibert |
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On October 14 Jason Ropp's Dragon Puppets performed The Wacky Adventures of Lewis and Clark, for an audience of children and adults.
Afterwards, Ropp led a workshop for older kids and teens to make rod puppets.
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Library Staff Meeting
On December 1 Doris performed three puppet skits for the Library staff's Christmas party. The voice of Bob Dylan was provided by the Library Director.
Photos by Debra Shadle. 
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November 2011 Newsletter
Next Meeting:
Performance of three skits for adults by Doris Hicks,
followed by an opportunity to share your projects in progress
and to talk about puppetry and related arts.
Friday, November 18, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library
2450 14th Ave SE
The Main Library is closed after 6:00 p.m., so enter directly into the
Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at
541-812-0410
or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
This program is open to the public and free of charge.
Performance of three skits for adults by Doris Hicks,
followed by an opportunity to share your projects in progress
and to talk about puppetry and related arts.
Friday, November 18, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library
2450 14th Ave SE
The Main Library is closed after 6:00 p.m., so enter directly into the
Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at
541-812-0410
or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at
541-926-7890
This program is open to the public and free of charge.
What Our Members Are Doing:
Linn Benton Community College
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G61KhO4gxY
Director Dan Stone talks about some of the puppetry planned for the Linn-Benton
Community College Performing Arts Department production of A Christmas Carol in this video clip.
Guild members, would you like to attend this show as a group, and get a backstage tour after the show?
Director Dan Stone talks about some of the puppetry planned for the Linn-Benton
Community College Performing Arts Department production of A Christmas Carol in this video clip.
Guild members, would you like to attend this show as a group, and get a backstage tour after the show?
St. Mary's School
This group of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at St. Mary's School has been making marionettes under the direction of Guild President Rozy Weatherby one afternoon each week for the past seven weeks. Last week they finished their marionettes! Now they are eager to put on a show.
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October 2011 Newsletter
October Meeting:
Viewing of the movie I'm No Dummy
This documentary about ventriloquism examines and dissects the world of "venting,"
illustrating that this perceived novelty act is truly an extraordinary art form.
Featuring veteran ventriloquists, Tony Award winner Jay Johnson of sitcom SOAP fame,
twotime Comedian of the Year Jeff Dunham, Campus Entertainer of the Year Lynn Trefzger,
and highly regarded vent historian Tom Ladshaw, the film allows a rare glimpse into the humorous delight
and creative invention involved in how ventriloquists do what they do.
The skill and influence of legendary ventriloquists Edgar Bergen, Jimmy Nelson, Senor Wences
and Paul Winchell are also showcased.
Come vent with us! Friday, October 21, 2011
from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library 2450 14th Ave SE
The Main Library is closed after 6:00 p.m.,
so enter directly into the Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at 541-926-7890
This program is open to the public and free of charge.
Please come join us for this evening of immersion into the art of ventriloquism.
Viewing of the movie I'm No Dummy
This documentary about ventriloquism examines and dissects the world of "venting,"
illustrating that this perceived novelty act is truly an extraordinary art form.
Featuring veteran ventriloquists, Tony Award winner Jay Johnson of sitcom SOAP fame,
twotime Comedian of the Year Jeff Dunham, Campus Entertainer of the Year Lynn Trefzger,
and highly regarded vent historian Tom Ladshaw, the film allows a rare glimpse into the humorous delight
and creative invention involved in how ventriloquists do what they do.
The skill and influence of legendary ventriloquists Edgar Bergen, Jimmy Nelson, Senor Wences
and Paul Winchell are also showcased.
Come vent with us! Friday, October 21, 2011
from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library 2450 14th Ave SE
The Main Library is closed after 6:00 p.m.,
so enter directly into the Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
For more information, contact Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected]
or Guild President Rozy Weatherby at 541-926-7890
This program is open to the public and free of charge.
Please come join us for this evening of immersion into the art of ventriloquism.
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Member Charlotte Norlin performed a song with her Limberjack Apple character.
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Marionette Making
Guild President Rozy Weatherby is teaching this group of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at St. Mary's School in Albany to make 18-inch tall marionettes with papier mache heads, hands, and feet, and bodies made of wooden dowels and cotton twill tape.
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Jason Ropp's Dragon Theater performing in Albany on October 14
You are invited to a free performance of The Wacky Adventures of Lewis and Clark
at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library, 2450 14th Ave. SE at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 14, 2011.
At 3:30 p.m. Jason will offer a free workshop for students in grades 3-12 to make a rod puppet. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the workshop, by calling 541-791-0015.
September 2011 Newsletter
Next meeting will be on Saturday, September 24 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library, 2450 14th Ave SE.
The Main Library is closed until 10:00 a.m., but puppeteers may enter
directly into the Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
The first part of the meeting will be a time for puppeteers to share their projects in progress, and the last half hour will be a public performance of stories and original puppet shows performed by the members.
For more information, contact guild secretary Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected], or president Rozy Weatherby at 541-926-7890.
The meeting after that will be on Friday, October 21, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library. Members will view the movie I'm No Dummy. Food and drinks will be served.
at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library, 2450 14th Ave SE.
The Main Library is closed until 10:00 a.m., but puppeteers may enter
directly into the Meeting Room at the northeast corner of the building.
The first part of the meeting will be a time for puppeteers to share their projects in progress, and the last half hour will be a public performance of stories and original puppet shows performed by the members.
For more information, contact guild secretary Doris Hicks at 541-812-0410 or [email protected], or president Rozy Weatherby at 541-926-7890.
The meeting after that will be on Friday, October 21, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library. Members will view the movie I'm No Dummy. Food and drinks will be served.
What Guild Members Are Doing
 Barbara's new hand puppet to star in the Aesop fable about the rat and the elephant  Students at St. Mary's School begin making marionettes in a 6-week project under Rozy's direction |
 Louise found these puppets at the Dollar Tree, to use with preschool classes acting out songs and stories  These students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades will use wood, papier mache, and cloth to create their 18-inch tall marionettes. |
Summer 2011 Newsletter
Note -- no meeting in August 2011
Upcoming Meetings -- Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 23!
Upcoming Meetings -- Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 23!
Guild Members Talk About Puppetry in the World
One of the pleasures of attending guild meetings is the opportunity to talk about all things puppet-related. At our June meeting, members talked about:
War Horse, commentary by Craig Currier
There is a nice bit of video on the Lincoln Center site that shows the horses puppets in action. The play is based on both War Horse, a children's fiction novel set during World War I, by Michael Morpurgo first published in the United Kingdom in 1982. The play will be touring, probably in 2012. I don't think the schedule is set. There is also a Stephen Spielberg
movie adaptation of the novel which will probably be in movie houses late this year, but it is a live action film and did not use the marvelous full size (if not even larger) horse puppets created by the Handspring Puppet Co for the stage play.
Check it out at http://www.warhorseonbroadway.com/
See more about Handspring Puppet Co of South Africa at http://www.ted.com/talks/handpring_puppet_co_the_genius_puppetry_behind_war_horse.html
Movies and Shows Past and Future
Dave talked about the Muppets’ giant puppets back in the 1970s, as seen on Saturday Night Live before the Muppet movies.
Louise mentioned the new original Muppet movie coming soon.
War Horse, commentary by Craig Currier
There is a nice bit of video on the Lincoln Center site that shows the horses puppets in action. The play is based on both War Horse, a children's fiction novel set during World War I, by Michael Morpurgo first published in the United Kingdom in 1982. The play will be touring, probably in 2012. I don't think the schedule is set. There is also a Stephen Spielberg
movie adaptation of the novel which will probably be in movie houses late this year, but it is a live action film and did not use the marvelous full size (if not even larger) horse puppets created by the Handspring Puppet Co for the stage play.
Check it out at http://www.warhorseonbroadway.com/
See more about Handspring Puppet Co of South Africa at http://www.ted.com/talks/handpring_puppet_co_the_genius_puppetry_behind_war_horse.html
Movies and Shows Past and Future
Dave talked about the Muppets’ giant puppets back in the 1970s, as seen on Saturday Night Live before the Muppet movies.
Louise mentioned the new original Muppet movie coming soon.
What our guild members are doing these days
Charlotte is working on a puppet version of a folktale about Apollo the Armadillo. She wants to buy an armadillo hand puppet.
Barbara and Craig Currier demonstrated their work in progress, a new portable stage for hand puppets.
The stage is plain white, awaiting future embellishments and decorations as it becomes the Teatro del Mundo. Barbara uses it in her story time programs at the Albany (Oregon) Main Library. At the June meeting she performed original songs and skits from her shark-themed story time, demonstrating how she alternates between short puppet vignettes (often using folk songs as well as her own original songs) and read-aloud books throughout her program. |
Louise is doing story times for senior citizens at the Grace Center, and she is looking for funny stories and jokes to use. She also showed a people and animals book and puppets she had made from cardstock, with holes for tiny children’s fingers to be the puppets’ legs, that she has used at First Presbyterian Preschool and at Marie’s Place. She had spent hours searching for a hole punch for the ¾ inch holes. She has also used cardstock bunnies with holes for fingers to be the bunnies’ ears. (see photo below)
In the past, Louise got written
permission from author Eric Kimmel to use “The Ant,” a story he published in Cricket magazine. She had kids act out the story, with recorded music for each character’s movement. |
Teatro del Mundo
This is their original design made with around $20 worth of
materials, much of it from the Habitat Re-Store. The sides are made of Gator Foam, a heavy-duty foamcore board that offers strength without weight. It has a shelf inside for puppets and props, and folds into a self-contained unit that is small and light enough to be transported easily by a solo performer, even in a tiny car. |
a unique portable stage
This portable stage allows the puppeteer to see the audience through the black
scrim during performances. Craig, although claiming “I am not a puppeteer,” performed a folk song suitable for adult cabaret shows using hand puppets in the portable stage. |
 front view, showing leg joints |
Marionette Making Workshop back view, showing arm and back joints
At the July 22 meeting, members and guests made a marionette from Doris's original design, using wooden dowels (cut before the workshop by Craig) and cotton twill tape, with styrofoam heads.
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On July 15, Doris and Rozy held a marionette-making workshop for teens at the Albany Public Library, using this same design. To allow the young people to take home a working marionette at the end of the two-hour workshop, Doris and the Library's teen volunteers had pre-assembled the bodies, painted the heads, hands, and feet, dressed the puppets, and attached the strings to the puppet bodies. The teens at the workshop only had to attach the strings to the wooden controls, attach hair, and paint details onto the faces. Three high school-age boys made marionettes, and two of them joined the Library's performance troupe to put on a play using marionettes on August 23, 2011. (The third boy was a member of the performing troupe in past years.)
This is the eleventh year of summer performances by the Albany Library Marionette Troupe, co-directed by WVP Guild officers Rozy Weatherby and Doris Hicks.
This is the eleventh year of summer performances by the Albany Library Marionette Troupe, co-directed by WVP Guild officers Rozy Weatherby and Doris Hicks.
Guild Members Go to the Show
Several puppeteers were in the audience of around 200 people at the Albany Public Library on June 8 for the performance of "Rapunzel Redeems Rumpelstiltskin" by Jason Ropp of Dragon Theater Puppets. We were amazed by the large greenery-twined castle that served as the stage for this original twist on two classic fairy tales. If you haven't seen the show yet, check out Dragon Theater's website to find a performance near you. http://www.dragontheater.com
April/May 2011 Newsletter
We held our Day of Puppetry on Saturday, April 30, 1:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Avenue, in the basement. This was a free program featuring ventriloquism, hand puppets, shadow puppets, the spoken word, and marionettes presented by Charlotte Norlin, Cobie Delespinasse, Joyce Greiner, Doris Hicks, Louise Johnson, David Wagner, and Rozy Weatherby.
1:00 p.m. First Act for young children
“The Three Pigs”
Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
“The Lion and the Mouse”
“How the Elephant Got His Trunk”
Children in the audience went back to the crafts room to make a simple puppet animal, then had the opportunity to act out “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” with their new creations.
2:30 p.m. Second Act for older kids and adults:
“The Purple Dragon” by L. Frank Baum
traditional oral stories
“Tino and the Bucket”
a shadow puppet presentation
a musical number with marionettes
The program concluded with a chance for audience members to try out some marionettes and hand puppets.
The show went on in spite of obstacles such as a dead cd player inside the room and a construction and landscaping project outside. Louise entertained audience members who arrived early with her collection of wind-up toys.
1:00 p.m. First Act for young children
“The Three Pigs”
Yertle the Turtle by Dr. Seuss
“The Lion and the Mouse”
“How the Elephant Got His Trunk”
Children in the audience went back to the crafts room to make a simple puppet animal, then had the opportunity to act out “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” with their new creations.
2:30 p.m. Second Act for older kids and adults:
“The Purple Dragon” by L. Frank Baum
traditional oral stories
“Tino and the Bucket”
a shadow puppet presentation
a musical number with marionettes
The program concluded with a chance for audience members to try out some marionettes and hand puppets.
The show went on in spite of obstacles such as a dead cd player inside the room and a construction and landscaping project outside. Louise entertained audience members who arrived early with her collection of wind-up toys.
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Future meetings will be held on a variety of days. The next meeting will be 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 16, 2011 at the Albany (Oregon)Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE.
For information contact Doris Hicks at telephone 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
For information contact Doris Hicks at telephone 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
March 2011 Newsletter
Four members met at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library on Friday, March 11. We looked at the guild’s photo album and scrapbook, started in 2009.
Rozy and Doris demonstrated Doris’s small pigeon marionette that she built for the Albany Civic Theater’s production of The Producers last year, and the two large bird marionettes that she restrung, to be used with blacklight in the guild’s upcoming Day of Puppetry.
Rozy and Doris demonstrated Doris’s small pigeon marionette that she built for the Albany Civic Theater’s production of The Producers last year, and the two large bird marionettes that she restrung, to be used with blacklight in the guild’s upcoming Day of Puppetry.
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One of the joys of attending guild meetings is participating in the discussions of everything related to puppetry. For example, Dave talked about how there were ventriloquists since very early times, mentioned in the Bible and in hieroglyphs as fortune tellers or oracles. Louise talked about the strangeness of a ventriloquist, Edgar Bergen, being a radio star when ventriloquism is a visual art. Members discussed the humor that comes from the interplay of the two characters, ventriloquist and vent figure. Doris said it is only funny if the little guy gets the better of the big, powerful one.
Louise showed her pop-up leprechaun, and Dave told the plot of the storybook Leprechaun On the Loose that he read to his grandson’s kindergarten class. Members discussed the plots of several stories in books and puppet shows and oral storytelling.
Another joy of membership in this puppeteers' guild is the opportunity to share not only ideas, but actual puppets and props. Louise showed a few of the storytelling kits that she has available for loan to preschool teachers. She has many of these kits that she is offering to members who would like to borrow them – come to a meeting, or contact her at 541-752-8918 or [email protected]
Louise showed her pop-up leprechaun, and Dave told the plot of the storybook Leprechaun On the Loose that he read to his grandson’s kindergarten class. Members discussed the plots of several stories in books and puppet shows and oral storytelling.
Another joy of membership in this puppeteers' guild is the opportunity to share not only ideas, but actual puppets and props. Louise showed a few of the storytelling kits that she has available for loan to preschool teachers. She has many of these kits that she is offering to members who would like to borrow them – come to a meeting, or contact her at 541-752-8918 or [email protected]
Plans for Day of Puppetry April 30, 2011
Dave will be master of ceremonies with his new vent figure. Louise demonstrated three stories suitable for telling in a large group with simple puppets to be made by the young chidren: “Moose Going for a Walk,” “Dragon Tears,” and the one the group chose for the program, “How the Elephant Got His Trunk.” She showed samples of many types of simply-made elephant and other animal puppets. Members need to save all kinds of cardboard tubes and dowels, such as those from gift wrap or toilet paper, for use in this workshop. The Corvallis Arts Center has other materials and tools that we can use.
1:00 p.m. First Act for young children
*Doris will perform “The Three Pigs” and “The Lion and the Mouse” with hand puppets.
*Louise and her friend may play live music on autoharp. If they don't, we need one more short show between the two hand puppet shows. Rozy was thinking about doing Yertle the Turtle, but it may be too long for this program.
*Then Charlotte will narrate “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” while several guild members use finger puppets and simple rod puppets to act out the story. Children in the audience will be offered the opportunity to go back to the crafts room to make a simple puppet animal.
*After the puppet-making workshop, Louise and Charlotte will lead the kids in acting out “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” with their new creations.
2:30 p.m. Second Act for older kids and adults:
*Louise will perform the L. Frank Baum story “The Purple Dragon” with found-object puppets.
*StorytellerJoyce Greiner will present traditional stories between puppet acts.
*Doris will perform “Tino and the Bucket” with hand puppets.
*Chris Neely will present a story with shadow puppets.
*Rozy and Doris will perform a musical number with two large bird marionettes in blacklight.
*The program will conclude with a chance for audience members to try out some marionettes and hand puppets.
1:00 p.m. First Act for young children
*Doris will perform “The Three Pigs” and “The Lion and the Mouse” with hand puppets.
*Louise and her friend may play live music on autoharp. If they don't, we need one more short show between the two hand puppet shows. Rozy was thinking about doing Yertle the Turtle, but it may be too long for this program.
*Then Charlotte will narrate “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” while several guild members use finger puppets and simple rod puppets to act out the story. Children in the audience will be offered the opportunity to go back to the crafts room to make a simple puppet animal.
*After the puppet-making workshop, Louise and Charlotte will lead the kids in acting out “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” with their new creations.
2:30 p.m. Second Act for older kids and adults:
*Louise will perform the L. Frank Baum story “The Purple Dragon” with found-object puppets.
*StorytellerJoyce Greiner will present traditional stories between puppet acts.
*Doris will perform “Tino and the Bucket” with hand puppets.
*Chris Neely will present a story with shadow puppets.
*Rozy and Doris will perform a musical number with two large bird marionettes in blacklight.
*The program will conclude with a chance for audience members to try out some marionettes and hand puppets.
Next Meeting:
7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 1 at the Corvallis Arts Center – walk-through of Day of Puppetry program in costume with puppets and stages – photos will be taken!
February 2011 Newsletter
Nine members met on Friday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Arts Center.
New member Ati Zarnegin is a preschool teacher at First Presbyterian Childcare Center in Corvallis. Her daughter Mina is a college student who sometimes works at the Center. They are interested in using puppets in their work with three-year olds, either in puppet shows or in teaching.
During Showcase and Sharing Time:
John asked for “time in this meeting for a reading of a ten minute play I've written that incorporates shadow puppets - the puppets aren't prepared yet. The idea would be to have the group read and listen and comment on the play - it is ten minutes or less.” In this adaptation of a scene related to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the lines of the players preparing for their shadow puppet performance were read aloud by Rozy, Dave, Barbara, and John.
New member Ati Zarnegin is a preschool teacher at First Presbyterian Childcare Center in Corvallis. Her daughter Mina is a college student who sometimes works at the Center. They are interested in using puppets in their work with three-year olds, either in puppet shows or in teaching.
During Showcase and Sharing Time:
John asked for “time in this meeting for a reading of a ten minute play I've written that incorporates shadow puppets - the puppets aren't prepared yet. The idea would be to have the group read and listen and comment on the play - it is ten minutes or less.” In this adaptation of a scene related to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the lines of the players preparing for their shadow puppet performance were read aloud by Rozy, Dave, Barbara, and John.
Louise's Dollar Store Finds
Louise demonstrated a variety of puppet characters from the Dollar Store, masquerading as bath mitts, blankets, flyswatters, and toys. She also brought words and music for the song “I Love You” with animals ranging from bees to lions, and objects from money to lamps. She showed her handmade rebus books, some windup dancing hearts, and several flat felt animals sized for kids’ hands, which could be used to present several stories. She also brought a chant “Miss Mary Mack” for all present to act out with elephant characters in the form of glove puppets, stuffed animals/beanies, and rod figures. Everybody’s elephant took a turn leading the group’s movements and adding a verse to the chant. Louise loaned Ati a story kit with puppets, and she promised to bring more kits to share at future meetings.
Barbara's Whatnot Azure with Some Friends
Barbara said that her next story time at the Albany Library will be on the theme of sharks, and she asked members to brainstorm for her puppet show. She has clam, otter, fish, and shark hand puppets, and will end with Azure the Muppet Whatnot popping up wearing a visor with a foam shark on it. Louise suggested a counting rhyme with fish getting bigger, bigger, and bigger. Doris liked the idea of a cumulative story, building from smaller to bigger animals, but was concerned about the difficulty of doing a solo show with many puppet characters. Louise mentioned a YouTube clip of a water ballet with recorded music, with a fin repeatedy appearing, scaring off the dancer. Rozy suggested setting up the audience to yell, “Shark” everytime the fin appears. Louise said the show needed bubbles.
Business Meeting
Members voted unanimously in favor of a constitutional amendment to change the elected officers’ terms from one year to two years.
Members discussed attending the free performance of “Stellaluna” by Tears of Joy at LBCC in Albany at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 5. Barbara, Craig, Doris, Louise, and Louise's granddaughter Lillyana attended the show.
The members present made plans for a Day of Puppetry offering free workshops and performances at the Corvallis Arts Center on Saturday, April 30, 2011. This will be the Guild's gift to the community, to promote puppetry and to demonstrate to children and adults a wide variety of puppets. It was decided to have the entire event in the basement of the Arts Center, with a performance for young children and another performance for older children and adults in the large room, and a workshop in the small room with tables where young children can make make their choice of several types of simple puppets according to models provided by Louise.
There will be a First Act for young children including hand puppet shows “The Three Pigs” and “The Lion and the Mouse” by Doris, and at least one participatory story with hand or rod or finger puppets by Louise. First Louise will present the story with a puppet chorus played by other members of the guild, and then she will perform the story again after the workshop with the children using their newly made puppets to participate as a group back in the big room. Louise’s story will not require a stage. Tentatively, she plans to present “How the Elephant Got Its Trunk,” which could incorporate whatever animal puppets the children create during the workshop.
After a short intermission, the Second Act for adults and older kids will include a shadow puppet show by Chris Neely, a hand puppet show by Doris, and a marionette skit by Doris. Storyteller Joyce Greiner agreed to fill as many 20-minute slots between puppet acts as needed. Rozy offered to perform whatever John will write for the adult show.
Asked to perform with his vent figure, Dave talked about how his show always has to be perfect before he will do it for an audience. He told about the British ventriloquist Arthur Worsley doing amazing things, such as reciting “bottle of beer” repeatedly, with perfect pronunciation. He never spoke himself in the act, but his figure said everything. Several members worked on persuading Dave to perform. He said that he didn’t have a show ready to perform, but he agreed to serve as master of ceremonies for the program with his vent figure. The day after the meeting, Charlotte asked for Dave’s announcements to include instructions to the audience of children and adults about their expected behavior during each segment of the program. Dave decided to have his vent figure ask if he could do several things such as run up to the stage or talk to the puppets, and Dave will answer the figure’s questions so the audience members will know what their behavior should be.
John will ask his daughter Sean-Marie if she will present one of her original stories at the program. Ati and Cobie may come to help with the programs and workshop. Other members are still considering what they can do in the two shows. Barbara and Craig will not perform in the April 30 show, as their newest granddaughter is due to be born in California that week.
Performers chose their performance spaces: Dave wants to be against the wall near the outside door, with a stool for himself and a stand for his vent figure. Doris wants to set up her portable hand puppet stage in the opposite corner, with the wall mirrors covered with draperies, and have a separate low curtain for a backdrop for her marionettes. Louise wants to be on the wall next to Doris. This leaves the wall where Chris had her shadow stage set up for the demonstration at a previous meeting, and a long wall for Joyce’s storytelling. The audience will sit in the middle of the room on chairs and cushions, and will turn to face each performance area in turn. (It’s audience in the round.) The same setup will be used in both the children’s performance and the later show for adults and older kids.
Check out ventriloquist Arthur Worsley and his vent figure on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbMsU-OXn_I
Members discussed attending the free performance of “Stellaluna” by Tears of Joy at LBCC in Albany at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 5. Barbara, Craig, Doris, Louise, and Louise's granddaughter Lillyana attended the show.
The members present made plans for a Day of Puppetry offering free workshops and performances at the Corvallis Arts Center on Saturday, April 30, 2011. This will be the Guild's gift to the community, to promote puppetry and to demonstrate to children and adults a wide variety of puppets. It was decided to have the entire event in the basement of the Arts Center, with a performance for young children and another performance for older children and adults in the large room, and a workshop in the small room with tables where young children can make make their choice of several types of simple puppets according to models provided by Louise.
There will be a First Act for young children including hand puppet shows “The Three Pigs” and “The Lion and the Mouse” by Doris, and at least one participatory story with hand or rod or finger puppets by Louise. First Louise will present the story with a puppet chorus played by other members of the guild, and then she will perform the story again after the workshop with the children using their newly made puppets to participate as a group back in the big room. Louise’s story will not require a stage. Tentatively, she plans to present “How the Elephant Got Its Trunk,” which could incorporate whatever animal puppets the children create during the workshop.
After a short intermission, the Second Act for adults and older kids will include a shadow puppet show by Chris Neely, a hand puppet show by Doris, and a marionette skit by Doris. Storyteller Joyce Greiner agreed to fill as many 20-minute slots between puppet acts as needed. Rozy offered to perform whatever John will write for the adult show.
Asked to perform with his vent figure, Dave talked about how his show always has to be perfect before he will do it for an audience. He told about the British ventriloquist Arthur Worsley doing amazing things, such as reciting “bottle of beer” repeatedly, with perfect pronunciation. He never spoke himself in the act, but his figure said everything. Several members worked on persuading Dave to perform. He said that he didn’t have a show ready to perform, but he agreed to serve as master of ceremonies for the program with his vent figure. The day after the meeting, Charlotte asked for Dave’s announcements to include instructions to the audience of children and adults about their expected behavior during each segment of the program. Dave decided to have his vent figure ask if he could do several things such as run up to the stage or talk to the puppets, and Dave will answer the figure’s questions so the audience members will know what their behavior should be.
John will ask his daughter Sean-Marie if she will present one of her original stories at the program. Ati and Cobie may come to help with the programs and workshop. Other members are still considering what they can do in the two shows. Barbara and Craig will not perform in the April 30 show, as their newest granddaughter is due to be born in California that week.
Performers chose their performance spaces: Dave wants to be against the wall near the outside door, with a stool for himself and a stand for his vent figure. Doris wants to set up her portable hand puppet stage in the opposite corner, with the wall mirrors covered with draperies, and have a separate low curtain for a backdrop for her marionettes. Louise wants to be on the wall next to Doris. This leaves the wall where Chris had her shadow stage set up for the demonstration at a previous meeting, and a long wall for Joyce’s storytelling. The audience will sit in the middle of the room on chairs and cushions, and will turn to face each performance area in turn. (It’s audience in the round.) The same setup will be used in both the children’s performance and the later show for adults and older kids.
Check out ventriloquist Arthur Worsley and his vent figure on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbMsU-OXn_I
January 2011 Newsletter
Upcoming events
Join us at our next meeting on Friday, February 4, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Avenue. We will share ideas and stories, and we will make plans for our Day of Puppetry workshops and performances to be held in Corvallis on a Saturday in April 2011.
Make plans to attend the free performance of “Stellaluna” by Tears of Joy at Linn Benton Community College in Albany at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 5.
Make plans to attend the free performance of “Stellaluna” by Tears of Joy at Linn Benton Community College in Albany at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 5.
Report from the meeting on January 7, 2011
We met at the Albany (Oregon) Public Library to begin the new year with a trip back in time as we watched seasonal movies “Howdy Doody’s Christmas,” “The Night Before Christmas,” “The First Christmas,” and “The Nativity.” Members were fascinated by the diverse artistry seen in these four movies featuring marionettes and rod puppets operated by master puppeteers, with intricate costumes, settings, and scenery. Members discussed some of the amazing effects such as Howdy Doody using stunt doubles, Santa Claus smoking a pipe with his head wreathed in smoke, Mary riding a donkey, and several characters expressing their emotions in their facial expressions. A big thank you to Dave for furnishing these wonderful movies. If you missed the meeting, you can see some of this artistry on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIzB9KUCZRk and at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsDBfPWDv28 and at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXCNTW2glEw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIzB9KUCZRk and at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsDBfPWDv28 and at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXCNTW2glEw
January Activities
During January 2011 several members of the Willamette Valley Puppeteers were busy around town.
Craig Currier appeared on stage as Hwel in the Albany Civic Theater's production of "Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters." There was a puppet in this show -- a jester's head with a moveable bottom jaw.
Doris and Louise put up displays with information and puppetry crafts at the Networking Breakfast for childcare providers and teachers of young children at LBCC. Charlotte and Doris were presenters at this annual event, which Louise helped to organize. Several participants picked up fliers about the guild and signed up for our e-mail list at the Breakfast. We hope to see many of them at a guild meeting soon.
Craig Currier appeared on stage as Hwel in the Albany Civic Theater's production of "Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters." There was a puppet in this show -- a jester's head with a moveable bottom jaw.
Doris and Louise put up displays with information and puppetry crafts at the Networking Breakfast for childcare providers and teachers of young children at LBCC. Charlotte and Doris were presenters at this annual event, which Louise helped to organize. Several participants picked up fliers about the guild and signed up for our e-mail list at the Breakfast. We hope to see many of them at a guild meeting soon.
Coming Soon
Guild members will vote on a constitutional amendment that would change the officers' term of office from one year to two.
Members will also have the chance to add or update their personal information in the members' directory. Watch your e-mail for the Directory Questionnaire.
Think about what you would like to do in the Day of Puppetry 2011 next April. Want to perform a song or a skit, present a poem, or put on a show? Want to offer a workshop or an activity? Whether it's puppetry or another art, please add your unique contribution to this eclectic variety show as a service to the Willamette Valley community.
Members will also have the chance to add or update their personal information in the members' directory. Watch your e-mail for the Directory Questionnaire.
Think about what you would like to do in the Day of Puppetry 2011 next April. Want to perform a song or a skit, present a poem, or put on a show? Want to offer a workshop or an activity? Whether it's puppetry or another art, please add your unique contribution to this eclectic variety show as a service to the Willamette Valley community.
 photo by Craig Currier |
Plans are being made for a tentative Puppeteers of America regional festival Puppets on the Pacific in Newport, Oregon September 12 through 15, 2012.
PlaWhat this festival needs is YOU! If you would like to serve in any capacity on the committee working on plans for the festival, please contact Doris Hicks at telephone 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected] |
December 2010 Newsletter
Next Meeting -- Friday, January 7, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE
We will be looking back into the past as we start a new year, with short movies featuring several types of puppetry: “Howdy Doody’s Christmas” from 1949, “The First Christmas” and “The Nativity” featuring carved rod puppets, and “The Night Before Christmas” featurning Mabel Beaton’s realistic marionettes on a gorgeous set.
We will be looking back into the past as we start a new year, with short movies featuring several types of puppetry: “Howdy Doody’s Christmas” from 1949, “The First Christmas” and “The Nativity” featuring carved rod puppets, and “The Night Before Christmas” featurning Mabel Beaton’s realistic marionettes on a gorgeous set.
The Guild met at the Corvallis Arts Center on Friday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m. for a demonstration of shadow puppetry by Chris Neely. Chris started with video of a show she did as an apprentice to Larry Reed, performing Balinese style shadow puppetry, and some clips of live actors performing in shadow masks. You can view these on YouTube; find them on Google with search terms “Larry Reed shadow” or “ShadowLight Productions.”
Chris also showed us her shadow puppets in the Greek tradition of Karagiozis, made of spray painted matboard. She showed us part of her shadow tribute to Frida Kahlo, using large still images inked on mylar. Her shadow stage has a wooden frame with a screen of t-shirt material, and can be folded small enough to transport by car.
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The guild is working on plans for a Day of Puppetry event on a Saturday in April 2011 at the Corvallis Arts Center, to include a full day of shows and workshops, with a late evening adult puppet variety show.
The Willamette Valley Puppeteers guild plans to participate in the Networking Breakfast for childcare professionals on January 29 in Corvallis. At the January 7 meeting we will make final plans for brochures or activities to promote puppetry and to publicize our guild to participants at the Breakfast.
Also at the January meeting we will look at a new questionnaire for a Member Directory.
The Willamette Valley Puppeteers guild plans to participate in the Networking Breakfast for childcare professionals on January 29 in Corvallis. At the January 7 meeting we will make final plans for brochures or activities to promote puppetry and to publicize our guild to participants at the Breakfast.
Also at the January meeting we will look at a new questionnaire for a Member Directory.
Members in the Spotlight
It’s not exactly puppetry, but our members excel in many different arts. In the Albany Democrat Herald on Saturday, December 18, did you see the photo of WVP member John Byrne reading at Hugo House in Seattle on November 12 in celebration of the release of Many Trails to the Summit, an anthology of contemporary Northwest poetry, including poems by Byrne? We enjoyed his reading of one of his poems at the December WVP meeting.
Want to go together to see a play in January 2011 at Albany Civic Theater? WVP member Craig Currier tells us that there is indeed one puppet in this play, and several live actors. Craig will perform in “Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters” on January 14, 15, 21, 22, 23(matinee), 27, 28, and 29. The curtain opens at 8:00 PM, except for the Sunday matinee at 2:30 PM. Tickets are on sale for $13, or $10 for under age17 or over 61, and may be purchased at Sid Stevens Jewelers, 140 1st Ave SW, Albany, OR - 541-967-8140; or at Rice's Pharmacy, 910 NW Kings Blvd., Corvallis OR - 541-752-7760, and at the ACT box office 45 minutes before curtain. Here is ACT’s description of the play:
This loving parody of Shakespeare's Macbeth transports the Scottish play (with a few dashes of his Danish, Italian, and British plays for seasoning) to the small kingdom of Lancre, where three witches have their coven interrupted by the arrival of a royal baby in need of saving from a wicked duke and duchess. These "secret, black and midnight hags" must now use all of their powers to save the kingdom, restore order, and summon forth a happy ending. The show provides insight into the powers and effects of tradition and the written word ... somewhere amidst the bickering witches, depressed fools, agitated monarchs, and madcap actors! Based on the 1988 novel by (Sir) Terry Pratchett®, creator of the wildly popular Discworld® books, set in a world not unlike our own - but funnier!
Warning: There are fight scenes and some stage magic effects. There are also some carefully-worded risqué references and one or two swear words, but they're British swear words so they sound very polite. The play is suitable for older children.
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Want to go together to see a play in January 2011 at Albany Civic Theater? WVP member Craig Currier tells us that there is indeed one puppet in this play, and several live actors. Craig will perform in “Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters” on January 14, 15, 21, 22, 23(matinee), 27, 28, and 29. The curtain opens at 8:00 PM, except for the Sunday matinee at 2:30 PM. Tickets are on sale for $13, or $10 for under age17 or over 61, and may be purchased at Sid Stevens Jewelers, 140 1st Ave SW, Albany, OR - 541-967-8140; or at Rice's Pharmacy, 910 NW Kings Blvd., Corvallis OR - 541-752-7760, and at the ACT box office 45 minutes before curtain. Here is ACT’s description of the play:
This loving parody of Shakespeare's Macbeth transports the Scottish play (with a few dashes of his Danish, Italian, and British plays for seasoning) to the small kingdom of Lancre, where three witches have their coven interrupted by the arrival of a royal baby in need of saving from a wicked duke and duchess. These "secret, black and midnight hags" must now use all of their powers to save the kingdom, restore order, and summon forth a happy ending. The show provides insight into the powers and effects of tradition and the written word ... somewhere amidst the bickering witches, depressed fools, agitated monarchs, and madcap actors! Based on the 1988 novel by (Sir) Terry Pratchett®, creator of the wildly popular Discworld® books, set in a world not unlike our own - but funnier!
Warning: There are fight scenes and some stage magic effects. There are also some carefully-worded risqué references and one or two swear words, but they're British swear words so they sound very polite. The play is suitable for older children.
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November 2010 Newsletter
The Guild met at the Albany Public Library on Friday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m. with Doris Hicks, Louise Johnson, Charlotte Norlin, Dave Wagner, Rozy Weatherby, and new member Cobie Delespinasse present.
Showcase and Sharing
Cobie showed her collection of realistic animal finger puppets, and told of her tentative plans for a participatory performance with her housemates. Her original idea was to use an audio recording of animal sounds, let her housemates make any animal puppet, and write a puppet show. Louise, Charlotte, and Rozy suggested several stories, available as picture books at any public library, to use with her assortment of finger puppets as participatory stories.
November Newsletter photos by Louise Johnson
November Newsletter photos by Louise Johnson
Doris showed two puppets she purchased at the 2010 Festival in Seattle: a rod puppet princess and a large puppet head with a moveable mouth, shown here on the hand of Guild Vice-President David Wagner.
Charlotte showed Sadie, her new Folkmani’s performance-style dog mouth puppet
Louise showed photos of her bottle bodied puppets with new heads, for performance of L. Frank Baum’s story “Purple Dragon,” discussion of digital storytelling that she is learning in a class (with the idea of someday making a video to post on our website), and a Limberjack Gingerbread Man. Louise led the group in a choral reading of “Gingerbread Man” using homemade cardboard figures as stacking animals. (The fox really did carry the cookie inside him across the river.) She showed plastic figures for other versions of the story, available for members of the guild to borrow.
Business
During the discussion of new business, Doris talked about the early planning in progress for a regional festival in Newport in September or October 2012, tentatively called “Puppets on the Pacific.” The members present unanimously approved this name, and agreed that our guild wants to set the date of the 2012 festival, preferably a joint Northwest/Southwest festival. Members Barbara Currier, Craig Currier, and Doris Hicks visited several hotels, the Performing Arts Center, and the Visual Arts Center in Newport to find suitable sites for the festival. They are seeking more details and price bids from these places in the coming weeks.
Old business under discussion concerned a proposed change in the constitution and bylaws about when to nominate and when to elect officers. This continued the discussion at last month’s meeting about how the guild’s year starts in September, which is problematic as an election time, since we have been unable to meet during the summer. Possible solutions were a two-year term, and voting by e-mail or regular mail rather than at a meeting. Louise read the procedure for changing the constitution and for changing the bylaws. Dave made a motion for a change in the constitution to two-year terms effective immediately, and Charlotte seconded the motion. There was unanimous support, so the proposed change will be read at the December meeting, and put up for a vote by the membership. There was discussion of changing the constitution and bylaws to have the guild’s year run from May through April, with an election in April by e-mail or regular mail. This would necessitate a nominating committee being appointed at the February meeting, with nominees announced at the March meeting. Charlotte moved to table this proposal, and Doris seconded. This item will be discussed at the December meeting.
Planning for 2011/2012 events started with Louise’s proposal that our guild do something to benefit the Albany carousel project, such as a puppet show and storytelling program. She asked that we bring ideas to our next meeting.
Thank you to Louise for arranging our next meeting at the Corvallis Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 3, with a demonstration of shadow puppetry by Chris Neely.
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Old business under discussion concerned a proposed change in the constitution and bylaws about when to nominate and when to elect officers. This continued the discussion at last month’s meeting about how the guild’s year starts in September, which is problematic as an election time, since we have been unable to meet during the summer. Possible solutions were a two-year term, and voting by e-mail or regular mail rather than at a meeting. Louise read the procedure for changing the constitution and for changing the bylaws. Dave made a motion for a change in the constitution to two-year terms effective immediately, and Charlotte seconded the motion. There was unanimous support, so the proposed change will be read at the December meeting, and put up for a vote by the membership. There was discussion of changing the constitution and bylaws to have the guild’s year run from May through April, with an election in April by e-mail or regular mail. This would necessitate a nominating committee being appointed at the February meeting, with nominees announced at the March meeting. Charlotte moved to table this proposal, and Doris seconded. This item will be discussed at the December meeting.
Planning for 2011/2012 events started with Louise’s proposal that our guild do something to benefit the Albany carousel project, such as a puppet show and storytelling program. She asked that we bring ideas to our next meeting.
Thank you to Louise for arranging our next meeting at the Corvallis Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 3, with a demonstration of shadow puppetry by Chris Neely.
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October 2010 Newsletter
Visitors and new members Marie Madison, Tamara A. Alba, and Kit Smithson joined guild members John Byrne, Barbara Currier, Craig Currier, Doris Hicks, Louise Johnson, Charlotte Norlin, Dave Wagner, and Rozy Weatherby at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 1 at the Albany Public Library to enjoy sharing puppets and ideas, and to begin planning for the next year.
Stone Soup
Barbara brought her new Whatnot, named Azure, purchased from the Muppets. Azure came with head, torso, and two hands worked with only one rod. Barbara is adding a second hand rod, legs, and feet, as well as clothing, to complete Azure’s character before he appears in a performance -- or a photo. Eventually Azure may be joined by another blue Whatnot, a girl named Cerulean.
Barbara also brought her two new glove puppets, made by Doris, for Barbara’s new production of Stone Soup. This musical version of the tale will debut at the Albany Library during a Saturday morning story time later this month.
Barbara also brought her two new glove puppets, made by Doris, for Barbara’s new production of Stone Soup. This musical version of the tale will debut at the Albany Library during a Saturday morning story time later this month.
Wanda
Charlotte brought her new doll Wanda, purchased from Goodwill, which she is costuming and converting into a glove puppet.
Craig brought his set of Shakespeare finger puppets, not yet opened but we couldn’t get him to volunteer to perform a finger puppet version of “Twelfth Night” for the WVP meeting on January 7, 2011.
Louise brought skeletons on strings for song and dance “Those Bones,” and spiders to be strung on longer strings for “Eensy Weensy Spider.” She showed animal finger puppets that need a script, and several members suggested storylines related to folktales.
Members discussed the violence and death in various versions of “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Pigs,” and contrasted the greater violence in the story “The Wolf and the Kids.”
Where else but a puppeteers’ guild can you enjoy a discussion of topics like this?
Where else but a puppeteers’ guild can you enjoy a discussion of topics like this?
Members discussed several items of business, although no definite plans were made yet. Guild members have been thinking about filming members’ demonstrations and performances and posting them on our website.
Doris mentioned possible upcoming PofA festivals in Oregon: National Festival 2013 in Portland, and Regional Festival 2012 or 2014 in Newport.
Louise reported that at the 2010 Fall Festival in Corvallis in September, the Children’s Stage Director requested that next year our guild provide an activity with children making puppets and doing a show. Probably this would involve both indoor and outdoor venues, perhaps including a performance alternating adult performers with participation by the kids who have made a puppet, whether a simple paper bag puppet or a more complicated rod puppet. John offered to write a script. Ideas include having an adult narrator outside the stage, and having two taller kids holding a curtain on a rod to provide a simple temporary stage inside the Arts Center. The event would be held on Sunday of the last weekend of September 2011. Members voted to participate, with details to be determined later.
There was discussion of some changes in the guild’s Bylaws concerning when to nominate and when to elect officers. Since the guild’s year starts in September, it is difficult to hold elections that month, after being unable to meet during the summer. Two-year terms are a possibility, and voting by e-mail or regular mail rather than at a meeting. Discussion will continue at the next meeting.
Another issue is having the office of newsletter editor/webmaster be appointed, not elected. Members pointed out that since this office is not mentioned in the Constitution or Bylaws, it can be appointed or handled in any way that works for the membership.
Discussion continues about meeting locations in Corvallis. The guild treasury has $20 to pay for meeting space as needed.
Next meeting – Friday, November 5, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
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Doris mentioned possible upcoming PofA festivals in Oregon: National Festival 2013 in Portland, and Regional Festival 2012 or 2014 in Newport.
Louise reported that at the 2010 Fall Festival in Corvallis in September, the Children’s Stage Director requested that next year our guild provide an activity with children making puppets and doing a show. Probably this would involve both indoor and outdoor venues, perhaps including a performance alternating adult performers with participation by the kids who have made a puppet, whether a simple paper bag puppet or a more complicated rod puppet. John offered to write a script. Ideas include having an adult narrator outside the stage, and having two taller kids holding a curtain on a rod to provide a simple temporary stage inside the Arts Center. The event would be held on Sunday of the last weekend of September 2011. Members voted to participate, with details to be determined later.
There was discussion of some changes in the guild’s Bylaws concerning when to nominate and when to elect officers. Since the guild’s year starts in September, it is difficult to hold elections that month, after being unable to meet during the summer. Two-year terms are a possibility, and voting by e-mail or regular mail rather than at a meeting. Discussion will continue at the next meeting.
Another issue is having the office of newsletter editor/webmaster be appointed, not elected. Members pointed out that since this office is not mentioned in the Constitution or Bylaws, it can be appointed or handled in any way that works for the membership.
Discussion continues about meeting locations in Corvallis. The guild treasury has $20 to pay for meeting space as needed.
Next meeting – Friday, November 5, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
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Summer 2010 Newsletter
Members' full summer schedules made it impossible to schedule a big meeting, but there were two small get-togethers of a few guild members. On May 14, Charlotte and Doris got together to talk puppets in the Albany Library meeting room. On July 5, Dave, Louise, Charlotte, Kimbre, and Doris enjoyed an informal picnic at Albany's Monteith Riverpark. We enjoyed seeing Kimbre's puppet characters, and hearing about her two-person puppet presentations introducing the Summer Reading Program at her public library in Idaho.
On September 9 several members of our guild joined with the Wonderkeepers Storytellers at Louise's house to enjoy her barbecued chicken and a potluck picnic. After eating, members of both groups entertained with stories, puppet skits, and music.
We look forward to our next meeting at the Albany Public Library on Friday, October 1, and on the first Friday of the next several months. Send your ideas and requests to Doris at [email protected], and join us to share your projects in progress.
On September 9 several members of our guild joined with the Wonderkeepers Storytellers at Louise's house to enjoy her barbecued chicken and a potluck picnic. After eating, members of both groups entertained with stories, puppet skits, and music.
We look forward to our next meeting at the Albany Public Library on Friday, October 1, and on the first Friday of the next several months. Send your ideas and requests to Doris at [email protected], and join us to share your projects in progress.
May 2010 Newsletter
On Friday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. nine members met in the small conference room of the Corvallis Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. This was our first guild meeting outside of Albany.
*John and Louise discussed poetry they have studied, including a 30-line love poem from the early 1800s that is 6 limericks. Our members are involved in many different arts!
*Doris shared her original Bag Song, and the large foam mouth/hand puppet she plans to use with the song. Dave made up two new verses for the song, providing a voice for the big foam puppet.
*John and Louise discussed poetry they have studied, including a 30-line love poem from the early 1800s that is 6 limericks. Our members are involved in many different arts!
*Doris shared her original Bag Song, and the large foam mouth/hand puppet she plans to use with the song. Dave made up two new verses for the song, providing a voice for the big foam puppet.
Doris shared her raccoon spring puppet. Charlotte, who is a clown as well as a puppeteer, has used this kind of puppet before.
The Showcase was a sharing time for a great variety of topics.
*Charlotte told about the wolf body puppet her 19-year old granddaughter is building with PVC pipe and fake fur. Members want to see this body puppet when it is finished, and asked Charlotte to bring it to a future meeting. Since her granddaughter works very early in the morning, she would be unable to attend an evening guild meeting, but perhaps could come to a summer picnic meeting earlier in the day.
*Charlotte is currently working on a script for The Gunniwolf, using a doll that she is re-costuming, and she needs a wolf hand puppet. Louise has 2 wolves she could share. Doris suggested any character pretending to be a wolf; Rozy suggested a bunny, and Louise demonstrated with a monkey.
*Charlotte is currently working on a script for The Gunniwolf, using a doll that she is re-costuming, and she needs a wolf hand puppet. Louise has 2 wolves she could share. Doris suggested any character pretending to be a wolf; Rozy suggested a bunny, and Louise demonstrated with a monkey.
Funnyland!
*Louise has been working with preschool, Head Start, and elementary school students, and now is starting to work with senior citizens. She did a demonstration of a story using toys and non-realistic objects as characters. Funnyland by L. Frank Baum involved a purple dragon in a cave, a King and a Queen with bottle bodies and various possibilities for heads including doll heads, marshmallow heads, and bread heads; and paper cup princesses. Members asked about copyright concerns; Louise told about her experience requesting permission from authors, and being granted permission to perform the stories in schools and libraries. Celeste told about her experience requesting permission to use an author’s stories, and never receiving a reply, so she sent a follow-up letter stating that if she had not received a refusal by a certain date, she would proceed with using the story.
Pippi Longstocking
*Celeste demonstrated the backdrop with a flap at the bottom, and several marionettes from her show Pippi Longstocking. In these adapted episodes,Pippi saves an elephant from the circus, and the Kenyan recovers his elephant. Celeste described her portable marionette stage: a trunk full of puppets and props, with the trunk serving as a platform for the puppeteer behind the curtain. Celeste also told about the hand puppet shows she has performed outdoors at the Portland Grotto for 20 Christmas seasons. She has 5 different shows, and performs 4 of them each year in rotation.
Vent figures
*Dave demonstrated Louise’s toy vent figure, which needs to get a rigid spine. Barbara suggested corset stay material, and members discussed several different materials. Dave’s demonstration of toy and performance quality vent figures and how well they work is to be filmed for the guild website.
During the business portion of the meeting, the discussion included looking for local puppeteers to join our group, with publicity through word of mouth and the newspaper. Next month the Corvallis Hospital is scheduled to resume their puppet shows, and the guild would like to get the hospital puppeteer to join our group. Chris Neely of the Corvallis Art Center was not at the April meeting, but is developing a shadow puppet show. She plans to bring it sometime to a guild meeting.
The guild is also working on plans for future meetings and events. Should we plan summer meetings, parties, and events? Members will discuss and plan by e-mail rather than reaching a decision during this meeting.
Remember the regional festival in Seattle at the end of July – Doris, Rozy, and Charlotte are planning to attend.
WVP members would like to host a regional festival in September of a future year. Professional puppeteers and library staff are extremely busy during the summer, but would have more free time in September, especially the week after Labor Day. Since most college campuses would not be available at that time, plans are to hold the event at a summer camp in Oregon. Barbara knows of some suitable places, but does not recommend the camp at Silver Falls State Park.
Next Meeting: Friday, May 14 at the Albany Public Library, 7:00 p.m.
The Showcase has not been planned yet – it is open for member suggestions and contributions. What would you like to share with the group? Send your ideas to [email protected].
The guild is also working on plans for future meetings and events. Should we plan summer meetings, parties, and events? Members will discuss and plan by e-mail rather than reaching a decision during this meeting.
Remember the regional festival in Seattle at the end of July – Doris, Rozy, and Charlotte are planning to attend.
WVP members would like to host a regional festival in September of a future year. Professional puppeteers and library staff are extremely busy during the summer, but would have more free time in September, especially the week after Labor Day. Since most college campuses would not be available at that time, plans are to hold the event at a summer camp in Oregon. Barbara knows of some suitable places, but does not recommend the camp at Silver Falls State Park.
Next Meeting: Friday, May 14 at the Albany Public Library, 7:00 p.m.
The Showcase has not been planned yet – it is open for member suggestions and contributions. What would you like to share with the group? Send your ideas to [email protected].
April 2010 Newsletter
Six members of the Guild met at the Albany Public Library on Friday, March 19, 2010 to share puppets and ideas. After Louise demonstrated strummed and plucked autoharp music, she showed her antique Limberjack figure, and Peik-Kuan tried it out.
Louise told about using a smaller Limberjack to present the story “The Gingerbread Man.” Doris showed the Punch & Judy decorated tin that Rozy had given her. John told how he was adapting the Korean story “The Tiger In the Pit” for hand puppets, and showed how he was rigging the stage to create the pit. Louise contrasted her version of “The Elephant In the Pit” using tabletop theater and audience participation.
One of the great joys of Guild membership is the exchange of ideas at the meetings. In the future, members have plans to tape a demonstration of Dave’s and Louise’s vent figures, and perhaps some other members’ demonstrations of various types of puppets, to post on the Guild’s website. Using video clips, members who cannot attend the meetings can enjoy participating in the exchange of ideas. Members, please contact Secretary/Webmaster Doris Hicks about posting your videos or photos, at [email protected]
Members have also been sharing interesting puppetry-related websites. In this past month, Craig sent a link about the unique body puppet characters from Oblivia, and Barbara shared a video clip of Bryan Tolley playing hurdy gurdy and performing with a Limberjack and a hurdy gurdy playing marionette – all at the same time.
On Friday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. we will meet in the Board Room of the Corvallis Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. This is our first guild meeting outside of Albany, and we are looking forward to better serving our members and prospective members who live in other cities. If you have an idea about a place we ought to meet in the future, please contact us at telephone 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
Our Guild needs you to help us grow and improve. Attend a meeting – bring a puppet, an idea, or a skit to share with the group -- or participate online as we delight in the company of fellow puppetry enthusiasts.
One of the great joys of Guild membership is the exchange of ideas at the meetings. In the future, members have plans to tape a demonstration of Dave’s and Louise’s vent figures, and perhaps some other members’ demonstrations of various types of puppets, to post on the Guild’s website. Using video clips, members who cannot attend the meetings can enjoy participating in the exchange of ideas. Members, please contact Secretary/Webmaster Doris Hicks about posting your videos or photos, at [email protected]
Members have also been sharing interesting puppetry-related websites. In this past month, Craig sent a link about the unique body puppet characters from Oblivia, and Barbara shared a video clip of Bryan Tolley playing hurdy gurdy and performing with a Limberjack and a hurdy gurdy playing marionette – all at the same time.
On Friday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. we will meet in the Board Room of the Corvallis Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. This is our first guild meeting outside of Albany, and we are looking forward to better serving our members and prospective members who live in other cities. If you have an idea about a place we ought to meet in the future, please contact us at telephone 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
Our Guild needs you to help us grow and improve. Attend a meeting – bring a puppet, an idea, or a skit to share with the group -- or participate online as we delight in the company of fellow puppetry enthusiasts.
Willamette Valley Puppeteers Newsletter
February-March 2010
Only five people attended the meeting at the Albany Public Library on February 12 – the fewest people ever attending a meeting of this guild. We hope to see many more at our next meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19, 2010.
The Showcase at the February meeting was a sharing and demonstration by three members. Dave demonstrated his vent figure, Winkle, including dialogue, eye movements, mouth movements, and the explanation of the figure’s name. Doris demonstrated her marionette and her large Muppet-style puppet.
Louise showed a flyswatter with foam facial features and a Mexican marionette. She also brought a character that was manufactured as a vacuum cleaner cover, and showed how she plans to convert it into a large puppet.
Louise had an excellent idea to film Dave’s demonstration of his professional vent figure, to post on our website as a year-round feature of our guild. Other demonstrations and performances (such as Louise’s tabletop show The Seven Chinese Sisters) could also be filmed and posted on our website. Members who cannot attend the meetings could enjoy the Showcase performances and demonstrations, and they could also post their Showcase offerings on our site. We will discuss plans for these video clips at our March meeting.
A major topic of discussion at this meeting was membership: how to attract new members to the guild, how to meet the needs and wants of current guild members, and how to boost attendance. Members have been sharing resources and information, such as Louise sending information about an autoharp group to Celeste Rose, and Celeste offering to mentor beginning puppeteers in her future performance seasons. Doris sends e-mails about upcoming performances to our members whenever she finds out about guild members on stage or about shows that are scheduled in our area.
Louise has been very active in efforts to recruit new members. She put up a display of puppets and issues of Puppetry Journal with brochures about our guild at the Networking Breakfast on January 30. Louise talked with the group about the need for workshops on topics such as using puppets to teach manners and social skills, on using puppets as instructional tools for the Oregon Association of Educators of Young Children. She explained how Linn-Benton Community College could sponsor these workshops on topics that our WVP guild could suggest and schedule. There are 200 local members who attend this organization’s workshops as a requirement for continuing education to retain professional certification. Grants are available to fund these workshops and other events, with the grant money coming through LBCC rather than directly to our guild. The guild will discuss this project more at the next meeting.
2010 meetings and events are planned for Corvallis as well as Albany. Doris and Louise will report on possible locations at the next meeting. Future meetings will include discussions of what type of workshops or other programs our members would like to have.
At the previous meeting, we had made tentative plans to put on a Variety Show on a Saturday afternoon at the Albany Public Library. Unfortunately there are no Saturday or Sunday afternoons open in the next two months in the Albany Library’s meeting room schedule, and there are only a few guild members able to perform during the spring, and none during the summer. The guild is considering putting on a performance next fall. Dave emphasized that we can postpone the show and offer a better show.
Think about the Puppeteers of America Regional Festival in Seattle July 30 through August 2. We are hoping that several WVP guild members will attend. Some of the festival performers will also be performing at public libraries in Albany and other Valley cities. Check out this guild’s website in late spring/early summer for details and schedules of local shows you would like to see.
Next Meeting:
Scheduled for Friday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Library meeting room.
Showcase: portions of the documentary DVD Stories of the American Puppet.
Business: Louise and Doris will report on their investigations of puppet shows and workshops in this region, looking for local puppeteers who might join our group, as well as possible meeting sites in Corvallis.
Ideas for guild meetings and events in 2010.
Plans for filming members’ demonstrations and performances and posting them on our website.
For more information about this meeting or about the Willamette Valley Puppeteers, please contact Doris Hicks at 541-81-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
February-March 2010
Only five people attended the meeting at the Albany Public Library on February 12 – the fewest people ever attending a meeting of this guild. We hope to see many more at our next meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 19, 2010.
The Showcase at the February meeting was a sharing and demonstration by three members. Dave demonstrated his vent figure, Winkle, including dialogue, eye movements, mouth movements, and the explanation of the figure’s name. Doris demonstrated her marionette and her large Muppet-style puppet.
Louise showed a flyswatter with foam facial features and a Mexican marionette. She also brought a character that was manufactured as a vacuum cleaner cover, and showed how she plans to convert it into a large puppet.
Louise had an excellent idea to film Dave’s demonstration of his professional vent figure, to post on our website as a year-round feature of our guild. Other demonstrations and performances (such as Louise’s tabletop show The Seven Chinese Sisters) could also be filmed and posted on our website. Members who cannot attend the meetings could enjoy the Showcase performances and demonstrations, and they could also post their Showcase offerings on our site. We will discuss plans for these video clips at our March meeting.
A major topic of discussion at this meeting was membership: how to attract new members to the guild, how to meet the needs and wants of current guild members, and how to boost attendance. Members have been sharing resources and information, such as Louise sending information about an autoharp group to Celeste Rose, and Celeste offering to mentor beginning puppeteers in her future performance seasons. Doris sends e-mails about upcoming performances to our members whenever she finds out about guild members on stage or about shows that are scheduled in our area.
Louise has been very active in efforts to recruit new members. She put up a display of puppets and issues of Puppetry Journal with brochures about our guild at the Networking Breakfast on January 30. Louise talked with the group about the need for workshops on topics such as using puppets to teach manners and social skills, on using puppets as instructional tools for the Oregon Association of Educators of Young Children. She explained how Linn-Benton Community College could sponsor these workshops on topics that our WVP guild could suggest and schedule. There are 200 local members who attend this organization’s workshops as a requirement for continuing education to retain professional certification. Grants are available to fund these workshops and other events, with the grant money coming through LBCC rather than directly to our guild. The guild will discuss this project more at the next meeting.
2010 meetings and events are planned for Corvallis as well as Albany. Doris and Louise will report on possible locations at the next meeting. Future meetings will include discussions of what type of workshops or other programs our members would like to have.
At the previous meeting, we had made tentative plans to put on a Variety Show on a Saturday afternoon at the Albany Public Library. Unfortunately there are no Saturday or Sunday afternoons open in the next two months in the Albany Library’s meeting room schedule, and there are only a few guild members able to perform during the spring, and none during the summer. The guild is considering putting on a performance next fall. Dave emphasized that we can postpone the show and offer a better show.
Think about the Puppeteers of America Regional Festival in Seattle July 30 through August 2. We are hoping that several WVP guild members will attend. Some of the festival performers will also be performing at public libraries in Albany and other Valley cities. Check out this guild’s website in late spring/early summer for details and schedules of local shows you would like to see.
Next Meeting:
Scheduled for Friday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Library meeting room.
Showcase: portions of the documentary DVD Stories of the American Puppet.
Business: Louise and Doris will report on their investigations of puppet shows and workshops in this region, looking for local puppeteers who might join our group, as well as possible meeting sites in Corvallis.
Ideas for guild meetings and events in 2010.
Plans for filming members’ demonstrations and performances and posting them on our website.
For more information about this meeting or about the Willamette Valley Puppeteers, please contact Doris Hicks at 541-81-0410 or e-mail [email protected]
December 2009 - January 2010 Newsletter
The Past -- Looking Back
The WVP guild was invited to join the Wonderkeepers Storytellers guild at their event at the Multicultural Center in Corvallis on Friday, December 11. But unusually cold weather turned the roads icy, and the meeting was cancelled. Members of both groups have expressed hope for future collaborations and joint meetings and events in the coming year.
With the combination of extreme weather and hectic holiday schedules preventing our members from getting together to discuss plans and problems in person, a limited discussion has been carried on by e-mail and phone calls. Members have expressed an interest in seeing some new and different offerings in the next year: workshops, performances, mini-lessons on the history of puppetry in America, mentoring, collaboration, and partnerships, and meetings or events held in different locations and on different days.
The Present – Right Now
Let’s go to the free performance of Rumpelstiltskin by Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre, on Saturday, January 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Linn-Benton Community College. Call 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected] if you would like to meet in the lobby and sit together to enjoy this show.
The Future -- Looking Forward
The new year will be a time of plans and changes for the guild. We have been in existence just a little over a year since our first meeting in Albany in September 2008. Now we are at the point of determining the direction our guild will travel. We are like a puppet that has a head and a body and has started to move, but needs a face and a voice in order to develop into a living character. Our members, old and new, will develop that character into whatever it may become.
Where to Meet
With several of our members living in Corvallis, one of the first changes that might help us to better serve many of our current members (and hopefully attract new members to the guild) could be to meet often in Corvallis rather than always in Albany. The Corvallis Library charges a small fee for the use of their meeting rooms, but other places (such as assisted living centers) sometimes provide a meeting place at no charge to groups that invite their residents to attend. Louise’s autoharp group has met at Regency Park Place in Corvallis in the past, and there are plans to investigate this and other possible meeting places before our next meeting. Members – if you find out about a place to meet, bring that information to the next meeting, or e-mail [email protected]
When to Meet
Having meetings on the second Friday of each month has prevented some prospective members from joining, if their work or personal schedule doesn’t allow them to attend meetings then. At the next meeting, members can discuss a variety of possible dates for future meetings, to accommodate as many people as possible. And if you are unable to attend the net meeting, please send your e-mails to me to express your needs and preferences on when and where to meet – it is very important to hear from the people who CANNOT attend the meeting to discuss the best times and places to meet!
What to Do
Many ideas are floating around: enjoying the fellowship of fellow puppet enthusiasts, sharing our projects in progress, viewing or presenting performances, offering workshops, sponsoring events open to the public and events just for members. Members have asked about having the guild offer workshops on various topics during 2010 to build puppeteers’ skills. The local community has asked the guild to offer performances for the public. Please send an e-mail or attend the meeting to talk about what you want the guild to do.
Members who want to learn more about the history of puppetry are interested in screening a short segment of the DVD Stories of the American Puppet, a wonderful documentary purchased by guild Vice-President Dave Wagner and owned by the Albany Public Library, at each meeting. The movie’s producers have granted the Guild legal permission to show this movie at meetings during 2010 at no charge. There are other movies, both for entertainment and for instruction, available from the Puppeteers of America lending library, or from guild members’ private collections, that we could arrange to view during meetings. Do you want to do this?
Next Meeting
The Meeting Room at the Albany Public Library is available on Friday, January 8, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. For our Showcase, John Byrne has offered to perform the premiere of a new hand puppet show. We can view a short segment of Stories of the American Puppet.
Where, When, What, How, and Why – You Decide
1. Where do you want to meet, on which days and at what time?
2. What do you want to do?
3. How do you want to plan our meetings and activities? Are you willing to be responsible for one meeting or one event? What ideas do you have for fellowship activities or workshops? Is there a workshop you would like to present or a skill you would like to demonstrate? Do you need mentoring or help with a skill or a project? Is there something in particular you want to learn or practice in the year 2010?
4. Why do you want this guild to exist? What is the best thing the guild can do for you? Is there a particular activity that you do or do not want our guild to become involved in?
YOU --- Members and prospective members, please send an e-mail with your choices and your ideas to [email protected] to start this guild traveling in the direction you would like it to go. On the evening of Thursday, January 7th I will send all the e-mailed responses to our newsletter mailing list so all members can discuss their ideas and participate in the planning for our guild in 2010. Happy New Year!
The WVP guild was invited to join the Wonderkeepers Storytellers guild at their event at the Multicultural Center in Corvallis on Friday, December 11. But unusually cold weather turned the roads icy, and the meeting was cancelled. Members of both groups have expressed hope for future collaborations and joint meetings and events in the coming year.
With the combination of extreme weather and hectic holiday schedules preventing our members from getting together to discuss plans and problems in person, a limited discussion has been carried on by e-mail and phone calls. Members have expressed an interest in seeing some new and different offerings in the next year: workshops, performances, mini-lessons on the history of puppetry in America, mentoring, collaboration, and partnerships, and meetings or events held in different locations and on different days.
The Present – Right Now
Let’s go to the free performance of Rumpelstiltskin by Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre, on Saturday, January 9 at 10:00 a.m. at Linn-Benton Community College. Call 541-812-0410 or e-mail [email protected] if you would like to meet in the lobby and sit together to enjoy this show.
The Future -- Looking Forward
The new year will be a time of plans and changes for the guild. We have been in existence just a little over a year since our first meeting in Albany in September 2008. Now we are at the point of determining the direction our guild will travel. We are like a puppet that has a head and a body and has started to move, but needs a face and a voice in order to develop into a living character. Our members, old and new, will develop that character into whatever it may become.
Where to Meet
With several of our members living in Corvallis, one of the first changes that might help us to better serve many of our current members (and hopefully attract new members to the guild) could be to meet often in Corvallis rather than always in Albany. The Corvallis Library charges a small fee for the use of their meeting rooms, but other places (such as assisted living centers) sometimes provide a meeting place at no charge to groups that invite their residents to attend. Louise’s autoharp group has met at Regency Park Place in Corvallis in the past, and there are plans to investigate this and other possible meeting places before our next meeting. Members – if you find out about a place to meet, bring that information to the next meeting, or e-mail [email protected]
When to Meet
Having meetings on the second Friday of each month has prevented some prospective members from joining, if their work or personal schedule doesn’t allow them to attend meetings then. At the next meeting, members can discuss a variety of possible dates for future meetings, to accommodate as many people as possible. And if you are unable to attend the net meeting, please send your e-mails to me to express your needs and preferences on when and where to meet – it is very important to hear from the people who CANNOT attend the meeting to discuss the best times and places to meet!
What to Do
Many ideas are floating around: enjoying the fellowship of fellow puppet enthusiasts, sharing our projects in progress, viewing or presenting performances, offering workshops, sponsoring events open to the public and events just for members. Members have asked about having the guild offer workshops on various topics during 2010 to build puppeteers’ skills. The local community has asked the guild to offer performances for the public. Please send an e-mail or attend the meeting to talk about what you want the guild to do.
Members who want to learn more about the history of puppetry are interested in screening a short segment of the DVD Stories of the American Puppet, a wonderful documentary purchased by guild Vice-President Dave Wagner and owned by the Albany Public Library, at each meeting. The movie’s producers have granted the Guild legal permission to show this movie at meetings during 2010 at no charge. There are other movies, both for entertainment and for instruction, available from the Puppeteers of America lending library, or from guild members’ private collections, that we could arrange to view during meetings. Do you want to do this?
Next Meeting
The Meeting Room at the Albany Public Library is available on Friday, January 8, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. For our Showcase, John Byrne has offered to perform the premiere of a new hand puppet show. We can view a short segment of Stories of the American Puppet.
Where, When, What, How, and Why – You Decide
1. Where do you want to meet, on which days and at what time?
2. What do you want to do?
3. How do you want to plan our meetings and activities? Are you willing to be responsible for one meeting or one event? What ideas do you have for fellowship activities or workshops? Is there a workshop you would like to present or a skill you would like to demonstrate? Do you need mentoring or help with a skill or a project? Is there something in particular you want to learn or practice in the year 2010?
4. Why do you want this guild to exist? What is the best thing the guild can do for you? Is there a particular activity that you do or do not want our guild to become involved in?
YOU --- Members and prospective members, please send an e-mail with your choices and your ideas to [email protected] to start this guild traveling in the direction you would like it to go. On the evening of Thursday, January 7th I will send all the e-mailed responses to our newsletter mailing list so all members can discuss their ideas and participate in the planning for our guild in 2010. Happy New Year!
October/November 2009 Newsletter
October was a busy month for members of the guild.
photo by Louise Johnson
On October 3, many guild members attended a performance at Willamette University in Salem by the Imada Puppet Troupe from Japan together with the Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe of Columbia, Missouri.
The Guild meeting on Friday, October 9 featured puppetry for adults. We watched a training video produced for the Social Security Administration, featuring large muppet-style puppets manipulated by our Vice-President Dave Wagner (and a few other puppeteers). We watched a segment of the DVD made of the Columbia Association of Puppeteers 2008 Cabaret. Since the segment we watched did not include the performances by WVP members Rozy Weatherby and Doris Hicks, members of the Guild requested a viewing of these performances at a future meeting. We are currently working out the technical aspects of showing those segments -- I'm sure they're on the disc somewhere.
Louise brought a book of paper bag puppet patterns to share, and demonstrated her Limberjack on a paddle. Brian brought his mock-up of a mask with a moveable mouth operated with a squeeze bulb. Brian and Doris want to work out the construction of this mask to use in a future performance.
Craig invited members to his performance in "A Dark and Stormy Night With Edgar Alan Poe" on October 16 and 17, a fundraiser for the Corvallis Community Theater. Several guild members attended this dramatic reading at the Riverside Community Center to get into the mood for Halloween.
Louise and Brian are teaming up to bring stories and music to preschoolers at the Corvallis Public Library. Several guild members made plans to attend their programs.
Members are also investigating the puppet shows offered at the Corvallis Hospital to prepare young patients for their hospital experience. We look forward to hearing more about this program at our next guild meeting.
Also at the next meeting, Dave will bring a DVD showing the puppet stage, props, and puppets donated to our guild. We will discuss the request for performers at the fundraiser for the Corvallis Boys & Girls Club on Saturday, February 20th. Louise will check on the dates for the Tcha Tee Man Wee festival -- is it on the same weekend? There may be discussion about the upcoming Worlwide Tellabration on the weekend before Thanksgiving -- Saturday, November 21.
The next meeting of the WVP will be on Friday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library, in the meeting room on the northeast end of the building. Live entertainment will feature Brian on guitar and Peik with her duck puppet. As always, new members and visitors are welcome, and everybody is always invited to bring a puppet or an idea to show and share.
The Guild meeting on Friday, October 9 featured puppetry for adults. We watched a training video produced for the Social Security Administration, featuring large muppet-style puppets manipulated by our Vice-President Dave Wagner (and a few other puppeteers). We watched a segment of the DVD made of the Columbia Association of Puppeteers 2008 Cabaret. Since the segment we watched did not include the performances by WVP members Rozy Weatherby and Doris Hicks, members of the Guild requested a viewing of these performances at a future meeting. We are currently working out the technical aspects of showing those segments -- I'm sure they're on the disc somewhere.
Louise brought a book of paper bag puppet patterns to share, and demonstrated her Limberjack on a paddle. Brian brought his mock-up of a mask with a moveable mouth operated with a squeeze bulb. Brian and Doris want to work out the construction of this mask to use in a future performance.
Craig invited members to his performance in "A Dark and Stormy Night With Edgar Alan Poe" on October 16 and 17, a fundraiser for the Corvallis Community Theater. Several guild members attended this dramatic reading at the Riverside Community Center to get into the mood for Halloween.
Louise and Brian are teaming up to bring stories and music to preschoolers at the Corvallis Public Library. Several guild members made plans to attend their programs.
Members are also investigating the puppet shows offered at the Corvallis Hospital to prepare young patients for their hospital experience. We look forward to hearing more about this program at our next guild meeting.
Also at the next meeting, Dave will bring a DVD showing the puppet stage, props, and puppets donated to our guild. We will discuss the request for performers at the fundraiser for the Corvallis Boys & Girls Club on Saturday, February 20th. Louise will check on the dates for the Tcha Tee Man Wee festival -- is it on the same weekend? There may be discussion about the upcoming Worlwide Tellabration on the weekend before Thanksgiving -- Saturday, November 21.
The next meeting of the WVP will be on Friday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Albany Public Library, in the meeting room on the northeast end of the building. Live entertainment will feature Brian on guitar and Peik with her duck puppet. As always, new members and visitors are welcome, and everybody is always invited to bring a puppet or an idea to show and share.
September 2009 Newsletter
Bassot Hurdy Gurdy restored by Craig and Barbara Currier 2009
At the July 24 meeting, Charlotte showed information from clowning workshops she attended in previous years, Doris demonstrated the Bohemian rod marionette she made at Midwest Puppetfest, and Rozy dimonstrated the vent figure she made at the same festival. Rozy's vent figure Razzy performed a routine including yoga movements. Barbara played her antique hurdy gurdy. Peik told us that she did her first solo puppet show for the Summer Reading Program, with a duck and a boy and audience participation. Hooray for Peik! We want to see her performance in a future WVP showcase.
Dave reported on the portable stage, rod puppets, and props donated to our guild, wich are in Dave's garage. Discussing ideas for future guild programs, members are advised that there will be a regional festival next summer in Seattle.
Instead of a meeting in August and September, we had a potluck picnic on Friday, September 11 in Doris's backyard in Albany. Barbara Currier entertained the puppeteers and familywith music on her hurdy gurdy, and members brought a great variety of food to share.
The next meeting will be on Friday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room at the northeast corner of the Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE. The showcase will be a viewing of training videos and taped performances featuring Guild Vice-President Dave Wagner.
Dave reported on the portable stage, rod puppets, and props donated to our guild, wich are in Dave's garage. Discussing ideas for future guild programs, members are advised that there will be a regional festival next summer in Seattle.
Instead of a meeting in August and September, we had a potluck picnic on Friday, September 11 in Doris's backyard in Albany. Barbara Currier entertained the puppeteers and familywith music on her hurdy gurdy, and members brought a great variety of food to share.
The next meeting will be on Friday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room at the northeast corner of the Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE. The showcase will be a viewing of training videos and taped performances featuring Guild Vice-President Dave Wagner.
May 2009 Newsletter
photo by Craig Currier
At our April meeting the Showcase featured a video tour of the new Albany Public Library produced by Craig and Barbara Currier and Doris Hicks, and a puppet in a suitcase clown act (complete with rubber chicken) by Charlotte Norlin.
Members discussed and declined invitations to perform at local summer events Festival of Hope and Scio Public Library Summer Reading Program, and we continued discussion and revision of our guild constitution. A copy of the proposed constitution is included in this website - click on the Constitution and Bylaws tab.
Future newsletters will feature "Members In Action," to inform us of upcoming performances by WVP members. Please send me information about your scheduled events as far in advance as possible so these can be included. E-mail to: [email protected]
Anything you would like to add to the agenda of the next meeting? Suggestions for activities? Send me your requests!
Please join us for the next meeting of the Willamette Valley Puppeteers from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8 at the Albany Public Library at 2450 14th Avenue SE. Please enter through the northeast corner meeting room entrance. I will put up a Willamette Valley Puppeteers sign on these doors -- the rest of the building will be closed and dark. Those who demonstrated your puppets or performed at the previous meetings' Showcase -- Louise, Dave, Scott, Cameron, and Brian --please bring back your puppets and props so we can take photos of them to include in the scrapbook and in future guild newsletters. This May Showcase will feature a hand puppet performance by Doris Hicks.
Members discussed and declined invitations to perform at local summer events Festival of Hope and Scio Public Library Summer Reading Program, and we continued discussion and revision of our guild constitution. A copy of the proposed constitution is included in this website - click on the Constitution and Bylaws tab.
Future newsletters will feature "Members In Action," to inform us of upcoming performances by WVP members. Please send me information about your scheduled events as far in advance as possible so these can be included. E-mail to: [email protected]
Anything you would like to add to the agenda of the next meeting? Suggestions for activities? Send me your requests!
Please join us for the next meeting of the Willamette Valley Puppeteers from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 8 at the Albany Public Library at 2450 14th Avenue SE. Please enter through the northeast corner meeting room entrance. I will put up a Willamette Valley Puppeteers sign on these doors -- the rest of the building will be closed and dark. Those who demonstrated your puppets or performed at the previous meetings' Showcase -- Louise, Dave, Scott, Cameron, and Brian --please bring back your puppets and props so we can take photos of them to include in the scrapbook and in future guild newsletters. This May Showcase will feature a hand puppet performance by Doris Hicks.
