On September 2nd, 2016, I finished my tenure at the Puppet Slam Network (PSN), which I co-founded in 2005 with Heather Henson and through support from her production company, Ibex Puppetry. As PSN coordinator for just over a decade, my work focused on cataloguing, connecting, supporting, and generating awareness for evenings of short-form puppetry for adults.
Continue reading “A decade of the Puppet Slam Network (curatorial)”
On January 28th, 2013, The Portland Press Herald briefly covered my work with the Puppet Slam Network as part of a larger story on Blainor McGough, curator of King Friday’s Dungeon in Portland, ME.
Continue reading “Portland Press Herald, (Puppet Slam Network)”
In the Spring of 2012, The Puppetry Journal ran a substantive cover story on the world of puppet slams, featuring my work as co-founder of The Puppet Slam Network and my interviews with puppet slam artists. The Puppet Slam Network fostered connections for independently produced puppet cabarets, so that puppet artists knew where they could perform, venues could find puppet artists, and audiences could enjoy an intimate, tactile, and compelling form of entertainment. Continue reading “The Puppetry Journal (Press)”
On September 2011 – I began a series of informational blog posts on the Puppet Slam Network website that addressed topics related to organizing evenings of short-form puppetry and object theatre for adults. Topics included: the significance of puppet slams, puppet slam history, the future of slams, sources of inspiration, working with a fiscal recipient, learning from fabulous failures, advice on hosting and performing in slams, self promotion, and how to get the most out of the Puppet Slam Network.
On July 7th, 2010, Dan Walechuck appeared on CJOB (Winnipeg) to talk about The Puppet Slam Network and the Winnipeg Puppet Slam, (which I performed in). The Puppet Slam Network, which I co-founded with Heather Henson, fostered connections for independently produced puppet cabarets, so that puppet artists knew where they could perform, venues could find puppet artists, and audiences could enjoy an intimate, tactile, and compelling form of entertainment.
Continue reading “CJOB, Winnipeg (Puppet Slam Network Press)”
On May 15th, 2009 I earned my MFA degree from California Institute for the Arts (CalArts) in Scenic Design in the Puppetry track from the Theater School and the Cotsen Center for Puppetry and the Arts. I attended CalArts between 2006-2009 under the mentorship of Janie Geiser and Susan Simpson and developed two major productions, Growing Up Linda and Bride of Wildenstein – The Musical,.
From May 7th to May 9th, 2009, I presented a workshop of Bride of Wildenstein – The Musical at CalArts in Valencia, CA. In Bride of Wildenstein, an aging socialite grows fur and claws to recapture the attention of her philandering game hunter husband.
Continue reading “Bride of Wildenstein – Workshop Valencia, CA (performance)”
On May 2008, The Cotsen Center for Puppetry and the Arts and CalArts School of Theater presented a workshop production of Growing Up Linda in Ensemble Theater 2 at CalArts (Valencia, CA), where I was in my 2nd year as an MFA student in puppetry and scenic design. Growing Up Linda was an ensemble actor-puppetry performance about the daughter of a famous ice cream mogul who must come to terms with her troubled past.
Continue reading “Growing Up Linda – workshop, Valencia, CA (performance)”
In 2008, I was the recipient of funding from the Office of the President at California Institute for the Arts for the workshop of Growing Up Linda at CalArts and the premiere at Venue 13 in Edinburgh. Growing Up Linda was an ensemble actor-puppetry performance in which the daughter of a famous ice cream mogul must come to terms with her troubled past. Continue reading “CalArts – Office of the President (support)”
In January 2008, I co-taught Pop Goes The World, a class on pop-ups and paper engineering with scenic artist, Caitlin Lainoff at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). The class was part of the Theater School’s three week interim session between semesters. For this session I was particularly interested in exploring pop-ups and three dimensional paper engineering for theatrical experiences.
Continue reading “Pop Goes the World, Valencia, CA, (guest teacher)”