Puppet Slam in U.S.A. West Coast

On the past 12^th of October Santa Rosa, California celebrated a Puppet Slam. The event was organized by Mary Nagler, a veteran puppeteer with an ample curriculum under her belt, both as constructor for cinema and television as well as a performer with her own shows.

Thenight was a deliciously rich mixture of the intimate, family orientated and the underground echoed by the romantic setting that hosted the event; an old red brick and wooden building situated alongsidetrain tracks.

The paper theatre of Little Blue Moon delighted the audience with sketches based on erotic, ironic and poetic short stories that included an explanation of the Karma Sutra poses using shadow puppets.

The puppet company Independent eye presented a short five minute show infused with dark humor that portrayed a poor, ill-fated puppet making his farewell performance before he was bustled away by a bossy puppet nurse.

There were some who made the most of the opportunity of the cabaret to present their new creations and shows, such as Kevin Menegus.

Little blue moon theatre.

Also there were those such as Jennifer Chadwick whodelighted in performing for the first time on the stage, in collaboration with their tutor, Mary Nagler, who also participated together with KamelaPortuges and Lee Armstrong presenting a sketch called ‘Monster under the bed’ usingAmerican Muppet characters.

Mary Nagler.

In amongst this creative ambience was to be found, by chance, an Italian puppeteer Andrea Lorenzetti who, although travelling in America without his puppets, couldn’t resist the temptation to participate with some improvised characters home made for the occasion out of two bottles of IPA pale ale.

Puppet Slam.

This puppet slam exemplifies the importance of interchange through the meeting up and sharing of ideas, that lies at the roots of the puppeteer profession. Americans seem to understand this very well, judging by both the variety of the spirited performances and the ample turn out of the audience to be found at puppet slams such as this, be it on the east or west coast.

The Company ‘Little Blue moon theatre’ organizes similar puppet gatherings that they call ‘The Forbidden Puppet Cabaret’  and there will be an opportunity to join in and celebrate the next one in Vallejo, California on the 9^th of November, that should not be missed!

Andrea Lorenzetti.

For more information:

http://magicalmoonshine.org/chaos.htm

For more information over the companys:
www.whorlsofwonder.com
http://www.independenteye.org
http://www.magicalmoonshine.org/bluewelcome.htm
http://www.andrealorenzetti.wordpress.com/