Good morning
Here at UCONN.
Sunday Marilyn O'Connor Miller, Donna Mark and I did a road trip up to UCONN to the Jorgensen where we Met up with Steven Widerman and Tih who were setting up the Gallery of Puppets attendees of the Festival began schlepping up here. Violet traveled up with Donna and Marilyn while I took her stands and Beatrice the Phoenix. Violet looks amazing in the "Lobby" welcoming visitors to the puppet exhibit as well as an amazing gallery of Photographs by Richard Termine. What a treat to see her as you enter the downstairs area. The Gallery will open today as people were still delivering puppets yesterday. A sneak preview of Cookie monster was enjoyed by us as we were setting up.
Road trip home Sunday night and a return trip for the week Monday.
I arrived later on Monday. Matthew Leonard, our Board President, arrived early and set to distributing the tiny guild buttons depicting our logo flying Violet and WELCOMING all to Connecticut. Hold on to those buttons! The numbers on the back will win someone a basket of puppet goodies later this week. Marilyn O'Connor Miller, Karen Bruce, Jen Barnhart and Adelka Polak helped at the table. The Guild Chair is displayed with our table just outside registration. Marilyn took over while Matthew swooped in for a quick dinner.
Then the evening proceeded with a cross campus trek to the Jorgensen where Bart Roccoberton gave a brief introduction and Thank You to all the folks responsible for this wonderful Event. The audience responded with a loud round of applause.
We were then wowed by a poetic performance by Peter Schumann accompanied by his precocious violin. This transitioned to Captian Boycott performed by Bread and Puppet Theater. An all volunteer cast brought the legendary style of large, mostly paper mache, puppets to life. Narration as well as action encouraged the concern for our planet and standing strong for what is good (and not always comfortable) despite what we are "told" to be best for "the good of all". Listen to your heart. Every individual life has value.
My favorite puppet in the performance was a horse. Very effectively staged with a ladder, a paper horse head, a person on the ladder with a large white fabric stretched from head to tail (articulated with a rope). The rider slung one leg over the fabric as the horse "galloped" along. There is much too much more to describe. Sorry no pictures yet. Did I mention all the puppets were muted tones of flesh and grey?
Matthew's highlight of the day happened at the 10 pm welcome reception when trading cards were offered for purchase. Apparently only 25 were made with a portrait of Frank Ballard. And he got one! I tried to get a picture but his protective instincts barely allowed him to set it down long enough.
And now it is Tuesday........