Masters of puppets
by Jim Crawford

ANTHEM – There's no age limit when it comes to liking puppets. They appeal to people of all ages.

Most of us grew up with "Sesame Street" and "The Muppets." They've been around long enough to be a part of popular culture.

No, Miss Piggy and Kermit are not real. Elmo and the Cookie Monster aren't either. But, it seems, generation after generation of children embrace and enjoy these plush, likeable puppets.

Flags would probably fly at half mast around the world if Kermit were ever to expire.

"Puppets are more popular today than they have been in a long time," says Nancy Smith, co‑founder of Great Arizona Puppet Theater. "We all watch TV. And of course, they're never out of favor with children."

Smith and her fellow puppeteers will be entertaining audiences Jan. 12‑14 during the third annual Festival of Fine Arts in Anthem.

"We'll be doing ‘Little Red Hen,'" she says. "It's a one‑person show. It really appeals to pre‑kindergarten through second‑graders, but it's especially fun when parents come with their kids and everybody sings along and joins in."

Some shows require as many as five puppeteers. There are different styles such as rod puppets that are moved on long rods from under the stage. Puppeteers control marionette puppets by strings, and then there are hand puppets.

It's not easy being a puppeteer, says Lisa Haslbauer, a puppeteer at GAPT.

"People think we just get up there and do our thing," she says. "I think it takes more concentration than regular acting. You are acting for the puppet, not yourself.

Puppeteering is an ancient art form. It goes back thousands of years."

You can even get a graduate degree in puppeteering.

"I went to the University of Connecticut and earned a master's in puppeteering," Haslbauer says. "I've been doing it about 13 years. I grew up with Sesame Street and I got into it in college when I was taking a course in anthropology and we were studying Indonesian culture and their use of puppets. I was taking theater classes also and thought I might like to give puppets a try."

The waiting list to get in the UConn graduate program is long Haslbauer says.

"It's a lot of work," she says. "We took classes in puppeteering and traced different origins back as far as we could. We made our own puppets, created the sets, lighting, sound, everything. It wasn't all puppets. It was basic theater. We included all disciplines."

GAPT performs year‑round at its headquarters on West Latham Street in Phoenix.

"We have daily shows," Smith says. "And when we do a show at a school, we do educational programs such as a water conservation show. We have ‘puppet slams,' which are adult shows. We always say we love kids, so don't bring them to these shows. Some of the material might be a little off‑color or the kids just wouldn't get it."

Haslbauer really gets a kick out of the audience's reaction during a performance.

"It's all fun, but I really like to see the audience have a good time," she says. "I worked in TV for a while and it's not the same. I love a live audience."

The Little Red Hen does, too.

The Great Arizona Puppet Theater is located at 302 W. Latham St. in Phoenix. Call (602) 262‑2050 for information or visit www.azpuppets.org.

The Festival of Fine Arts in Anthem will take place Jan. 12‑14 in the Anthem Community Center located one mile east of I‑17 at Exit 229. Cost of the festival is $3 per person per day for ages 13 and older. Children 12 and younger are admitted free. For more information call (623) 680‑5815 or visit www.northvalleyfinearts.com.