UCSC Theater Arts Dept. presents Buddhist tales from Southeast Asia
By Scott Rappaport (831) 459-2496; srapp ucsc.

The UCSC Theater Arts Department will present Before Becoming Buddha:
Jataka Tales of the Previous Lives--a collection of Buddhist stories
from Southeast Asia told through music, dance, masks, puppets,
dialogue, and song--May 31 and June 1-3 at the Theater Arts Center
Mainstage.

The show is under the direction of theater arts professor Kathy
Foley, a specialist in Southeast Asian performing arts. UCSC alumnus
Ben Arcangel is the choreographer; and Undang Sumarna, director of
UCSC's West Javanese gamelan ensemble, will direct a live ensemble of
musicians for the production.

Jataka are the stories of the Buddha's previous lives, and they draw
on a wide body of South Asian literature, including important epics
such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata and animal tales from the
Pancatantra.

"I invite audiences into these stories with hopes that they will wish
to take up the message implied by the pictures, puppets, masks, and
singers," said Foley. "Right here and now we can begin a journey
whose ultimate destination is the perfected universe. Music, dance,
and the world of art can embody not just what we are, but that other
we might be."

One of the first foreign artists ever invited to perform wayang
(puppetry) at the Indonesian National Festival of Traditional
Theatre, Foley has been involved in the arts of Sunda, West Java,
since l974. She has performed and lectured throughout the United
States for audiences ranging from the National Geographic Society to
the Santa Cruz artists-in-the-schools program. Foley was a Fulbright
Senior Scholar in Indonesia and has taught annually at Chulalongkorn
University in Bangkok since 2003. She is also editor of the Asian
Theatre Journal.

The evening shows begin at 7 p.m. and the Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $13, general admission, $9 seniors and students w/ID.
UCSC undergraduates are admitted free with valid ID. For more
information, contact the UCSC Ticket Office: (831) 459-2159, or
SantaCruzTickets.com (service charges may apply).
--
Kathy Foley
Professor, Theatre Arts
Editor, Asian Theatre Journal
J-15 Theatre Arts
1156 High St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
tel. (831) 459-4189
fax (831) 459-5359

Guild Presidents, Editors, Directors, Treasurers and Members,

There are ABOUT 2 WEEKS LEFT to guarantee a Program Ad in the PUPPET
RAMPAGE PROGRAM BOOK. For as little as $60, you can speak to every
registrant at the festival and be a part of this celebrated souvenir
forever!

Proclaim your vision!
Pitch Guild ideas!
Announce your website!
Sell your stuff!
Give 'em your card!

Final ads due JUNE 15th. Please contact Kathy Bolch
(skipnstones earthlink dot net) to reserve your ad space today.

Jim Hammond
Director of Marketing
Puppet Rampage 2007
www.puppetrampage2007.org

My apologies to you. May was so busy that the guild newsletter deadline
slipped up on me and passed (yesterday) without my requesting calendar
items, articles, reviews, classifieds, etc. from the guild membership
(YOU!) Sorry about that. I will delay the deadline as long as I can to
accomodate you. Please send your stuff asap.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW RIGHT AWAY IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR THE NEWSLETTER, EVEN
IF IT IS NOT READY YET.
If you are working on something and need more time, please let me know
approximately the size of it and when you think it might be ready. I can
delay the newsletter a bit, but only want to do so if someone is working on
something.

Thanks, and again my apologies for the late notice.

--
Michael Nelson
Newsletter Editor

I just got accepted into the MA Puppetry program at
Central School of Speech & Drama in London. So
exciting!!!! A huge quantum leap for my life over
the next few years, my creative self will take center
stage, in a way that I have never allowed it. For 10
years, I've puppeteered for Folkmanis puppets, and
performed with Gitty Duncan's Puppets & Pie, and
designed some shadow puppets for a Bose project
directed by my dear friend Wendy Morton, but have
never really set aside time to develop my own stories
for the stage. It's beautiful, thrilling, and
overwhelming all the same time - my whole life will
change. And, *Penny Francis* is teaching the program
in London, so you know I'll be in good hands -
yay!!! :)

So, to try to fund my dreams, I'm holding a Coffee
House Night and Art Auction event on Sunday June 24th
from 5 to 8pm in Berkeley, California. It's at a
private home, so let me know if you're interested and
I can send directions. All the proceeds from this
event would go towards helping me raise money to go to
puppet school in London! If you want to bring some
puppets, or if you play a musical instrument - feel
free!! There will be tons of other creative people
there who will want to play with you.

If you can't make it, or don't live in the Bay Area,
you can still pitch in. I don't have family, so I'm
kind of on my own with this project. If you can spare
a little bit to help me build my dreams and get my
puppets on stage in London, please pitch in! Every
little bit helps - $10 could pay for a puppetry
textbook, $25 could pay for some puppet making
supplies, $100 would really help towards getting me a
plane ticket. ($800 might pay for a month's rent in a
shared flat, ha ha - London's a little pricey.)

There's a "ChipIn" feature here
http://www.myspace.com/ravenkaliana that makes it easy
to donate with a credit card through PayPal - plus you
can see pictures of my puppets.

But if that gives you any trouble, this version might
be easier:
http://cedartreestudios.com/

And of course there's the old fashioned method of just
mailing me a check, if you feel inspired...

Raven Kaliana
PO Box 8791
Emeryville CA 94662 USA

Thank you in advance for your support! I will keep
you posted on my progress. I've already gotten a
little puppet-making gig in the UK, though I'm still
right now living in California. I'm
constructing a pair of marionettes for a cabaret act
in London!

Warmly,
Raven

Just a quick clarification on Saturday's guild meeting: The $3.00 suggested
donation for the show is for the general public, not guild members.

Also, we are working on arranging for the June 10 meeting to be held in
Oakland. Mark your calendars.

Dear guild members,
This Sat., May 19 from 3-6pm there will be a performance, workshop and guild
meeting at the Homestead Valley Community Center, 315 Monford Ave (off
Miller) in Mill Valley (map at http://hvca-marin.org ).

*While the show and workshop promise to be worth the trip alone, the meeting
will cover some important issues (and possible changes) for the guild, and
YOUR INPUT IS REQUESTED.*
* *
GENERAL PUBLIC BEING INCLUDED: Your guild has slowly been putting into
place an infrastructure designed to better serve the membership and the art
of puppetry. One change is that more and more guild meetings and events are
being offered and advertised to the general public. Recent meetings have
had attendance that included non-guild members, and some of these new
persons have joined the guild.

PUBLICITY FOR GUILD MEETINGS AND PUPPET EVENTS, TO GUILD MEMBERS AND
PUBLIC: There is a publicity committee now that is exploring ways to
increase the public profile of the guild and of puppetry events in Northern
California. There are plans for an on-line calendar of puppet events that
would be available to the public and to the guild members. It may or may
not be a calendar that anyone can add to or edit.

YOUR GUILD MONEY (DUES AND OTHER INCOME) AND HOW IT IS AND CAN BE SPENT:
Input is needed from the membership about guild spending and who decides it
and to what limits. In the past the guild membership has voted to spend
guild money on various things. In addition, your guild boards have made
some decisions as to how much money to spend for guild meetings and events
and guild business. So far guild boards have been very conservative and in
general had fewer expenses than income. Some board members and guild
members have been considering expanding meeting programming, and doing more
hiring of workshop leaders and possibly performers to provide more exciting
meetings.
Is the guild in favor of this direction? Would you attend more meetings if
the content was of a professional level (thus costing the guild more?)
Does the membership wish to make these cost decisions on a case by case
basis, or allow the board and programming committee to make these decisions
(of both programming and costs) and if the latter, would the membership like
to impose a limit on amounts that the board can decide upon?
As your president my concern is to protect the guild's interests (including
financial), balanced with using the guild assets to provide the guild what
it wants and what serves the members and the art form. Guild meeting
attendance has been low, and I am concerned that spending amounts that could
range from $75-225.00 or more on a guild meeting might not be warranted if
the members are not interested in attending meetings. On the other hand,
members might appreciate the opportunity to work with professionals in a
workshop setting and make a point to attend the meetings/workshops. YOUR
BOARD NEEDS YOUR INPUT AND GUIDANCE. Those of you guild members who do not
attend meetings may wish to express your opinions and concerns by email or
mail, as your voice is not heard at guild meetings where motions are made
and votes taken.
MEMBERS: WHERE DO YOUR PRIORITIES LIE?

GUILD ELECTIONS: Guild elections are coming up in June. Below is the slate
of candidates as it stands now. Thank you to all who volunteered to run, and
those who said they would help out the Board in the coming year. It is not
too late to run for guild office, or join the group of volunteers who make
this guild run. Duties are minimal, and the more that help, the easier it
is for all. The guild is run by its membership; we are a membership
organization. When you volunteer to help out, you relieve the pressure on
the other volunteers, you do your part as a guild member, and you get the
excitement and joy of meeting and working with an exceptional group of
puppet enthusiasts from the Bay Area. Below is information from the
nominating committee:

President Michael Nelson

Co-Vice Presidents Mike Wick & Herbert Lange

Treasurer Valerie Nelson

Secretary Sharon Clay

If a Guild member would like to run for the Board, they can be nominated at
the May meeting. If the member isn't in attendance, they need to check with
the Nominating Committee for qualifications. The person nominating them must
have their written permission. A ballot will be included in the June
newsletter and elections will be held at the June meeting. We welcome
the help and support of every member.

The Nominating Committee: Talib Huff, Mary Decker, Lee Armstrong

*PUPPET SHOW & WORKSHOP*

*"RUMPELSTILTSKIN"** **by** FAIRYTALETHEATER*

*SAT., MAY 19, 3-6 pm*

*HOMESTEAD** VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTER***
*315 Montford Avenue** (off Miller), Mill Valley. Map at
http://hvca-marin.org*
**
*

In RUMPELSTILTSKIN, everything spins around given & broken promises…

Directed by Martin Lessmann, Puppets by Herbert Lange, Costumes by Ingrid
Dela Rosa

Show at 4 PM $3 Donation suggested for show (bring your friends; it's
open to the public!)

Puppeteer Herbert Lange is a speech-language pathologist from Berlin with a
background in stage acting

and a great/lifelong passion for puppets and fairytales. He now resides in
Mill Valley and RUMPELSTILTSKIN

is the 4th production of the Fairytaletheater, established in 2002.
Fairytaletheater has preformed at birthday parties, schools, libraries and
festivals all over the Bay Area and in Milwaukee.

3 PM "Making Puppets Come to Life" Pre Show Puppet Manipulation Workshop

This free workshop is loosely based on the classic book of the same title by
Carol Fijan and Larry Engler. It is
designed for the beginner/intermediate puppeteer & teacher/librarian. Age:
teen to adult, preteen Guild member

"Making Puppets Come To Life" Workshop Leader, Michael Wick

Michael is a TV Puppeteer and puppet/special effects builder. Mike is Head
Builder at Images In Motion. His credits include building on the "Muppets
Christmas Carol" & ILM's Star Wars series and puppeteering on the Matt &
Marcus commercials for Roundtable Pizza and on "Little Leaps" for Leapfrog
Toys. He has taught a variety of puppet courses at Regional and National
puppet festivals.

This event is sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers Guild
5 PM Social & Guild Meeting www.sfbapg.org

The guild meeting will be covering some important guild procedures,
including HOW YOUR GUILD MONEY IS SPENT! Come let your opinions be known.

Please help us to spread the word about PuppetFest MidWest. Forward
this to everyone you think might be interested. Deadlines for this
independent puppet festival are fast approaching!

Thank you, Peter Allen and Debbie Lutzky Allen, Festival Directors

TIMELY PAYMENT DISCOUNT
If you are planning on attending this year's PuppetFest
MidWest (July 10-15, 2007) in Trenton, Missouri, here's how to save
some money. You will save $20 if you send your registration fee in by
June 1, 2007. For more information on PuppetFest MidWest, check our
wonderful website at www.puppetfestival.org.

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BUY AN AD IN OUR PROGRAM BOOK?
From professional performers to beginners, this annual
festival is attracting a variety of puppetry enthusiasts, some of
whom have never before attended a puppetry event. Each participant
will receive a copy of our Festival Book, which will contain
information on performers, performances and workshops.
Share with them the diversity of available puppetry
experiences. We invite you to place an ad in our Festival Book. The
pages are standard letter size ( 8 1/2 by 11 inches). Everyone who
places an ad will receive a free copy of the Festival Book.

Rates:
Full page ad (7 1/2" x 10") - $100
Half page ad (7 1/2" x 4 1/2" ) - $75
Quarter page ad (4 1/2" x 3 1/2") - $50

Ad deadline is June 1, 2007. Checks should be made out to PuppetFest
MidWest. Mail (or email)
your camera-ready copy to:
PuppetFest MidWest
PO Box 14
Jamesport, MO 64648
email: dlpallen grm dot net

PLEASE RSVP very soon if you are planning to attend Roger Mara's
memorial celebration!

**********************

A Celebration of Roger Mara's Life
October 20, 1952 - January 15, 2007

We are glad to announce a gathering for the celebration of Roger
Mara's life. Friends, Family, Cohorts, and Fellow Puppeteers are all
welcome! Please spread the word!

Saturday, May 26th
11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Fireside Room, Lucie Stern Center
1305 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301

We have stories to share, puppets to see, friends to meet, songs to
sing, and video of Roger's work.

Since sandwiches and snacks will be served, it would be great if we
could get an approximate head count.... please email Elizabeth Luce:
elizabeth lucedesigns dot com if you are planning
on coming. (Don't let it stop you if from coming if you forget to
respond, however!)

We look forward to seeing you there!!!

The information on the play "East of the Sun & West of the Moon" came from the Theater Department at the Santa Rosa Junior College. The play is at the Burbank Auditorium, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.

Correction!!!! The nomination for Guild Secretary should read Sharon Clay, not Sharon Lande. This is my error and I apologize for any confusion.
Sincerely
Lee Armstrong
Part of the Guild Nominating Committee

Don't let your kids miss these
HUGE PUPPETS and CREEPY TROLL MASKS!

The Theatre Arts Department
is proud to present

East of the Sun and West of the Moon
Adapted by Tina Howe

A full-length family show recommended for age seven and up. Contains trolls.

The entire department is involved in creating this "Lion King-like" extravaganza. The Puppetry Class is creating everything from Trolls to Giant Wind puppets using techniques from Asian Theatre. The Makeup Class is creating extravagant masks and prosthetics for the actors. The Stagecraft Class is building the Norwegian Woods and making an actor fly ! The Properties Class is building a Giant Bear and fanciful food props. The Costume Class is building the stunning fairy-tale costumes.

"Once upon a time, far to the North, there lived a kind and beautiful girl named Tove whose greedy family gave her away to an enormous white bear in exchange for a great fortune." So begins this magical Norwegian fairy tale adapted by award-winning U.S. playwright Tina Howe and brought to life in a stunning production fusing Eastern and Western theatrical styles. Filled with surprises like wonderfully nasty trolls and a bewitched prince, Tove's journey to the four corners of the world is a great adventure for the whole family.

WHEN: April 27, 28 and May 2, 3, 4, 5 at 8PM
May 5 at 2PM, May 6 at 3PM

WHERE: Burbank Auditorium

Buy tickets ONLINE!
(really, we mean it this time)
www.santarosa.edu/theatrearts
Unfortunately we are not able to process vouchers online.

TICKETS: Call: 527-4307
Burbank Box Office: WThF 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM, and one hour before the show
General $15
Seniors (62 and over) & Students $10
Youth (12 and under) $8
All Faculty, Staff, and Associated Student members receive one FREE ticket. Pick up your voucher in Pioneer Hall during regular business hours. Prior to performance date bring the voucher to our Burbank box office to receive your ticket.

Directed by Wendy Wisely
Music Composed by Janis Wilson
Costumes, Puppets, Makeup, Masks, and Hair Design by Maryanne Scozzari
Set Design by Peter Crompton
Light Design by Theo Bridant
Sound Design by Tony Melin
Mask and Movement Training by Eliot Fintushel
Properties Design by Julia Kwitchoff
Production Manager Celeste Thomas

Happy May Day to all of you Guild Members,
Your May Guild Newsletter should be on the website and available for
download at http://www.sfbapg.org/newsletter/archives/000828.html#more
If it is not there now, please check back later today or tomorrow (trying to overcome some possible glitches, but it´s on the way!) Or try going to the newsletter section from the guild welcome page http://www.sfbapg.org - Once you get to the newsletter you will find articles about upcoming meetings (May 19, June 10), DVDs produced by guild members, a tour of a puppet center in Spain, puppets changing lives, most unusual audience story, guild election nominations open, former guild member on tour around the world and much more!
Enjoy!

your editor,
Michael Nelson