The Second Annual National Day of Puppetry
April 29, 2000

The Twin Cities Puppeteers at the
Southdale Branch Library
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The second annual National Day of Puppetry took place all over the country on April 29th, and for its part the Twin Cities Puppeteers staged an event at the Southdale Library, a Saturday morning of storytelling and puppet performances. Laura Krentz did a lot of the major coordinating (and did it well).

The morning started out in the Story Room of the Children’s Department, with storytelling by Laura Krentz, Vicky Kline, Diane Rains, and Karen Backes. Erik Esse (of the Galmuph performance troupe) performed a one man tabletop show. Then the puppeteers in that room led a parade into the larger meeting room next door, where the rest of the shows were to be presented.

Otis Rabbit presided as Master of Ceremonies, introducing a hand puppet show by Laura Krentz, a Marionette Show by Kurt Hunter, A ventriloquist performance by David Sleeper, and a Bunraku show/demonstration by members of the Galumph Performance Troupe (Anne Sawyer, Eric Esse and Chris Griffith). In between shows Diane Rain demonstrated shadow puppets, and Vicky Kline showed our audience Javenese Marionettes.

A full morning, an enthusiastic audiece. Good job, everybody.
The participants in the event at the Southdale Branch Library; Laura Krentz is a Children's Librarian there, and was responsible for most of the arrangements.

Above, Laura reading a story, and Vicky Kline, Diane Rains and Karen Backes telling a story with puppets.
Erik Esse, of the Galumph Performance Troupe, performs a one-man tabletop show.
Above, Wayne Krefting and Laura arranged an exhibit in the lobby of the Library. Meanwhile, in the large meeting room, Otis Rabbit introduced the rest of the day's performances: Ventriloquist David Sleeper, Marionette artist, Kurt Hunter, and the Galumph Troupe, demonstrating Bunraku Puppetry.
Laura Krentz also performed a hand puppet show, as did the Forest Floor Players (Wayne Krefting); and in between shows Diane Rains demonstrated Shadow Puppetry and Vicky Kline demonstrated Burmese or Javanese marionettes from her collection.