Content area
Full Text
Members
Editor
Consultant Nancy Staub
As part of the millenium merriment, it seemed a good idea to celebrate the fact that women have participated equally with men in the vigorous visibility of puppetry in America. One of my consultants applauded the thought, but she declined to participate in the project, citing the earthquake of indignation that would surely shake, rattle, and roll over the organization from female forces whose names were not remembered for the list. Fair enough! [We all know how the air raid sirens go off over the term ''master puppeteer.'']
Refusing to quiver over the possibilities of pique, I generated a list, and it was very long (92 names). To be on the safe side, I sent the list to Nancy Staub for comment, and she noted that there were many categories, and no criteria for making selections, but she did add 36 names that I had overlooked. Hmmm, this was turning out to be tougher than I thought! Good Idea #2. Why not turn to the members of P of A? They could submit names adding a sentence or two describing the woman's role in puppetry, and if there were any sins of omission, I could blame ''them.'' The familiar anonymous ''they'' would be at fault. [What a childish ploy!]
A small number of readers did participate and added names that had not appeared on any of the previous lists -- a real bonus! So, for better or for worse, we submit this salute to women in puppetry. Some names have I.D.s for the work they did, some do not. Some names are living, some names are from the past. If you do not recognize some on the list, perhaps it is worth finding out who they are -- for they all helped to create the legacy of acceptance we now enjoy.
-- George Latshaw, Retiring Editor
EDITH FLACK ACKLEY wrote an early book called Marionettes, Easy to Make; Fun to Use with patterns for making muslin marionettes, stuffed with cotton, with charming embroidered faces.
PAM ARCIERO is very talented and nice. She has done Quagmier & Emma on Eureeka's Castle and Lindy on Allegra's Window, both on Nickelodeon.
MICKEY ARONOFF was Special Needs Consultant for the Scottish Mask...