Perspectives

In January 1999, Puppet Art Theater traveled to New York City with their show "Perspectives," where it made its Off-Broadway premiere. "Perspectives" has also toured on the East Coast, in California and in South Korea. The video clip on the right features the entire first "scene" of the production.

Below is a review of "Perspectives" featured in The Puppetry Journal.

Puppetry from Here to There
Programs from The National Puppetry Conference at the Here Theatre, NYC
by Larry Engler

On January 20 to 24, 1999 New Yorkers were treated to six performances of "Puppetry from There to Here" . . . new works created and performed by artists of The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Puppetry Conference in their New York City Debut at The Here Theatre, under the auspices of The Dream Music Puppetry Program, Basil Twist and Barbara Busackino, directors. How lucky we were to be able to see pieces developed over the last eight years by artists from all over the country. Performers came in from at least ten states that I counted in the program credits, from California to Connecticut, as well as from China and Taiwan.

Program A opened with a piece called "Perspectives," which was written and directed by Art Grueneberger, a California-based artist, with original music composed and played (with two other musicians) by Bobbie Nidzgorski, the general manager of the Puppetry Conference. This is a charming parable involving two yellow, fleece "Bunraku" style puppets. The two figures, around 24" tall, are simple and doll like human forms, without costumes, hair, or even facial features, except for the eyes on one and a nose on the other. The story is about their ability to perceive the beauty of flowers through only the sense of smell and sight. In the course of the piece, the figures exchange their nose and eyes, and get to experience the flowers from the other's point of view. This was a piece with a great deal of warmth and humor, beautifully realized and performed gracefully by Matt Middleton, Marc Petrosino, Russell Tucker, Carl Wieting, and Derron Wood, all hooded and dressed in black, in classic Japanese style. "Perspectives," which has been presented at Puppet Festivals in California and South Korea, starts with a uniquely puppetry oriented concept, and explores it in many directions. The use of live music written for the piece added to its whimsical color and mood.