PUPPET WORKSHOP SUMMARY 1970-1993
The Puppet Workshop Summary 1970-1993 By Marc Kohler 401-286-2221
marcwkohler.com Youtube Channel: Marc Kohler Mailing Address:168 Armistice Blvd, Pawtucket,RI 02860
The Puppet Workshop was created in 1970 when I worked at the City of Providence Recreation Department. It was my work as a Conscientious Objector, and I worked as a puppeteer, performing puppet shows in all schools in Providence–public, private, and parochial.
In 1972, we formed a non-profit educational 501(C)3 organization, The Puppet Workshop. In 1977, I got a patent on a puppet that we invented to workshops in street settings. From then until 1993, we made over 25,000 of these “Puffets” with children, adults, and special needs participants. There are over forty performances listed below, I am still looking for additional pieces. It was not until 2014, when ai tied to express and get a sense of why the puppets worked so well in our workshops, and how they could form the basis for a new uses of puppet making in educational and therapeutic settings. Here are some videos that will show you what we were all about: Here are some of the people who contributed to the success of The Puppet Workshop and have moved on to careers in the arts:
Kevin Lima Director Enchanted, Tarzan, 101 Dalmatians 2, and more.
Gina Melone V-P for Electronic Toys at Hasbro
Bob Doucette Painter
Stephen Snyder, Producer for The World, WGBH Musician
Stephen Jobe Recently Resident musician at Trinity Square Repertory Co,
David Ely Retired Drama and Theater Teacher at The :Lincoln School, Providence. RI
A.J. Morse, Art Teacher Providence Public School Department
Section 1: Teaching the Art of Puppetry:
2014 Talk about using puppets in educational and therapeutic settings: PofA Regional Festival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXqnxtwppIg&t=69s Article from UNIMA Magazine: http://www.marcwkohler.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=908&action=edit Draft Introduction to the Kohler Puppetry Method:: http://www.marcwkohler.com/?page_id=618
Puppet Making Workshops:
Special Needs work:
Over the years, we did all sorts of workshops and classes in puppetry and masks.
12 Week Class in Puppetry for adults (School Teachers, Public, arts coordinators)
Found Object Puppets
Rod Puppets
Foam Puppets (Designed by Jim McPherson)
“Tube” Foam Puppets
Marionettes
Shadow Puppets
5 Bucket Masks
Papier Mache Puppets and masks (Multiple sessions)
Educational One-Person Presentations Better Understanding through Guidance in Schools and other Educational Programs
-—The Need for Rules and Authority Bad Day for Gary Bug at Bugtropolis Rules and authority https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTuu_ZtYGaI
—-Peer Pressure The Bugglelink (No video)
——Ethnic Backgrounds The Calliope no video
—-Dealing with Divorce Escape to the Forest no video
Full Company Shows
—The Landing of the Schlunk Full company version. Puppets by Jim McPherson and Norman Johnson Music by Bri Brissette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nQgf8TFFEs&t=599sv=9nQgf8TFFEs&t=599s
Presentations not video taped
—-The Landing of the Schlunk Two person version. Puppets by Marc Kohler and Kevin Lima. Music by Bri Bressette
–—Nolan the Mole and the Molar Mystery Puppets by Norman Johnson, Jim McPherson, and Kevin Lima. Music and lyrics by Bri Brissette
——Beauty and the Beast by Erminio Pinque and Garland Farwell Music by Stephen Snyder
—-Kingdom Without a King Puppets by Kevin Lima Costumes by Norman Johnson Music by Stephen Snyder
—-Hanukkah Presentation: A Brighter Light with music by Mychal Gendron. Commissioned by Temple Habonin, Barrington, RI
—-Purim Presentation The Story of Esther Commissioned by Temple Habonin An audio tape exists of this show.
—-Chicken Man based on Chicken Man by Michelle Edwards commissioned by R.I. Jewish Community Center, Providence, RI
—-Economic Education: Dollars and Sense Commissioned by the RI Center for Economic Education.
—Midsummer Night’s Dream Puppet designs by Kevin Lima Music by Mychal Gendron
—-The Love Mop Take off of Midsummer Night’s Dream
—-RI History: The Kidnapping of General Prescott Commissioned by RI BiCentennial Commission
—Halloween Traditions The Gork
—-Middle School Social Studies: The Revolution Show Commissioned by the Barrington, RI Middle School
—Middle School Social Studies: Greek Myths: The Story of Persephone Commissioned by the Barrington, RI Middle School
