PuppetFest MidWest will once again be held on the campus of North Central Missouri College in Trenton on July 8-13.
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A puppet exhibit and puppet shows five nights in a row are some of the highlights of this annual, independent puppetry festival. The event is funded by the Rumpelstiltskin Society, a not-for-profit corporation created to inspire, strengthen and renew commitment to good puppet theatre.
Puppet enthusiasts travel from all over the U.S. and Canada to visit north central Missouri and to attend PuppetFest MidWest. Festival registrants stay in the NCMC dorms and attend an entire week of puppetry workshops taught by some of the best puppeteers in North America. Workshops this year include puppet construction and manipulation. There are also workshops for educators and beginning puppeteers. These workshops are limited to registered participants. Persons interested in puppetry may register for this week-long event. For information, persons can go to www.puppetfestival.org or call 660-684-6825.
Events open to the general public include a puppet exhibit and evening puppet shows.
The puppet exhibit opens at the Dorris Rider Art Gallery on the NCMC campus at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9, with a special “Meet the Artists” session. This provides visitors a chance to ask the artists how these puppets are made and manipulated. The puppet exhibit will be also be open to the public on Thursday and Friday, July 11-12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, July 13 from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteers will be there to answer your questions about the puppet exhibit.
Admission to the exhibit is free, but donations will be accepted. Large groups such as church/fraternal organizations, scouts or Red Hat ladies are encouraged to reserve a guided tour. Persons can contact festival personnel to reserve a tour.
The puppet exhibit will feature a Wall of Remembrance for George Latshaw, puppeteer, author and editor. While persons may not know the name, they will have seen his work. He was the puppeteer who manipulated Carrot Top in the MGM film, “Lili.” On exhibit will be examples of his puppets, on loan from Paul Mesner of Kansas City, as well as copies of his book and play “Pinocchio.”
This year PuppetFest MidWest presents five remarkable performances. A different puppet show will be staged Tuesday through Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Hoover Theater, located on the third floor of the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library. General admission is $5.
These performances are for adults and children 6 years of age and older. For more information about PuppetFest MidWest, persons can check online at www.puppetfestival.org or call 660-684-6825.
This year’s event is funded in part by the Missouri Arts Council.