COVID-2020

MINI-RESIDENCY GRANTS 2020

The Jim Henson Foundation has awarded 6 grants to theaters to support “Mini-Residencies” for puppet artists.  Each theater chose artists who they are excited to work with. Please see below to learn about these artists and their projects.

NYC
These theaters received a $5,000 grant from The Jim Henson Foundation plus a $10,000 donation from Cheryl Henson.

Dixon Place has awarded four puppetry residencies that are taking place between October 2020 and March 2021. With the artists’ process, needs, and timelines being so different, the residencies are customized. Artists will receive $3,000 each, plus use of our theater, studio and other DP resources such as administrative and technical support, video equipment, IT platforms, etc. DP selected four exceptional artists who are deeply committed to the art of puppetry, each with very diverse work, backgrounds, and perspectives. Nehprii Amenii will continue her summer/fall residency, which is focused on documenting her process and the further development of HUMAN. Maria Camia will ramp up the development of her DP commission NEW MONY, hopefully for a spring production. Joseph Lymous will use this residency for the fabrication of puppets, costumes, and masks, and consultations with numerous artistic collaborators for the development of a new work. And Sifiso Mabena is taking this opportunity to develop a new work: [sunflower], which explores her experience of the modern African diaspora, and to continue her investigation of Afro-Surrealism.

HERE’s Dream Music Puppetry program is excited to use this funding opportunity to provide puppeteers with additional resources and support to develop projects during this time when we cannot yet host indoor public performances. To accomplish this, Dream Music Puppetry Program has hand-selected five artists to initiate and create new adult puppetry work during this fall and winter. Like most Dream Music work, the pieces cover a range of themes around the human condition and our existence at this moment in history. They also incorporate music and reflect a range of puppetry techniques, choreography, and object work. Our artists range from the veteran to the newcomers and they are: Lake Simons, Sara Outing, Andrew Gaukel, Christopher Williams and Tau Bennett.  Each artist is working with DMPP leaders, Basil Twist and Barbara Busackino to tailor their residencies both in the theatre and offsite over these 5 months.

This fall, La MaMa launches our 59th Season, “Breaking It Open,” which will explore how new works are created, performed, and experienced during a pandemic. The season revolves around development residencies that are customized to the specific needs and processes of each artist. As we experience the social and economic consequences of COVID-19, La MaMa is reimagining how we use our resources to support artists. Each residency is customized to suit the artist, their unique vision, and where they are at in their creative work. Residents will have access to our broadcast studios, rehearsal studios, and online technical support. We hope that some of these explorations will develop work that may be premiered in an upcoming season. We plan to provide opportunities for the resident artists to interact. We find that when emerging and established artists are together, they learn from each other and these interactions can inform all of their work. Through the generosity of Cheryl Henson and The Jim Henson Foundation La MaMa has invited five puppeteers to participate in our 59th season residency program.

NATIONAL
These theaters received a $5,000 grant from The Jim Henson Foundation.

Automata will host a series of three in-depth individual artist residencies during Fall/Winter 2020-21. These two to four week residences will support the development of new object performance and puppetry projects. Automata will provide each Resident Artist with full use of our space, an artist fee, general technical support, and a small materials budget. Each artist will offer a public online event that could take the form of an artist talk, performance, documentation, or other form that supports each artist’s process.

Open Eye Theatre will be supporting a redevelopment workshop and two-week public performance of BUG GIRL, a gothic shadow-puppetry show created by Liz “Howls” Schachterle and a puppetry team composed of Oahn Vu, Liping Vong, and Karly Bergmann. Additionally, this winter Open Eye will commission two “first draft” development workshops for new 30-minute puppetry shows for our summer Driveway Tour program. The DWT workshops will feature BIPOC-led artistic teams creating new shows centering lead characters of color, supported by Open Eye with mentorship, artist stipends, and free workshop and rehearsal space.

Puppet Showplace Theater will build on the successful model that was created this past summer for the Black Puppeteers Empowerment Grant to provide residencies for artists of color.


EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR PUPPET THEATERS 2020

The Jim Henson Foundation awarded 20 grants to theaters to help them through the COVID-19 crisis. As we continue to fund the creation of new works of live puppetry, we worry about the theaters where these shows will be presented. The Foundation chose 10 theaters in New York City that are committed to presenting puppetry within their programming and 10 puppet theaters across the country to acknowledge with these grants. I look forward to a time when we can gather together again to see live puppet theater.  Please take a look at the wonderful institutions below and consider making a donation. 

Thank you,
Cheryl Henson

 10 New York City Theaters committed to Puppetry – $5,000

La MaMa
New York, NY

Dixon Place
New York, NY

The Tank
New York, NY

Flushing Town Hall
Flushing, NY

Symphony Space
New York, NY

Teatro SEA
New York, NY

 10 Puppet Theaters across the United States - $5,000

Automata
Los Angeles, CA

Open Eye Theatre
Minneapolis, MN