The Art Form Where
Wood and Cloth Walk and Talk
Part Two
Showcase interviews Omnipresent Puppet Theater
Founded in 2003 in Phoenix, Arizona, Omnipresent Puppet Theater moved to Bakersfield in 2006. Since then under Artistic Director and head puppeteer Don Kruszka, it has delighted the lower San Joaquin Valley with shows at libraries, schools, community events, and theaters. The troupe performs everything from classics such as “Little Red Riding Hood” to the contemporary “Beyond the Heap: A Trash to Treasure Tale,” and from the international “Anansi’s Rainbow” to the holiday-themed “Dude, Where Is My Sleigh?” See part one of this interview in November’s socalwritersshowcase.com. The interview continues below.
Showcase: In your observation, have kids’ expectations and interests changed in the past decade or so, and how?
Kruszka: For young kids, the expectations haven’t changed. They are always willing to give something a chance, although they do ask why I don’t do plays about Spongebob or Sofia the First. The trick is to capture the parents. Some young parents who grew up on mass media have a stigma about live theater being boring or corny. I strive to reach them.
Showcase: What stories work best these days?
Kruszka: There has been a growing trend toward princess stories where I live. Disney has made them vogue over the years. I have produced a few and there are a couple of ideas in development for 2019. They aren’t the only shows I have, but they are very popular.
Showcase: Where do you find your ideas? Standards like Punch & Judy? Do you blend traditional with modern? Do you write your own?
Kruszka: I work mainly for libraries, so I look for my inspiration in fairy tales and traditional stories. I add my own modern twists to them, hoping that the kids will go read the stories for themselves. For instance, in my version of “Puss in Boots,” Puss fights his battles winning people over by playing a banjo instead of dueling with a sword.
Showcase: Do you consider submissions? If writers want to pitch scripts to you, how would they go about it?
Kruszka: I don’t normally consider submissions. I have been given permission to use scripts in the past, but I generally write my own stuff.
Showcase: Anything you’d like to add?
Kruszka: It’s sad that in America, puppets are looked at as just for kids. I have seen some wonderful performances from all over the world, and I’ve tried to produce my own shows, to try and change this perception. It’s an amazing art form that’s still relevant and still creates wonder. And it’s a lot of fun to watch. If you get a chance to catch a puppet show, stop in and check it out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Read more about Omnipresent Puppet Theater
at www.omnipuppets.org.