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  location in Midtown Atlanta Show map of Atlanta Midtown Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta) Show map of Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts (Georgia) Show map of Georgia Center for Puppetry Arts (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Established | 1978 |
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| Location | 1404 Spring Street NW Atlanta,Georgia |
| Coordinates | 33°47′33″N84°23′23″W / 33.792494°N 84.38985°W /33.792494; -84.38985 |
| Founder | Vincent Anthony |
| Public transit access | Arts Center station |
| Website | www |
TheCenter for Puppetry Arts, located inAtlanta, is the United States' largest organization dedicated to the art form ofpuppetry. The center focuses on three areas: performance, education, and museum. It is one of the few puppet museums in the world. The center is located inMidtown, the city's arts district. It was founded in 1978 by Vincent Anthony.
The Center for Puppetry Arts opened to the public on September 23, 1978, whenKermit the Frog and his creatorJim Henson cut theceremonial ribbon.
A young puppeteer fromFlorida, Vincent Anthony, began touring with NicoloMarionettes under the tutelage of Nicholas Coppola-based out ofNew York City. By 1966, he was ready for a smaller community where he could be an active partner and make a difference. Together with Mitchell Edmonds, with whom he'd worked at Nicolo, they decided to move to Atlanta to create their own company - The Vagabond Marionettes. Vince's vision was to create a center that would promote puppetry and become a vital part of the community. They created a successful touring company that traveled around the southeast and presented several seasons at Atlanta'sWoodruff Arts Center. In 1978, Anthony found a permanent home in the former Spring Street Elementary School and the center was born. That first season, the center mounted anexhibition of puppets, presented shows for adults and families, and hosted community-based workshops and activities that continue to this day.
Since its inception, the center has worked to serve the diverse populations of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and the country at large. The Center reaches the community through its focus on core programming: performance, museum and education.
On July 25, 2007, the center announced the opening of a new Jim Henson Wing, which houses anywhere from 500 to 700 retired Muppets, including those fromFraggle Rock,The Muppet Show, andSesame Street. The new wing also includes films, sketches, and other materials from theJim Henson Company archives. The wing, which is a part of the center's new building, opened November 14, 2015.[1][2]
Each year the Center for Puppetry Arts presents the Family Series, a collection of adapted classicstories and new works performed in a variety of puppetry styles by the center company. Past shows have included an adaptation ofThe Shoemaker & The Elves set in 1940s Manhattan, Jon Ludwig'sDinosaurs, andThe Ghastly Dreadfuls' Compendium of Graveyard Tales and Other Curiosities, a Halloween-themed variety show. Family Performances are made up of shows that the center's company creates/performs, as well as other artists from around the world. National traveling puppetry troupes set up shop at the center during SummerFest and perform a variety of works for families. Included with many Family Performances is a Create-A-Puppet workshop that relates to the show.
The Center for Puppetry Arts also has the New Directions Series which features teen and adult-oriented shows by Atlanta artists and visiting companies. The New Directions Series are known for being more thought-provoking and visually appealing. Each show has a recommended age limit for those attending.
Film Series consists of "classic movies, hidden gems, and contemporary productions." While they are not performances they are productions related to puppetry.
In addition to presenting productions, the center offers a variety of classes and workshops for adults and children alike. Create-A-Puppet Workshops, offered in conjunction with Family Series performances, encourage children to build a puppet of their own that is related to the show. Adults can learn more about different aspects of puppetry in the Adult Education Series. And the Distance Learning program reaches students across the U.S. with avirtual field trip experience. Now many programs and workshops are also available online by recorded playback and live webinar.
The center's museum and special exhibits presentpuppets from various time periods and countries around the world. Exhibitions of puppets are considered essential to enhance understanding and appreciation of performances. TheWorlds of Puppetry Museum includes the world's largest collection of Jim Henson artifacts and represents one of the largest collections of global puppetry artifacts in the hemisphere. Puppets in the collection includeWayland Flowers' Madame,The Little Players,Skeksis from the filmThe Dark Crystal, two of the mask prototypes created byJulie Taymor for theBroadway smash-hit,The Lion King,Tom Servo andCrow T. Robot fromMystery Science Theater 3000, andJim Henson'sMuppetsRowlf the Dog,Ernie,Swedish Chef, Pigs In Space, andDr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The Museum includes a library of puppetry art.[3]
TheFord Foundation selected the center as one of 28 national organizations to be recognized for success in management and innovative programs. TheKresge Foundation awarded the center three different grants to support its capital campaigns. The center was also the only theater group chosen by the 1996 Olympics to participate in all four years of its arts festival program, garnering recognition fromNewsweek as "one of the most exciting companies in American theater." In 2008, the education department of the center received theMicrosoft Education Award, as a Laureate of the2008 Tech Museum Awards.[4] The center has been awarded theUNIMA Citation of Excellence, puppetry's highest award, 13 distinct times.[5]
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