THE SAD ADVENTURES OF MOOKEY

In high school I worked on our local school newspaper. There were a couple of cool journalisim eggheads there that I hung out with. We adopted sort of an unofficial mascot, who was an eggplant named Mookey. Soon Mookey became one of the boys.

Then one day Mookey went missing. After a couple of tense days I found the following Polaroid inside my school locker.

Life can be cruel when youre a teenager.

POOH

A few weeks ago, I got to puppeteer a very wonderful production of Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts Winnie the Pooh at The Dallas Children's Theatre. One of their regular puppeteers was due to leave town for the weekend, so I got to step in and cover for her.

This was my second production with the troupe, and working with them is always a pure delight and extreme challenge. They have very high standards an it would only be my second go at puppetering.



This show was 100 percent marionettes from start to finish. Standing on a elevated platform maneuvering little creatures from eight feet of string is an exact and tiring experience. The movements must be fluid, subtle and clear.



Working with such dedicated professionals is demanding and nerve-racking. Fortunately, they are also the most accommodating and nurturing folk I've ever worked with. They are: Douglass Burks, Sally Fiorello, Becky Keenan, Kathy Burks, Patricia Long and B. Wolf.

Both Patricia and Douglass were so wonderful and patient as they trained me for the weekend of shows. I learned a LOT.



History of these Marrionettes:
In 1926, A.A. Milne wrote a book about his son, Christopher Robin, and Christopher's favorite stuffed animal, a bear named Winnie the Pooh.



In 1930, Sue Hastings of Sue Hastings Marionettes in New York made marionettes of Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Tigger, Kanga and Roo. The marionettes are based on E.H. Shepard's original illustrations.



The puppets were so popular that first lady Eleanor Roosevelt brought them in for a performance in 1937 in the White House for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and their grandchildren. In the 1950s, Pooh became a television star on the Tapper Rabbit and Mr. Frog show on WFAA-TV.



In the 70s, a local artist purchased Pooh and friends and started her own company, Kathy Burks Marionettes. The company was later renamed Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts. It would become the oldest continuously performing puppet theater in the Southwest.



Over time, the puppets needed repair. Roo and Rabbit were replaced.



In the '80s, Kathy retired the delicate creatures

Twenty years later, here they are performing again! Needless to say, the age of the marionettes made me even more nervous. Eeyore was especially tough- he must have weighed nearly 20 pounds. Imagine maneuvering a 20 pounds eight feet in the air with six strings attached to wooden control. Takes lotsa arm strength.

Despite all of my worrying, I had the time of my life. And I sure can't wait to do it again!

TRUTH