The Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre

The Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre was launched in 1990 with the first solo performance by puppeteer, Vít Hořejš, at Jan Hus Church on East 74th Street in New York City, the old Czech neighborhood. A senior member of the audience remarked that a puppet theater had once existed at Jan Hus when she was a child, but she was not sure what had happened to the marionettes. Curiosity led Horejs to the church office, and an administrator showed him to the attic, where in an old chest there was a huge set of puppets, some possibly as much as 180 years old.[1] The company's first New York season, in 1990 showcased “Johannes Dokchtor Faust, a Petrifying Puppet Comedye” from a traditional Czechoslovakian puppet script.[2] Since the debut of "Faust", many productions have been presented in New York City venues including La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club,[3][4][5][6] and also, in the U.S., in venues more than 30 states. The company has also performed around the world in Poland, the Czech Republic,[1] Turkey[7] and Pakistan.

Productions

  • The Twelfth Night [3]
  • Once There Was a Village[8]
  • The Life and Times of Lee Harvey Oswald[9]
  • Don Juan, or The Wages of Debauchery[5]
  • The Prose of the Transsiberian and of the Little Joan of France[6]
  • Johannes Dokchtor Faust[2]
  • Rusalka, the Little Rivermaid[10]
  • Golem[11]
  • Peter Pan[12]
  • The Very Sad Story of Ethel & Julius, Lovers and Spyes, and about Their Untymelie End while Sitting in a Small Room at the Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y.[13]
  • The Bass Saxophone
  • Hamlet[14]
  • The Historye of Queen Ester, King Ahasverus, and the Haughty Haman[15]
  • Czech Tales with Strings[16]
  • The White Doe, Or, The Piteous Trybulations of the Sufferyng Countess Jenovéfa
  • A Christmas Carol, OY! Hanukkah, Merry Kwanzaa
  • Snehurka, The Snow Maiden
  • Twelve Iron Sandals
  • Mr. M.[17]
  • Revolution?![18]

References

BWW News Desk, Off-off Broadway World, Thursday, April 28, 2011,'Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater's "Mr. M" moves to JCC in Manhattan May 5 to 8" [19]

Anita Gates, The New York Times November 20, 2009 "Gender Switch in Illyria, With Players 8 Inches Tall" [20]

Mattew Gurewitsch, The New York Times, November 4, 2007 "Shakespeare in the Round-and-Round" [21]

  1. ^ a b Willoughby, Ian (1 August 2008). "The Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre". Radio Prague International. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Johannes Dokchtor Faust - Czech Center New York". New-york.czechcentres.cz. 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  3. ^ a b Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, November 16, 2009, "DOLL FACE"
  4. ^ Jerry Tallmer, The Villager, June 2, 2004 "Marionette theater tackles Oswald"
  5. ^ a b "Don Juan". Lamama.org. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  6. ^ a b "La MaMa E.T.C". Lamama.org. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  7. ^ "Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater". Nytheatre-wire.com. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  8. ^ "Slavs of New York!: Czechoslovak American Marionette Theatre: Once There Was A Village". Nycslav.blogspot.com. 2006-08-21. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  9. ^ "Marionette theater tackles Oswald". Thevillager.com. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  10. ^ Children's Events. New York Magazine. 1994-10-10. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
  11. ^ "1996 Project Grants". The Jim Henson Foundation. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
  12. ^ "2002 – Project Grants". The Jim Henson Foundation. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  13. ^ "Czech Marionette version of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night". Jsnyc.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25.
  14. ^ Adam Rathe, The Brooklyn Paper November 24, 2007 "Prince's Puppets"
  15. ^ "Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre". Theatre Without Borders. 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  16. ^ "Event Calendar". Musiccenter.org. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  17. ^ "Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater in Mr. M". Theater for the New City. 2011-05-01. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  18. ^ "Print Czech-American Marionette Theatre Ends Run of REVOLUTION!, 3/21". Offoffbroadway.broadwayworld.com. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06.
  19. ^ "Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater's Mr. M Moves to JCC May 5–8". Offoffbroadway.broadwayworld.com. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  20. ^ Gates, Anita (2009-11-20). "Theater Review - 'Twelfth Night (or What You Will)' - At La MaMa, Gender Switch in Illyria, at 8 Inches Tall - NYTimes.com". Theater.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
  21. ^ Gurewitsch, Matthew (2007-11-04). "Shakespeare in the Round-and-Round - New York Times". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-10-22.