SFBAPG meeting of August 26th was held at Oakland’s Fairyland, commemorating the 50th anniversary
of Fairyland and the “Grand Opening” of the remodeled puppet workshop and stage..
The meeting was preceded by a viewing of a video taken by Lee Armstrong at the 26th Annual Puppet
Faire -in 1988. On that date 1433 people attended the Puppet Faire.
The meeting was called to order at 5:15 p.m. by Mike Wick and Elisheva Hart, co-vice Presidents for the
2006-2007 Guild year.
They conveyed the greetings from Mike and Valerie Nelson who were unable to attend today’s festivities
because they are moving.
They thanked everyone who helped with the Puppet Faire: the Johnsons for their Puppet Petting Zoo. Tia
and Elisheva who did crafts. Mary Decker who manned the table of “recycled puppets”;
Mia Truskier, Louis Mahlmann, Lee Armstrong and Nick Barone, Alan Cook, who brought puppets for
the display. Also Mike and Tia Wick, and everyone who helped clear up everything afterwards. And of
course, Fairyland for providing our upcoming dinner..
Elisheva announced the officers for the coming Guild year:
Mike Nelson President
Mike Wick and Elisheva Hart are Co-V.P’s
Sharon Clay – Secretary
Jeff Pidgeon – Newsletter
Valerie Nelson – Treasurer
Mary Decker – Communications Coordinator
New Business:
September Meeting: – Lee announced that the Sept. 16th meeting would be here at
Fairyland at 4:00 PM. She would lead the program with items from sessions
she attended at the Tacoma festival “Much Ado About Puppets”. These
sessions were “Theater of the Hand”, and “Character Development”, and possibly even “Critical
Response – Getting and Giving Feedback that works”.
October meeting: – Mary announced the possibility of viewing the film “The World
According to Sesame Street” – a film by Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins Costigan.
This film follows three producers from the Sesame Street Workshop to Bangladesh, Kosovo and
South Africa where they localize the world’s most-watched children’s television program with
indigenous songs, puppets and curricula.
Lee passed out dues notices – which could be returned to her with checks and not mailed back to Valerie
Reports of sessions attended at the “Much Ado about Puppets” festival were given by Sharon Clay, Mike
Burroughs, Barbara Grillo-Selleck, Mary Decker and Tim Giugni.
Motion was made by Lee, (2nd – Mary): “If a president of another guild would like to receive a copy of
our newsletter we should send a complementary copy”. After discussion the motion was
tabled in order to do further research on this since the newsletter is available free online.
Several visitors introduced themselves, and were welcomed and encouraged to join the Guild.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m. by Mike Wick.
Show “The Man Who Had to Mind the House – a Yiddish Folk Tale, was performed on the Fairyland
Stage by Randal Metz and Rhonda.