Zocalo’s Coffee Shop, San Leandro
Meeting called to order by Art Gruneberger (SP) at 7:45 PM after a celebratory Holiday Pot Luck
Lee announced that we have an opportunity to get group tickets at a discount price for the play War Horse, coming to San Francisco in August and September. She reported that a group of us were able to see a preliminary introduction to Jerry the horse puppet on Thursday night and that it was extraordinary. She passed around a sign-up sheet for those who would be interested in getting the discount tickets. The best time/date for us to get a number of tickets would be Tuesday or Wednesday night, and that Sept. 4th or 5th would have the most and best tickets still available. However, we would have to let her know by Tuesday Feb. 21st for sure how many tickets we would like. She would send out an email to everyone on the list giving a listing of the group prices.
Michael – Membership report: We have 115 members as of now, with 6 months to go in
our membership year. This is the same number we had at the END of last year, which is a record for our Guild. This looks like it will be a record breaking membership year. Michael also reported that we now have membership dues payable through PayPal,
Art reported that it is almost time for board elections and asked people to consider running for the board. Conrad reported that although it seems like it is a “responsibility”, it is actually a lot of fun, and the people on the board are a great bunch of people.
Lex announced our program for tonight, but started with announcing that it was Elizabeth’s birthday and we all sang “Happy Birthday”.
The program: Alameda County 4-H Puppeteers performing “Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock”. The team is 5 4-H members age 9-18 who have been in the puppet project from 1-8 years. However, the oldest member and a 12 year old were not able to make it tonight, so Sharon and Kristen Clay had to step in as substitutes. Both are Guild members. Sharon is the leader (has been leading the puppet project for about 15 years) and Kristen is her daughter. The team has practiced 4 hours a week for about 5 weeks to prepare for the 4-H Presentation Day on Feb. 4th.
Here 4-H members are evaluated on their Presentations (which could be a demonstration, or a speech, or an Illustrated Talk, or a Share the Fun, or a Cultural Arts Presentation) and if they get a Gold award, they go on to Sectionals at U.C. Davis on March 31st. The team got a Gold for their “Share the Fun” Puppet Show.
New Guild member Artie Poore did a Puppet Slam presentation and talked about different Puppet Slams that go on across the country almost every week. (The SF Puppet Slam is on April 1st) At a Puppet Slam, performers can present a new act for an audience, or one that they want to try out again. Artie performed a piece where he operated rod puppets, mouth puppets and moved set pieces around all the while singing A capella original compositions.
Conrad and Elizabeth from Independent Eye read from their new memoir, “Co-Creation, Fifty Years in the Making” about a their life, love, theater and puppets. They are doing readings around the Bay Area.
Meeting adjourned at 9:05 PM
Sharon Clay, Secretary