Guild Meetings and Events

Every summer since 1956, Fairyland has been proud to host a world-class celebration of puppetry.  This year, Fairyland is celebrating 75 years and Puppet Fair is a 2-day event, Aug 23-24. Fairyland is an important hub for the puppet community, and has been a training ground for many now famous puppeteers, including Frank Oz, Jerry Juhl (Muppets) Tony Urbano (Men In Black, etc.) local artists Randal Metz, Kevin Menegus, and many others. Puppet Fair is a wonderful opportunity to meet other puppet enthusiasts, see great shows and share your love of the art with others.

Volunteer! For decades, the SFBAPG has helped at Puppet Fair. Because this is their anniversary celebration, we are participating on both Sat & Sun, with a Make-a-Puppet booth, walkaround puppet greeters and a Guild Puppet Info booth. Please help by signing up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A44ACAE2AA7F49-57426169-volunteers. We hope all Guild members will volunteer a bit of time.  

Membership: Admission to Fairyland is free to Guild members. The membership list is given to Fairyland for admission. If your membership has lapsed, please renew before 08/20 at https://sfbapg.org/membership/.

Entry Info: There are 2 entrance times. 10:30 & 12:30. Our host, Maria Rodriguez of Fairyland will meet us at the front entrance by the Big Shoe. Please arrive at least 5 minutes beforehand. Maria will check your name off her list, so we can enter on time. If you miss the 10:30 or 12:30 guild entrance, your name will be on a list at the box office for entry. If you have any trouble, ask the park attendant at the entrance to call Maria, who will come get you.

If you are bringing guests, they should buy tickets in advance and then tickets will be scanned at the gate.

Contact: If you have problems or questions, especially at Puppet Fair, contact Lee Armstrong (Guild Secretary) by phone or text 707 738-5906.

Guild Meeting & After Party: There will be a short guild meeting on Sat., after the 4pm show in the Cinderella area right next to the puppet theater. Come hear the latest puppet news and gather as a group.

If you can stay a bit longer, the Puppet Fair After Party called Puppet People Potluck starts at 4:45pm in the Merry Meadow located right next to the puppet theater. It’s a chance for past and present Fairyland puppeteers, Puppet Fair performers, Guild & Driveway Follies friends to gather together for an evening of snacks and conversation. Please bring something to share.

Join us for one magical weekend of puppet fun!
More info transportation, parking, etc. at https://fairyland.org/visit/#hours-admission
More info on Puppet Fair shows at https://fairyland.org/event-calendar/puppet-fair-weekend/

Full Schedule of Shows: please note that Elizabeth Luce with “Splashy Sea Saga” is NOT going to be able to make it to the Puppet Fair this year. Replacement TBA.

Saturday, August 23:

11:00 –  “What Makes a King” by Children’s Fairyland (Maya legend-Puppets and script by Randal Metz)
11:20 –  Puppet Playdate hosted by Quercus in the Merry Meadow
12:00 –  Vaudeville Follies Fratello Marionettes
1:00 –   “Little Red Riding Hood” by Puppet Art Theater Co.
2:00 –   TBA
2:30 –  Puppet Playdate hosted by Quercus in the Merry Meadow
3:00 –  Bob Baker Marionette Theater
4:00 – “What Makes a King” by Children’s Fairyland  

Sunday, August 24:

11:00 –  “What Makes a King”
11:20 – Puppet Playdate hosted by Quercus in the Merry Meadow
12:00 – “Puppet Lady”
1:00 –   “Three Little Pigs”  by Magical Moonshine Theatre
2:00 –   TBA
2:30 –  Puppet Playdate hosted by Quercus in the Merry Meadow
3:00 –  Bob Baker Marionette Theater
4:00 –  “What Makes a King” by Children’s Fairyland

The Puppet Fair is made possible in part by a grant from the Cook/Marks Fund.

July 19-20, 2025

Step into the world of tabletop puppetry with acclaimed puppeteer, Fred C. Riley III in an immersive and dynamic workshop designed for performers of all levels.

This class offers a unique opportunity to learn the foundational techniques that bring puppets to life through the artistry of gravity, focus, and breath.

Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned puppeteer looking to refine your skills, this workshop will cover:

• The  Basics of Tabletop Puppetry: Understand how gravity informs natural movement, how focus tells a story, and how breath brings subtle realism to performance.
• Solo and Ensemble Techniques: Learn how to animate a single figure with one, two, or even three puppeteers in harmony.
• Hands-On Training: Participants will gain practical experience manipulating tabletop puppets under Fred’s expert guidance.

Fred C. Riley III brings years of performance, directing, and puppetry expertise to this exciting class. His passion for collaborative storytelling and precision movement makes this a must-attend event for artists, educators, and theater enthusiasts alike.

Come and enjoy a meeting full of workshops and fun at Marin Theatre Company

When: Sun., 3/16, 1-4:30 pm
Where: Marin Theatre Company (MTC)
397 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley,
https://www.marintheatre.org/

Agenda

2:00 Guild Social Meet & Greet PLUS Brief SF Bay Area Puppeteers Guild Meeting. 
2 Workshops – (you can sign up for either, or both)
1-1:45  Pre-Meeting “Intro to Puppetry” with Lee Armstrong 
2:30-4:00  “Eye Mechanisms for Puppets” Demo and “hands-on” workshop with Lisa Zagone

Workshop Details

2:30 – 4:30  “Eye Mechanisms for Puppets” with Lisa Zagone
This is a combination demo and “hands-on” workshop. The demo explores a variety of mechanisms for adding expressiveness to puppets, such as eyelids, moving eyes, eyebrows, nose ear and whisker wiggles. It will feature mechanisms for moving mouth puppets as well as wooden puppets (rod puppets and marionettes) and suggest examples for retrofitting existing puppets. The hands-on portion will allow participants to make their own mech. All materials provided.

Ages: Adult.   Limit 30 participants

Lisa Zagone, https://lisazagone.com/puppets, is a professional theater designer of over 20 years, and a university lecturer in technical theatre for 12 years. Her area of specialty is in set, props and costume design. In addition, she has a Masters in Fine Art, and is enrolled at UConn Puppetry Arts graduate school.

1-1:45 “Intro to Puppetry” (pre-meeting workshop) with Lee Armstrong 

Invite your friends! Do they ever wonder what the art of puppetry is all about? This 45-minute workshop, led by award-winning puppeteer Lee Armstrong, combines a demo with hands-on practice to answer the key question: “What do you do once you have a puppet on your hand?” You’ll explore the basics of bringing puppets to life using hand puppets and moving-mouth “Muppet-style” puppets. Puppets provided by Folkmanis Puppets, or bring your own.

Ages: 12 and up, & adults. Limit 30 participants. Skill Level: Perfect for beginners; but all experience levels welcome. 

Lee Armstrong is the co-owner of Sonoma-based Images in Motion which specializes in TV puppetry. A regional Emmy winner, Lee has taught puppetry to thousands of children and adults and has served as Lecturer at UC Santa Cruz for “Jim Henson and the Art of the Muppets.” Her credits include the original Fraggle Rock, Being John Malkovich, PBS shows, commercials and more. 

Reserve your seat now for either, or both workshops at SFBAPG Puppet Workshops Mar. 16

FYI, this will be advertised on the MTC website next week, so spaces may go quickly. If you want to come, sign up NOW! 

Questions? Please email programming@sfbapg.orgAll SFBAPG meetings are free and open to the public, https://sfbapg.org/.

Join us for a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, February 6th at 7:00 PM to discuss the pros and cons. We’ll explain the benefits, responsibilities, and what this means for the guild’s future. Bring your questions and thoughts!

Zoom meeting link in newsletter.

Join us Friday, February 28th via zoom at 6pm pacific for another Guild Show-and-Tell!  There are 15 slots available for presenters. Each gets 3 minutes to share their project at any stage of completion. No project to share?  No problem!  Sign up to support your fellow guild members, ask questions and cheer as an audience member. There will be 10 minutes after all presenters for Q&A as well as a live chat available throughout.

Looking forward to seeing what you’re working on!