Nothing brings a performance to life like emotions and feelings. But those aren’t just for humans – puppets have feelings, too! In this program, students are invited to participate in the creative world of making puppets and telling stories as master puppeteer David Stephens reveals his stagecraft secrets. Students will learn how movement, facial expressions and tone of voice help tell a story and will also have the chance to influence the direction of the program’s story by choosing feelings for each puppet character.
Intended Outcome: Students will interact with David to make inferences based on characters and events in the stories.
State Standard: ELA5LSV1 - The student participates in group verbal interactions and responds to questions with appropriate information. The student makes inferences about setting, characters and events.
David Stephens
"You do WHAT for a living?"
This is a common response when David Stephens tells inquisitors he is a professional puppeteer. As a child, Stephens fondly recalls watching the antics of Jim Henson's Muppets. From there his interest in puppetry grew. With the superb seamstress expertise of a next-door neighbor, Stephens began making his own puppet characters when he was 13. Gradually, he began designing shows for the multitude of puppets that was now starting to overpopulate the Stephens' household. In 1992, through the Puppeteers of America, David saw the work of Terry Snyder, a Richmond, VA based puppeteer who, besides being an exceptional solo performer, was a brilliant designer of sets, costumes, and props for puppet theater as well as the puppets themselves. Intrigued by Terry's ability to master puppetry's many facets, Stephens became his young apprentice.
After receiving his undergraduate degree from Troy State University (now Troy University) in Theatre, Stephens left his Southern roots to work on his Master's degree at the University of Connecticut, the only school in the country to offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees in the art of puppetry. Stephens gained skills in building and performing different styles of puppets including shadow, rod, glove, and marionettes (string puppets). Stephens received his MA from UConn in 2001.
Degree in hand, Stephens returned to his home state of AL to hone his skills as a solo performer and begin touring schools and libraries across the Southeast. Some rather prestigious performance invitations began being offered, as well. From 2002-2004, the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, GA hosted several of Stephens' original performances including, The Gingerbread Boy and Tales You'll Enjoy, and Billy Goats Gruff and Other Stuff, which was awarded an UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence in 2005. (Union Internationale de la Marionetta is an international puppetry organization. Its Citation of Excellence is the equivalent of an Academy Award.) Both shows enjoyed extended runs of over 100 performances in the Center's Downstairs Theater.
Also, while an Alabama resident, he was given an Artist's Fellowship in 2004 by the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA). The Fellowship helped to fund an exhibit at the Eastern Shore Art Gallery entitled Puppets and Process. This debut gallery showing of Stephens' work allowed patrons to see his puppets alongside their initial designs and sketches. Stephens also worked closely with the ASCA as a participant in it's Rural Schools Program, which sends artists and performers to small schools throughout Alabama.
Because of his close relationship with the Center for Puppetry Arts, Stephens' moved his company to Atlanta in the fall of 2004. While a Georgian, he performed Brer Bear in veteran Center director, Jon Ludwig's production of "Brer Rabbit and Friends." He also assisted Center puppet builder, Jason von Hinezmeyer in the construction of puppets for "Brer Rabbit and Friends," "The House at Pooh Corner," and "Blue Collar TV," for which puppet likenesses of Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Ingvall and Larry the Cable Guy were built. Stephens also performed the Foxworthy puppet on an episode of the WB's "Blue Collar TV." Stephens also continued touring schools and libraries with two new shows, "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "The New Adventures of Brer Rabbit," both of which he produced, directed, performed and built puppets.
In October of 2006, Stephens, on a gut feeling, took a big risk and relocated to New York City. After over a decade of live performances that lead him across the Southeast and other parts of the U.S., Stephens wanted the experience of being a television puppeteer. He arrived in New York with two suitcases and a banjo, and in a matter of months was hired to perform on a PBS series. He hopes to be able to find a balance between television and live performance. But mostly, Stephens says he simply hopes to continue doing what he loves.
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Grade Level:
K, 1, 2, 3
Program Type:
Assembly
Audience Limit:
250
Duration:
45 minutes
Requirements:
Clear space 10’X10’.
Cost:
Single Assembly: $380
Two Back to Back Assemblies: $630
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