Puppetry has become a significant force in contemporary theatre and thousands of puppets from various cultures and time periods have been collected by scholars, enthusiasts, and curators, who wisely realized that these material images can teach us much about the societies for which they were created. This book consists of essays by the curators of the most significant puppet collections in the United States and by leading scholars in the field. In addition to the descriptive and analytical essays on the collections, the book includes an overview of American puppetry today, a history of puppetry in the United States, and essays on the theater of Julie Taymor, the Jim Henson Company, Howdy Doody's custody case, puppet conservation, and the development of virtual performance space. The fourteen collections discussed include those of the Smithsonian Institution, the Harvard University Theatre Collection, the Brander Matthews Collection at Columbia University, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Appendices provide a listing of additional puppetry collections and a filmography of puppetry at the New York Public Library Donnell Media Center. The work concludes with a bibliography and index and is illustrated with many beautiful photographs of puppeteers and puppets on display and in performance.

Vit Horejs, NYC based master puppeteer and founder of Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theater, has written from childhood memories four rare and old puppet plays: Kacha and the Devil, Salt Over Gold, The Wandering Egg, and The Water Spirit and the Stingy Sailor. Includes photos of rare and old marionettes.

As pointed out in my last two publications, no comprehensive study has been undertaken about the American Learned Men and Women with Czechoslovak roots. The aim of this work is to correct this glaring deficiency, with the focus on immigration from the period of mass migration and beyond, irrespective whether they were born in their European ancestral homes or whether they have descended from them. Whereas in the two mentioned monographs, the emphasis has been on scholars and social and natural scientists; and men and women in medicine, applied sciences and engineering, respectively, the present compendium deals with notable Americans of Czechoslovak ancestry in arts and letters, and in education. With respect to women, although most professional fields were closed to them through much of the nineteenth century, the area of arts and letters was opened to them, as noted earlier and as this compendium authenticates.

Czech puppetry between 1900 and 1950 was an integral part of modernist and contemporary theatre and animation. This book examines the manufacturing of puppets, stage design and technologies, and focuses on the connections of artists from various disciplines and styles to the development of avant-garde and modernist currents in twentieth-century art. It includes 750 photographs of puppets and unique archival images of performances, sets, posters, periodicals and illustrations.

This is a comprehensive bibliography of publications relating to Czechs in America, from the earliest time since the discovery of the New World to date, covering their settlement, community life and their contributions to their host country. Although emphasis is on English titles, including books, as well as articles, the relevant titles in Czech language have also been included, particularly in those areas where there is a paucity of English titles. English translations of the Czech titles were normally placed in parentheses. To assure maximum utility, the bibliography has been organized and classified into specific sectors by subject. Under most major headings, general surveys are listed first, followed by more specific categories, which have, in turn, been subdivided into subcategories. Individual entries in all sections are arranged chronologically. Under most subject areas separate biographical sections were added, comprising individuals of note in the respective fields. Apart from providing information on just about every aspect of human endeavor, it is hoped that it will induce serious students and scholars to do more work in areas that have not been adequately researched.