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The Puppetry Collection consists of just over 100 puppets and marionettes
representing puppetry traditions from around the world, supplemented by research
material on puppetry such as photographs, posters, clippings, theater programs,
and
manuscripts. |
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The collection is arranged into nine series: I.Turnabout Theatre / Yale Puppeteers,
circa 1930s-?; II. Punch and Judy Puppets, circa 1880-circa 1885; III. Paul Clemens
Marionettes, circa 1902-circa 1960; IV. Kathputli Rajasthani Marionettes, undated;
V. Karagoz Shadow Puppets, 1959-1992; VI. Javanese Wayang Golek Puppets and Wayang
Kulit Shadow Puppets, undated; VII. Other Puppetry Traditions, 19th century-1980s;
VIII. WPA Puppet Plays, 1937-1938, undated; and IX. Nancy Renfro Puppet Collection,
undated. |
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The Turnabout Theatre in Los Angeles was a performance space operated by the Yale
Puppeteers. The company originated at the University of Michigan, and began touring
in 1927. Series I. Turnabout Theatre / Yale Puppeteers, circa 1930s-?, includes
two
marionettes for Amphitryon 38 and three for Uncle Tom’s Cabin, supplemented by photographs,
transcribed lyrics and tablature for music, and other materials. The material
in
this series was transferred from the UT Drama Department and Curtain Club
Collection. |
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Series II. Punch and Judy Puppets, circa 1880-circa 1885, consists of seven
hand-carved puppets created for the Swift Brothers touring tent show which toured
Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois until 1956. |
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Paul Clemens was a vaudeville actor who toured on the Chautauqua circuit. Between
1930 and 1960, he designed puppets and wrote playlets to suit the puppets he made,
touring with a company. Series III. Paul Clemens Marionettes, circa 1902-circa
1960,
consists of 62 marionettes and assorted pieces of puppets, supplemented by
photographs, theater programs, a travelling case, and other materials. Clemens’s
stepson, David Overton, presented the material as a gift to the Harry Ransom Center
in 1970. |
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Series IV. Kathputli Rajasthani Marionettes, undated, consists of a set of 33
traditional kathputli marionettes, supplemented by props, a backdrop tamboodi
(tent), and other materials. The marionettes, which include most of the characters
used in traditional Rajput plays, were purchased in 1982 from Anila Mehta (R
9623). |
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Series V. Karagoz Shadow Puppets, 1959-1992, consists of four boxes of leather
puppets and scenery. The puppets, which were built by Metin Özlen, a
well-known Karagoz puppeteer of Istanbul, are a set of characters for "The Witches." Each puppet has a paper label attached
to the back identifying the character or character type, and the maker’s name
and
dates. The scenario for the play is as follows: Two rival witches respectively
have
a son and daughter, who are in love but have quarreled. Each of the lovers complains
to the other’s mother. The two witches hold a contest during which several people
are transformed into animals. The figures in this play are Karagoz; Hacivat; Celebi,
the man and evil-turning son of Witch 1; Zenne, the woman and donkey-turning
daughter of Witch 2; Karagoz as donkey; Hacivat as goat; son of Hacivat as frog;
son
of Karagoz as turtle; Witch 1; Witch 2; a house; a screen ornament. The acquisition
of these materials may have been facilitated by Joel Sherzer, a professor of
anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. |
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Series VI. Javanese Wayang Golek Puppets and Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppets, undated,
consists of four wayang golek puppets and three wayang kulit shadow puppets. The
Javanese puppets were purchased from Ifan Kyrle Fletcher. The wayang kulit shadow
puppets are from Jogjakarta, are made of dried buffalo skin and cane, and are
painted. |
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Series VII. Other Puppetry Traditions, 19th century-1980s, contains materials
documenting a variety of puppetry performers, companies, and traditions. |
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Series VIII. WPA Puppet Plays, 1937-1938, undated, contains scripts for 29 puppet
plays created for and possibly produced under the auspices of the Federal Theatre
Project, an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Works Progress Administration. The
material in this series was transferred from the University of Texas Extension
Library Collection. |
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Series IX. Nancy Renfro Puppet Collection, includes 26 hand and finger puppets plus
associated materials such as patterns, original design drawings, and notes. Nancy
Renfro (1937-1993) was an artist, puppeteer, and educator who established her
own
puppetry business, Nancy Renfro Studios, in the 1970s. During her puppetry career
she wrote books about puppetry, taught puppetry workshops from the 1970s through
the
early 1990s, and sold mail-order puppets and puppetry books through her company.
A
selection of her puppets was donated to the Ransom Center in 2012. |
