Bio
Approach
Ideas, ideas, ideas! Basically I materialize ideas!
Always excited to work on a new project or return to an old one with fresh eyes, I strive to make what I see in my mind’s eye or on paper become real. I’ve learned that the simpler the puppet, the better it works. So I try to keep it simple. I’ve also learned to seek out projects where my collaborators and I have shared COMPETENCE, GOODWILL, RELIABILITY, and ALIGNMENT for the vision at hand.
Photo credit ©️ 2023 Justin N. Lane / jnlane.com
Education
Master of Fine Arts in dramatic arts
University of Connecticut, Storrs
Specialization: Puppetry Arts
Honors: Marks Family Endowment in the Fine Arts (2021); UConn Foundation Frank Ballard Scholarship (2022)
Bachelor of Arts in theatre
University of Maryland, College Park
Honors: Magna Cum Laude; President’s Scholarship
High school Diploma
The Baltimore School for the Arts, Baltimore
Concentration: Violin Performance
Workshops & Intensives
Solo puppeteer
The Curious School of Puppetry, online, 2022
Instructor: Rene Baker
Dark Clown
Weekend intensives, online, 2021
Instructor: Peta Lily
MASS MoCA Wood Carving & Puppet Design Intensive
The Berkshires, 2018 and 2021
Instructor: David Lane
Shakespeare & Company Summer Intensive
The Berkshires, 2016
New england puppetry intensive
The Berkshires, 2015
Instructors: David Lane, Peter Balkwill, and Nan Balkwill
Human
Puppets for a production of Human at the Center for Puppetry Arts. Written and directed by Nehprii Amenii of Khunum Productions. These puppet heads were made based on the director’s original sculptures.
Replay
Design work samples from my MFA show at UCONN. Replay, a dark comedy about unpacking baggage, is my solo show featuring tabletop, shadow, and object puppetry.
photo by Woody Dweyer
Performance stills from Replay. Performed at Arts Center East in 2022. Lighting design by Kayo Tokuue and Jackson Funke
photo by Woody Dweyer
photo by Woody Dweyer
photo by Kayo Tokuue
photo by Woody Dweyer
Puppet and Design Gallery
Shorts &
Experiments
My stance on psychopharmacueticals
Parsnip rose
Surrealist puppetry experiment with two sexy parsnips and a rose. This divine feminine figure lets loose!
Replay
A dark comedy about unpacking baggage.
An object puppetry experiment while in grad school
A Directing for Puppetry class assignment in which we were instructed to reinvent the cantastoria.
A toy theater piece creaed over one weekend for a Women’s Suffrage Pageant.
Design and Consultation
Thinking about using puppetry but not sure where to begin?
I can advise on the following and more:
Styles of Puppetry
toy theatre
hand puppets
body/wearable
shadow
crankie
Bunraku-style
rod puppets
table top
lantern puppets
object puppetry
hybrid forms
Ready for Pre-K!
PErformer and Puppet Builder
I am a regular puppeteer and a puppet builder for Ready for Pre-K! a D.C. Public Schools initiative.
Wonderspark Puppets
puppet builder
I was commissioned by this NYC-based puppet company to reproduce several of the beloved tabletop puppets originally crafted by Z. Briggs.
barefoot puppets
performer
I am currently a puppeteer with Barefoot Puppets performing New Squid on the Block and The Wriggling Brothers Circus. I am also an artist-in-residence with the company in Richmond, VA.
Handemonium
Barry Gordemer
I currently assist Barry Gordemer when he needs extra hands to help build his masterful creations.
2024
Here’s my work calendar for the month
May
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
New Squid on the Block (Barefoot Puppets)
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Buildling for Wonderspark
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
Wriggling Bros. Rehearsal (Barefoot Puppets)
Wriggling Bros. (Barefoot Puppets)
2
Wriggling Bros. (Barefoot Puppets)
3
Contact
Genna Beth Davidson
gennabeth@gmail.com
Photo credit ©️ 2023 Justin N. Lane / jnlane.com