Christian Puppetry is a continually emerging form of entertainment and ministry. In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs Though puppetry itself has existed for thousands of years, the modern Christian form is relatively new. Puppetry is a form of Theatre or Performance which involves the Manipulation of Puppets. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Muppets gave puppetry a whole new look and life in the mid-twentieth century. The Muppets are a group of Puppet characters created by Jim Henson. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on "Puppet-fever" engulfed Americans. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the With the new public interest in puppetry, both in America and worldwide, Christians began to see the potential in this art form. Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual
Beginning then and continuing to this day, churches in nearly every Christian denomination have started small puppet groups. Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within Usually such groups' purpose is to serve their own children's ministry programs, but some reach outside their own walls, performing for other churches or secular venues. CHILD syndrome (or congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform erythroderma and limb defects) is a genetic disorder Some teams travel internationally to third-world countries, where children and adults have neither experienced this kind of entertainment, nor heard about Jesus Christ. Third World is a name given to nations that are generally considered to be underdeveloped economically Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)
Christian Puppetry has grown so large that thousands of performers gather yearly at festivals to showcase, share, and learn more about their art form. One of the largest Christian puppet supplies distributors, One Way Street, hosts regional festivals to serve church teams, as well as a world-wide festival (I-Fest), lasting an entire week. One Way Street Regional Festivals are Puppetry Festivals sponsored by the Denver-based puppet supplier One Way Street Inc I-Fest is short for the I nternational Fest ival of Christian Puppetry and Ventriloquism, a six-day annual conference sponsored by Denver
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Though rod-arm puppetry continues to be the most common technique in Christian circles, some other forms have begun to gain popularity. Puppetry is a form of Theatre or Performance which involves the Manipulation of Puppets. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Blacklight Puppetry
Blacklight Puppetry capitalizes on the novelty of ultra-violet lights, or black light. A Black light or UV Light is a lamp emitting Electromagnetic radiation that is almost exclusively in the soft near ultraviolet range and emits Lighting the staging area with only these specialized lights, the audience can see only the objects that are coated with a special paint. In Theatre, the stage (sometimes referred to as the deck in Stagecraft) is a designated space for the Performance of theatrical productions Brooklyn Book Festival crowd by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|An audience at the Brooklyn Book Festival in New York City. The idea of controlling what the audience sees is a major responsibility of any puppeteer, and blacklight has provided a new way of accomplishing it.
Dowel Rod
Dowel Rod Puppetry combines interpretive dance and the use of (typically) two simple dowels. Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic This style has been popularized and widely taught by Jeff Smith and adapted by churches across America. Routines usually involve a song that tells a story or conveys a message while performers move in a choreographed dance, employing their rods in equally choreographed ways. See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή"
External links
- How To Start A Puppet Ministry Good guide to starting your own puppet ministry
- Puppet Resources, a free on-line site where Christians upload their favorite puppet scripts for other users to borrow and perform.
- Kidology Children's Ministry site with an emphasis on puppetry, run by Karl Bastian.
- Puppet2Puppet Puppet Plays] Children's Ministry site focused on Puppet Ministry, a collective run by Rev. Jim Hill
- Puppets and Stuff Online puppetry portal with a large base of puppet scripts, many of them Christian.
- PuppetBuilding.com Large web site devoted to making puppets for ministry and other purposes; includes many free puppet building patterns, tutorials and other resources.