Modicut Project - Jim Henson Foundation

Great Small Works
S-9
CONTACT
Trudi Cohen
315 West 86th Street #4E
New York
NY
10024
917.319.8104
trudico@gmail.com
GreatSmallWorks.org
Project Budget
$10,000
Grant Request
$2,000
501 (c)(3): Great Small Works
PAST GRANTS AWARDED
2007 Project - The Rapture Project
2005 Seed - The Rapture Project
2002 Project - Zangezi
2000 Project - Satie Cabaret Project
Modicut Project
Great Small Works, in collaboration with YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, will develop a new production based on
the work of the Modicut Puppet Theater. Modicut was the first Yiddish puppet theater, based in the 1920's New York
City, well-versed in handpuppets, local politics, and modernist avant-garde. This project will take design and script ideas
from the original Modicut and create a contemporary puppet play.
VIDEO SAMPLE
Title:
The White Pajamas; Memoirs of Gluckel of Hameln
Artists: White Pajamas
Director: Jenny Romaine; Puppeteers: Trudi Cohen, Alician Gerstein, Joseph Dobkin, Samantha
Wilson, Jennifer Miller, Jesse Proia. Vocalist: Judith Berkson Music: Michael Winograd
Gluckel
Director: Jenny Romaine; Puppeteers: Clare Dolan, Roberto Rossi; music: Frank London, Adrienne
Cooper
Description: March 2009, December 2000
White Pajamas video created to accompany exhibit of Kirshenblatt's work at the Jewish Museum,
from a Toy Theater play telling the story of one of his paintings. Gluckel scene from stage
performance at La MaMa. Selections chosen as representative of cultural collaborations similar to
the Modicut project for which there is no video yet.
SEED
s-9
creat Small works Proiect Description, SeedGrant 2014
Modicut Project
with the YIVOInstitutefor iewish
GreatSmallWorksis embarkingon a projectin collaboration
Research,
basedon the work ofthe ModicutYiddishPuppetTheater.
Foundedby artistsZuniMaudandYoslCutlerin NewYorkin 1925,ModicutYiddishPuppet
and
hitthe flourishing
cultllralphenomenato
Theaterwasoneofthe mostuniqueandinnovative
diverseYiddishsrage.The first Yiddishpuppettheater,Modicut'sculturaland politicalsatireswere
seenby thousandsacrossNorth America,Europeand the SovietUnion,createdby two arrists,one a
schoolofrealism,the othera
andpainterwho remainedtrueto the oshcon
mastercalligrapher
in
Thetwo metworkingascartoonists
with cubismandsurrealism.
modernist
who experimented
the Yiddishpress.Their theaterwas a ground-breakingexperimentin Yiddishperformance.In
additionto their connectionto the art movementsoftheir t;me,they were alsoimmersedin the
with RemoBufano,
amongothers.WithYiddish
ofthe 1920's,collaborating
Puppetrenaissance
performed
troupe
send
ups
oftraditional iewish fiSures
folkloredear to both Cutlerand Maud,the
andbrou8htfun
styleto highaft venues,
broughttraditionalandexpressionistic
andpoliticians,
and satireto the radicalpoliticsofLower EastSidelife.
EddyPortnoy,AcademicAdvisoratYIVOand a teacherin the iudaic Studiesprogramat Rutgers
University,will be GreatSmallWorks' main contentproviderand collaborator.He haswritten a
history ofModicut,researchingprimary sourcematerialsin the archivesofYIVOInstitute,and
membersJenny
puppeteers
membersofModicut'stime.Company
andaudience
interviewing
years,
who
has
for
severaldecades
for
15
and
in
the
YIV0
sound
archives
Romainefwhoworked
language
theater)andiohn
to creatinga vibrant21ncenturyiterationof radicalYiddish
contributed
andleadingpuppetscho]arand
Bell[Directorofthe BallardInstituteandMuseumof Puppetry,
authorl will collaboratewith the companyto write the text; StephenKaplinand RobeftoRossiwill
designand overseepuppetproduction.
MembelsofGreatSmallWorks feela direct culturaland artistic kinshipwith the ModicutTheater_
in the
the company's
ofcommonsecularJewishroots,but alsobecause
not justbecause
Srounding
EastVillageavant-gardetheatersceneofthe 1980'sand '90's,and immersionin radical,aesthetic
activism{exemplifiedby roots in the work of Breadand PuppetTheater]parallelthework ofMaud
and Cutler.Our productionwill mergetogetherthe few survivingpuppetscriptslwjth English
translationsfrom the Yiddishl,adaptimageryfrom Cutler'sand Maud'sgraphicillustrationsand
cartoons,and utilize film and musicalscores.We aim to createa multi_layeredproductionevoking
the vivid chaosofearly 2OrhcenturyNewYork Citycultural life superimposedupon the mishegdsof
some
21* centuryNYC.Theproductionwill featureclassicstylehandpuppets,
contemporary
modeleddirectly from Cutler'swith aaticulatedeyesand mouths,aswell as other srylesof
contempomrypuppetry and projectedimagery.
2013at
workedin December
havealreadybeenmade:JennyRomaine
A few experiments
project
adaptinga
Modicut
ofLivingTraditions)
an annual
KlezKamp
fYiddishFolkAftsProBram,
script which was performedentirely in Yiddishby youngadults,usinghandpuppetsand live actors.
c.eat SmallWorks further developedthe samescript in a presentationat the company'sDecember
Wollesonic
Labs
Kennywollesen's
Dinner,accompanied
by percussionist
2013Spaghetti
Productionwill beginin fall/winter 2014.We will presenta first work-in-progressshowingat ylvo
Institute on December11th,and will perform excerptsat ouryear end SpaghettiDinneron
the completeproduction
3oth.In the winter/springof 2015,we will continuedeveloping
December
Theater
public
performances
Working
at
Charlestown
with a residenryand
{Boston,MA) as part of
their 40thanniversaryprogramming.
Great Small Works Budget, SeedGrant 2014
Modicut Proiect
INCOME
NYSCA
Founda6on
Scherman
HensonFoundation (seedgran!)
YIVO InstittrLc
WorkingTheater
Charlestown
1,500
1,000
2,000
3,000
2,500
TOTAL:
$10,000
EXPENSES
Studiofor buildingandrehearsal
AdministlatiYeoverhead
Materials
Afi;si fees(5@I ,200)
Fringe
Musicianfee
1,000
500
800
6,000
700
TOTAL:
$ropoo
r,000
GreatsmallWorks
for ModicutPtoject
CompanyBiographies
of Puppetryandan Associate
JOHNBELL is the Directorof the BallardInstituteand l\.ruseum
of Connecticut.He was a memberof the Bfeadand
Professorof DramaticArtsat the University
PuppetTheatercompanyfrom '1976to 1986;and receivedhis doctoraldegleein theaterhistoryfrom
aboutpuppettheater,
in '1993.He is theauthorof manybooksandarticles
lJniversity
Columbia
(Palgrave
Ha,ds, Shadows:A
lracmillan,
2008);
and
St/]hgq
Puppet
Modernism
includingAmedcan
and Perfoming
He
edited
Puppets,
Masks,
(Dekoit
ofArts,
2000).
lnstitute
Moden PuppetHistory
The
RoutledgeGuicle
Orenstein
co-edited
Objecls(MlT Press,2001);with DassiaPosnerandClaudia
to Puppetryand MaterialPeiomance (2014),and is an editorof PuppetryInternational.
inVermont
company
memberof BreadandPuppetTheateisresident
TRUDICOHENwasa fLrll-time
'10
Amy
productions
Schumann,
Janie
Geise.,
directed
by Peter
in
for years,andhaspuppeteered
and DavidNeumann.Shewas Di.ectorof GfeatSmallWorks'2008,2010and2013
TfomDetter
Spaghetti
Dinner
dozensofthecompany's
andhascurated
ToyTheaterFestivals
lnternational
Society
SecondLineSocialAidandPleasure
events.
Sheplaysbassdrumwiththe Boston-based
MA
streel
bands
in
Somerville,
HONKI
Festival
of
activist
member
of
the
and
is
a
founding
BrassBand,
and
underFrankBallard
of Connecticut
at the University
KAPLINstudiedpuppetry
STEPHEN
in 1989
fromNewYo* University
Studies
graduated
an MA in Performance
in 1979.He received
of puppettheater.Hispfofessional
Since1981, he haslivedin NewYorkCity,workingin allaspects
puppet
for
JulieTaymor'sLionKing,Juan
and
sequences
shadow
figures
creditsinclude:building
giant
puppets
for
TIIMESSQUARE2000(lVicfrael
and
building
Darienand TheGreenBird,designing
Curry,dir.);designingshadowsequencesfor LeeBreueisPeferatd Wendy;co-designand
of puppetsfor the PublicThealefs TheTempestandThe CaucasianChalkCircle(George
construction
& PatBirch,dirs) 1n2006'his
for Bardn Be,4/,(SusanFeldman
Wolfe,dir.);shadowpuppetdesigns
puppetdesignsfor PingChong'sCathay:ThreeTalesof Chinawona HenryHewesAwafdfor Notable
Effectsfromthe AmericanTheatreWing.Since2001,Mr. Kaplinhas beenco-artisticdirectorof
puppetpfoductions
ln
original
andbuiltnumerous
TheatreWorks,forwhichhe hasdesigned
Chinese
(occupying
Park
the
J:m
of lvlaryland,
College
at theUniversity
2010-11,
he wasa guestinst.uctor
of
twomajorexhibitions
withKuang-Yu
Fong).He hascurated
together
HensonChairfor puppetry
Arts;
puppets:"Puppetryof Shadowand Light"(2005)at the NewYorkPublicLjbraryfor the Performing
(2007)at Flushing
TownHall.
and"WithandWithoutStrings"
performef
anddirector'Sheis
as a stiltdancer,puppeteer,
hasworkedextensively
JENNYROMAINE
overtwo decades
Amok
and
has
dedicated
Award-winning
Circus
musicaldirectorof the Bessie/Obie
York
CityPublic
Sheteaches
in New
basedNewYiddishSpectacle.
of community
to thecreation
produced
Great
Schoolsand at the TischSchoolof the Artsat NewYorkUniversity.Shedirectedand
show
SmallWorks'TheMemoirsof Gluckelof Hameln,vttitesand performswiththe hit off-Broadway
with numerousculturalorganizations
spectacles
Kidsand Yiddish,and hasdirectedcommunity-based
with92White
Paiamas,a collaboration
productions
film
include
The
for
theater
and
Hef NewYiddish
film
for
his
exhibition
at the
painter
which
was
made
into
a
year-old
NlayerKifshenblatt,
Yiddishmemory
Jewish[ru6eum,NYC.
Fenster,Bread& PuppetTheater,
RoBERTOROSSIhasworkedwith Berlin'sTheaterZerbrochene
Fabre,
IngemafLindh,andAmy
with
directors
Jan
Cooperative,
and
Boston
Puppeteers'
andthe
performance
workshopswith
years,
intergenerational
arts
and
he
conducted
Trompetter.For many
(ESTA),
Public
Schools.
He hascreated
Project,
and
in
NYC
the WateNays
EldersShafethe Arts
ArtsFestivalsA devoted
forthe D.U.M.B.O.
puppets
fof outdoorprocessions
andvisualelements
studentof the accordion,he is a recentgraduateof Yale UniversitySchoolof Architecture
GreatSmallWorks,SeedGrant2014
CompanyBio
GreatSmallWorkswas foundedin '1995by a collectiveof six artists,all vetefansof Breadand
Roberto
Rossiandl\,4ark
Bell,TrudiCohen,SiephenKaplin,
JennyRomaine,
PuppetTheater-John
andto keeptheaterat the heartof sociallife. The
Sussman--to
createtheaterof highadisticquality,
and populartheateftraditionsto addresscontemporary
companydrawson folk,puppet,avant-ga.de
issues.GreatSmallWorksperformsin theaters,schools,parks,libraries,museums,prisons,street
workon manyscales,
fromgigantic
outdoor
spectacles
cornerc,
andotherpublicspaces,producing
in
living
rooms.
In
cufated
festivals,
cabarets
and
to miniatureshows
withscoresof volunteers,
provides
performance
withadistsfromvariedtraditions,
Soirees,GreatSmallWorkscollaborates
theparticipation
of youngartistsin the
for artistsin divercegenres,andengages
opportunities
pageantsand parades,the company
pfocessof findingtheirownvoices. ln community-based
workswithgfoupsof students,activistsandartiststo addressissuesof commonconcem.On any
the spiritsof their
seekto renew,cultivateandstrengthen
scaleGreatSmallWorksproductions
participating
promoting
in
democracy.
theateras a modelfor
audiences,
for
Citations
a VillageVoiceObieAward(1997)andtwoUNI[,4AJUSA
creatSmallWorksreceived
fortheArtsCommunity
AssetsGrant(1998),
Excellence
i'1997and2008);a NewYorkFoundation
andthe Puppeteers
of America'sJim HensonAwardfor innovationin puppetry(2005).
StephenKaplinwas awardeda HenryHewesAwardfor NotableEffectsfromthe Ame canTheater
CooperDreaming
in Yiddish
washonored
withthefirstAdrienne
Wingin 2006.JennyRomaine
jointly
awarded
the PaulVincentDavisAwardfor
Awardin 2013.TrudiCohenandJohnBellwere
Theateron the occasionof its 40'nannrvercary
fromthe PuppetShowplace
artistryand mentorship
in 2 0 1 4 .
production
historyl
Highlights
of thecompany's
20+yearsof regularSpaghettiDinnercabafets,featuringshort-formpuppetry,music,and
performance.
hundreds
ToyTheaterFestivals
andexhibitions,
featu.ing
of visualand
10 International
performingartistsexploringthe traditionalpapertheaterform.
creatednews-based
in particular
the collectively
Dozensof originalToy Theaterproductions,
nowin ils l3L episode.
seiesToyTheateroflenotAs LJsu,)l.
productions
A Nightmare(1997-98,Matk
includeTheMan WhoWas Thurcday:
Full-length
JennyRomained|r.),A Mammal's
Sussmandir.),TheMemoirsof Gluckelof Hameln(1998-2000,
Notebook:TheEtik SatieCabaret(2001,JohnBelldir.),TheRaptureProject(2007,collective
creation).
participants
pageants
to tellstories
andcelebfations,
created
withvolunteer
Community
A Historyof Apizzain NewHaven\'1996),Ihe Breadard Roses
relevantto thejrcommunities:
Purimshpiel
eventswithWorkmens
Circle,Jewsfor Racial
Pageart(1998),annualpolitical/histofical
(200'1-present),
processional
of
artists
and
othef
organizations
Economic
Justice
and
dozens
and
performances
(2001'present),
the
Rising
Tide
Parade
to open
for
the
DUMBO
Arts
Festival
theater
(2006),
pageant
a
onthethemeof NYCwith500
Rivef2 Riverfestival
LowerManhatan's
France(2008).
in Tournefeuille,
schoolchildren
Puppetryworkshopsfor students,artistsandcommunitygroupsof all agesin schools,
writing,
teaching,
speaking.
Academic
research,
museums
andcultural
centers.
GreatSmallWorks,SeedCrant 2014
Modicut Proiect
Imagesfrom work-in-progress
performanceat GreatSmallWorks'
30,2013.
Spaghetti
Dinner,December
NYC.
Memorial
Church,
Judson
PhotosrErik Mccregor
Self-portraitby YoslCntler,circa
1920
StephenKaplinand JennyRomainewith
Modicuthandpuppets,at YIVOInstitute,
NYC.