| Contact:
Jeff Morgan, Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov,
(515) 281-3858
(DES
MOINES) – Children of all ages are invited
to the State Historical Museum this month to see a
production of “Sal Fink” by the Eulenspiegel
Puppet Theater.
Appropriate for children in grades K-6, “Sal
Fink” will be presented at 10 and 11:30 a.m.,
and 1:30 p.m. June 19, 2007 at the State Historical
Museum, 600 E. Locust Street in Des Moines’
Historic East Village. Admission to the 45-minute
two-person show is $5 per person at the door.
“Sal Fink” is a fantastical story that
celebrates Iowa rivers and prairies starring the title
character as an Iowa folk heroine and legendary daughter
of Mike Fink, the mighty keel boatman.
Sal navigates the rivers riding on the back of her
pet catfish, Nishnabotna, and outsmarts a bear, vanquishes
a vindictive snake and plays fetch with her pet pig,
Suey. While still in diapers, Sal tames a tornado
and saves her dad from drowning. The production features
live music written and performed by Iowa musician
Ron Hillis. With a chorus of sound effects and harmony
singing, this performance will leave audiences humming.
Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre was founded in 1974 as
a touring puppet troupe. Founding member Monica Leo
was joined by Teri Jean Breitbach early in 1975, and
the two have performed together since. Eulenspiegel
has been active in the Iowa Arts Council’s Artist
in the Schools and Communities Program since 1977.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the company was
also active in Wyoming’s Artist in Education
Program. From 1981 through 1991, the puppeteers toured
on the Iowa Arts Council’s Summer Touring Arts
Team. In 1989, Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Co. was
incorporated as a non-profit, tax-exempt arts organization
for the purpose of providing high quality performances
and workshops, educating the public about the art
of puppetry, and establishing a regional puppetry
center.
Through the years, Leo and Breitbach have experimented
with almost every type of puppet imaginable, have
collaborated with musicians, playwrights, directors,
designers, and other theater companies, and have worked
tirelessly to hone their art form. They have performed
at five national Puppeteers of America Festivals,
15 regional P of A festivals, a national festival
in the former German Democratic Republic in 1987 (the
only company invited from a non-Communist country),
international festivals in Austria, Japan, and the
Czech Republic, and a national festival in Germany.
In addition, Eulenspiegel has toured Germany, Japan,
Austria and 21 states. Eulenspiegel is known for witty
scripts, original and expressive puppet designs, soft-sculpted,
hand dyed scenery, evocative music, and strong graphics.
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is responsible
for developing the state’s interest in the areas
of the arts, history and other cultural matters with
the advice and assistance from its two divisions:
the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa
Arts Council. DCA preserves, researches, interprets
and promotes an awareness and understanding of local,
state and regional history and stimulates and encourages
the study and presentation of the performing and fine
arts and public interest and participation in them.
It implements tourism-related art and history projects
as directed by the General Assembly and designs a
comprehensive, statewide, long-range plan with the
assistance of the Iowa Arts Council to develop the
arts in Iowa. More information about DCA is available
at www.culturalaffairs.org.
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