Puppets of UCM theatre faculty and staff show striking resemblances

May 9, 2008, 13:24

Wayne Dean

Puppets have taken over the UCM theatre department display case outside Highlander Theatre. (Photo by Dustin Freund)

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- Long hours and secrecy enabled Kathleen Reid to put together one last memorable production for the UCM theatre department.

Richard Herman, department chair (Photos by Wayne Dean)

At the end of January, Reid started working on caricature puppets of each staff and faculty member. She worked a couple of hours a day early on and progressed to 15-hour days as her deadline approached, she said. No one knew about the puppets until they saw themselves portrayed in a puppet show written by Paul Rundle.

The puppets were first revealed at the annual Theatre Awards Banquet. During the banquet, awards were given out and a slide show chronicling the past school year was shown. Then, Reid came up on stage and announced something else was in store.

The puppet show opened with all the professors in a staff meeting debating on what shows should be run next season. Each professor’s personality came out in his or her suggestion.

After getting nowhere, the staff turned to the glue that keeps the office together, office professional Colette E. Tilden.

It was fitting that the puppets on stage looked to Colette’s puppet for the answer, Reid said.

“It really turned into a tribute to Colette,” Reid said. “Most of us wouldn’t have graduated without her. Some people even say Colette is the reason they graduated.

Karen Page

“At all the events, she gets a standing ovation.”

Reid said her favorite puppet has to be of lighting and design instructor Jeff Peltz. Peltz’s puppet has the slim-framed glasses and a cigarette in hand. It completely captured Peltz, she said.
When department head Richard “Buzz” Herman first saw his puppet, he was proud of his student.

“I was just amazed by the detail,” Herman said. “I even wear those same clothes.”

Jan Glover

All the puppets were caricatures of the professors. Karen Page’s puppet had her fiery red hair, while Herman’s puppet had a last-minute addition in the form of a crutch.

Herman broke his leg a week before the banquet, while riding his motorcycle in his front yard, Reid said. He now has to walk around on crutches.

Reid waited until the last minute to decide to do puppets for her senior honors project. Make-up and design instructor Ronnie Chamberlain said most students just do a boring paper for their honors project.

Jeff Peltz

“I wanted to get my grand ($1,000) for completing my honors project,” Reid said. “I was up really, really late at night and it just hit me.”

An avid Sesame Street watcher, Reid knew she had to do it right. Spending at least six to eight hours a day perfecting the puppets, she knew she was getting close to finishing when she laughed at the puppets as they all came together.

Working with new materials gave Reid some experience making puppets. She did, however, have help from friends to bring everything together.

*Zachary Thonen put together Herman’s crutch. Making it to scale was the hardest part, Reid said. And Michele Fanfone helped with the hair and creating some outfits for the puppets.

Colette Tilden, office professional

The puppets are on display outside Highland Theatre between UCM’s Wood and Martin Buildings. Reid gave the puppet to each professor, and no one was sure what the future of the puppets would be.

Greg Owen

Ronnie Chamberlain

John Wilson

Colette Tilden, office professional