Puppetry Guild of Pittsburgh debuts with Pierogi Power Puppet Slam

From ventriloquist dummies to marionettes, the city’s puppet population now has its own club and even an event to showcase the group’s talents.

Puppeteers from all over the city came together to form The Puppetry Guild of Pittsburgh last fall, dedicated to promoting the art of puppetry in the region.

The city’s puppet population will come to life on Aug. 20 with the Pierogi Power Puppet Slam, a dedicated talent show for local puppeteers, the first of its kind in Pittsburgh.

Cheryl Capezzuti of Fuzzy Boundary Productions created the guild along with Darlene Fedele of Puppets in Performance and Bob Dayton of Pastime Puppets after being inspired by a trip to the Puppeteers of America National Festival in Storrs, Conn. She hopes the event will increase their visibility and attract other puppeteers in the area, who are welcome to join the guild for a small annual fee.

Fedele, who relocated to Pittsburgh from Virginia two years ago, saw the guild as an opportunity to better familiarize herself with her new home.

“I thought this might be a good chance to network and get to know some other people in the arts,” says Fedele, who has performed locally with her hand puppets and rod puppets at the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival and the Lovelace Puppet Festival.

Hosted by puppeteers Tom Sarver and Scott KuechenmeisterHall, the family-friendly show will consist of 12 short acts – each one lasting 10 minutes or less – featuring comedy, singing, dancing, storytelling, culture and history and audience participation. Capezzuti says the slam will give guild members a chance to showcase a wide variety of puppets, including hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes and ventriloquist dummies.

“We’re excited to showcase a series of short works that represent the diversity of puppetry happening in our region,” says Capezzuti.

Capezzuti, whose giant, parade-sized puppets are featured annually at the Highmark First Night New Year’s Eve parade, will contribute to the slam by dancing in one of her signature creations. Her artistic partner, Kellee Van Aken, will also perform.

The Pierogi Power Puppet Slam line-up also includes Bonnie Bogovich of the Bwak Choir and Super Smash Opera, Gwen Bowman of Pittsburgh Puppetworks, Yulia Gray’s Puppets on Broadview, Mugwort Forest with Sarah Banach, as well as Kirsten Ervin, Renee Rabenhold and Felicia Cooper.

In honor of its name, the event will have puppets and pierogies for sale. There will also be complimentary beer for adult guests and snacks.

The Pierogi Power Puppet Slam will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave., East Liberty. Attendees who arrive early at 6:30 p.m. can don one of Capezutti’s giant puppets and become part of the performance. Tickets are available at the door and cost $10 for adults, $5 for children.