{"id":702,"date":"2021-09-27T16:05:57","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T20:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/?p=702"},"modified":"2025-08-25T10:51:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T14:51:50","slug":"history-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/history-page\/","title":{"rendered":"Ontario Puppetry Association History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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OUR HISTORY:\nAN EVERGREEN PROJECT<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"Since its founding in 1956 and official incorporation in 1972, the Ontario Puppetry Association (OPA) has been the heart of puppetry arts across the province. For nearly seventy years, OPA has brought together artists, educators, builders, and enthusiasts who believe in the power of puppets to tell stories, build communities, and spark imaginations. Evolving through five distinct \u201cwaves\u201d of puppetry innovation, OPA has adapted to changing times while preserving a rich legacy. From handmade marionettes in school gyms to digital performances streamed worldwide, the OPA reflects the dynamic and enduring spirit of puppetry in Canada. This living history is not only one of artistic expression but also of collaboration, resilience, and reinvention.<\/span><\/p>

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The First Wave: The Pioneers<\/h2>

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In the earliest days of OPA, puppetry was a grassroots effort, spearheaded by passionate pioneers working in libraries, classrooms, community halls, and living rooms. These foundational figures \u2014 many of them women \u2014 created their own puppets, scripts, and stages from scratch, experimenting with shadow, glove, rod, and marionette forms. The first wave was intimate and handmade, rooted in education and outreach. The OPA became a unifying network for these dispersed creators, offering a platform for visibility, exchange, and professionalization. The seeds sown in this era would blossom into a diverse movement.<\/p>

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Rosalynde Osborne Stearn (1889\u20131990)<\/b><\/div>
David & Violet Keogh<\/b><\/div>
Muriel Heddle (1905\u20131992)<\/b><\/div>
Mark Saunders<\/b><\/div>
Hal & Renee Marquette (1912-2013)<\/b><\/div><\/div>
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The Second Wave: The Guilds and Television Boom<\/h2>

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The second wave emerged in tandem with the rise of puppetry guilds and the golden age of children\u2019s television in the 1970s and 1980s. OPA members became actively involved in professional TV productions \u2014 many of which are now considered Canadian cultural touchstones. At the same time, regional puppetry guilds sprang up across Ontario, democratizing access to the art form and nurturing local talent. This period marked a shift from folk tradition to institutional recognition, and from isolated hobbyists to a thriving provincial network.<\/p>

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George Merten (1914\u20131981)<\/b><\/div>
Ken McKay (1932\u20132024)<\/b><\/div>
Leo and Dora Velleman<\/b><\/div>
John & Linda Keogh<\/b><\/div>
John E. Conway (1922\u20132003)<\/b><\/div>
David Smith (1929-2024)<\/b><\/div>
Muriel Smith<\/b><\/div>
Ted & Belle Kendall<\/b><\/div>
Daniel John Podetz (1935 \u2013 2022)<\/b><\/div><\/div>
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The Third Wave: Expanding Horizons<\/h2>

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As puppetry matured into a multidisciplinary art form, the third wave witnessed an explosion of diversity \u2014 in form, audience, and purpose. Puppetry expanded beyond children\u2019s entertainment to include experimental theatre, adult storytelling, activism, and therapeutic practices. Artists explored international techniques, collaborated across disciplines, and began carving new spaces for puppetry in museums, festivals, and galleries. OPA served as a hub to promote this growing range of voices, holding conferences, publishing newsletters, and archiving vital Canadian puppetry history.<\/p><\/div>

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Nicole (Nikki) (1941\u20132005) & Robert (Bob) Tilroe (1940\u20132013) (Frog Print Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Johan Vandergun (Lampoon Puppettheatre)<\/b><\/div>
Ann & David Powell (Puppetmongers)<\/b><\/div>
Diane Dupuy (Famous People Players)<\/b><\/div>
Ronnie Burkett<\/b><\/div>
Noreen Young (1939-2025)<\/b><\/div>
Dan Wood (Waterwood Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Nancy Kyle (1929\u20132013)<\/b><\/div>
Nancy A. Cole (1936\u20131996)<\/b><\/div>
Felix Mirbt (1931\u20132002)<\/b><\/div>
Gustav & Eva Harsfai (Harsfai Puppet Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Nina Keogh<\/b><\/div><\/div>
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The <\/span>Fourth Wave Puppeteers:\u00a0<\/span>The Puppet Center Journey<\/span><\/h2>

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OPA\u2019s ambitious Puppet Centre project symbolized the association\u2019s effort to create a permanent cultural home for puppetry in Ontario. Though the project faced challenges and eventual closure, it marked a key moment in the organization\u2019s evolution \u2014 one where community, infrastructure, and vision converged. The Puppet Centre was not only a building but a symbol of collective aspiration, sparking conversations about sustainability, leadership, and legacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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Maureen Adams (1924 – 2011)<\/b><\/div>
Pier Rodier (Vox Th\u00e9\u00e2tre)<\/b><\/div>
Frank Meschkuleit<\/b><\/div>
Diane Bouchard (Gestes Th\u00e9\u00e2tre)<\/b><\/div>
Jeff Essery (1942 \u2013 2022)<\/b><\/div>
Lois Schklar<\/b><\/div>
Jane Low-Beer<\/b><\/div>
John Nolan & Kathy MacLellan (Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Tom Vandenberg (T.V. Puppetree)<\/b><\/div>
Ingrid Hamster<\/b><\/div>
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The Fifth Wave\u00a0<\/span>Puppeteers<\/span>: Puppetry in a Digital World<\/span><\/h2>

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Today, puppetry has entered the digital age. Puppeteers use livestreams, motion capture, animation, and augmented reality to reach audiences in new ways. Workshops and festivals now operate in hybrid formats, connecting puppetry communities across time zones and platforms.The OPA continues to adapt, offering digital programming, mentorship, and archival initiatives to reflect the shifting terrain. The pandemic only accelerated this transition, prompting a creative rethinking of what it means to perform, connect, and build puppets in the 21st century.<\/p><\/div>

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Clelia Scala<\/b><\/div>
Alexa Fraser<\/b><\/div>
Robin Polfuss (Roroart)<\/b><\/div>
Eileen Smith (SpringWorks Festival)<\/b><\/div>
James Beauregard Ashby (Bricoteer Experiments Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Mike Harding (Applefun Puppetry)<\/b><\/div>
Phil Arnold (Puppetworks)<\/b><\/div>
Jeremiah Bartram<\/b><\/div>
Anne Barber (Shadowland Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Tamara Romanchuk (Clay & Paper Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Peter Scott (Puppets Elora)<\/b><\/div>
Marie Franek (Studio Babette Puppet Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Sarah Argue (Rock the Arts Puppets)<\/b><\/div>
Connie Calvert (Merry Folklorists)<\/b><\/div>
Shawna Reiter (CLUNK Puppet Lab)<\/b><\/div>
Sarah Argue (Rock the Arts Puppets)<\/b><\/div>
Janna Munkittrick-Coulton<\/b><\/div>
St\u00e9phanie Filippi<\/b><\/div>
Jean-Fran\u00e7ois St-Arnault<\/b><\/div>
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Puppeteers of Today<\/span><\/h2>

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The current generation of Ontario puppeteers is as diverse as the forms they work in \u2014 shadow puppetry, bunraku, object theatre, tabletop puppetry, and everything in between. They are multilingual, intergenerational, and globally connected. Many draw on personal or diasporic heritage while experimenting with contemporary themes, addressing climate change, migration, disability justice, and technology. OPA\u2019s role today is to serve as a bridge: bridging tradition and innovation, elders and newcomers, the analogue and the digital.\u00a0<\/p>

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Andreja Kovac (Crane Creations)<\/b><\/div>
Aimee Poulin<\/b><\/div>
Eugenia De Jong<\/b><\/div>
Benton Lowe<\/b><\/div>
Brad Brackenridge<\/b><\/div>
Tom Stewart (Creature Works Studio)<\/b><\/div>
Slava Yasau (Humpty Dumpty Puppet Theatre) <\/b><\/div>
Hugh Phillips (Fairytale Puppet Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
James Duncan<\/b><\/div>
Viktorija Kovac (Cosmic Fishing Theatre)<\/b><\/div>
Lacey Artemis<\/b><\/div>
Flora Johnson<\/b><\/div>
Arlene Thomas (Puppets & Shadows Theatre Collective)<\/b><\/div>
Kristine White<\/b><\/div>
Casper Adams<\/b><\/div>
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Conclusion: Looking Forward<\/h2><\/div>

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The OPA\u2019s story is one of movements\u2014 \u2014 of hands, voices, ideas, and generations. From its humble beginnings to its digital present, the Association has shaped and been shaped by those who believe in puppetry\u2019s enduring magic. As we look to the future, OPA remains committed after nearly seven decades of service to supporting puppeteers, fostering creativity, and ensuring that the spirit of puppetry continues to evolve, inspire, and thrive.<\/p>

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References<\/h2>

Ashby, J. B. (2015).\u00a0From the Inside Out, from the Outside In: Devised Puppet Theatre in Toronto<\/a>. University of Toronto. August 22, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>

Ashby, J. B. (2017).\u00a0Riding the Wave, Enduring the Trough: Historical and Organizational Patterns in Canadian Puppet Theatre History<\/a>. Puppetry in Education. Retrieved August 22, 2025.<\/p>

Canadian Museum of History. (n.d.).\u00a0History of Puppetry in Canada<\/a>. Retrieved on Wayback Machine on August 22, 2025.<\/p>

McKay, K. (1980). Puppetry in Canada: An Art to Enchant. Toronto: Ontario Puppetry Association.<\/p>

McKay, K. (1990). Figuratively Speaking: Puppetry in Ontario<\/p>

UNIMA. (n.d.).\u00a0Canada<\/a>.\u00a0 World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts. Retrieved on August 22, 2025.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMy Big Fat German Puppet Show, Frank Meschkuleit\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCinderella in Muddy York, Puppet Mongers\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohan Vandergun, Lampoon Puppet Theatre\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTap Dancing Fox Narrator, Clay and Paper Theatre \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDavid and Muriel Smith, David Smith Marionettes Puppet Theatre, Ontario Puppetry Association \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPop up Library, Ontario Puppetry Association \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrom Ruthven to Passchendale, Studio Babette Puppet Theatre \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tO is for Ogre, Waterloo Theatre \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 1956, George Merten founded the OPA, an umbrella organization for various puppetry guilds throughout the province of Ontario. Arriving from the United Kingdom in 1950 with his wife Elisabeth, Merten was hired by the Ontario Ministry of Education to conduct puppetry workshops, train trainers, and stimulate interest in the art of puppetry which, according to contemporary historians, was experiencing the rise of the second wave of modern puppeteers. Closely linked to its southern neighbours, the OPA was established to function in the image of the Puppeteers of America [PoA], founded in 1937, of which three of its presidents will be Canadian, including George Merten, Ken McKay….<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,22],"class_list":["post-702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-about-us","tag-history"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=702"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4904,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/702\/revisions\/4904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontariopuppetryassociation.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}