Chicago-based Von Orthal Puppets is committed to keeping the ancient art of puppetry alive by educating a new generation of puppeteers and creating “a communion of cultures and ideas through their art form.”  Speaking about the company’s mission, Artistic Director Cynthia Von Orthal continues, “We want to create transformative experiences for our audiences through stories centered on hope and an examination of our own humanity. Basically we are dedicated to traveling the world telling the story of our heart, collectively, through the puppetry/mask arts.”

It should be noted that they undertake their mission using puppets of dazzling beauty and mesmerizing complexity. There’s a big Wow Factor, for young and old. Read on and see for yourself.

What traditions of puppetry have most influenced you? What cultures do they come from?

The techniques I use for Von Orthal Puppets come from both the Czech and European marionette and Japanese bunraku traditions. We base so much of our puppetry on these styles because they are so expressive and the movement brings these inanimate characters to life.

I have a son who is almost six, and he has always loved puppet shows. When I took him to the first puppet show he had ever been to in which the puppeteers were fully visible, albeit neutrally dressed, instead of being crouched down behind a black curtain, it really sparked his fascination with how the puppets were made to come to life -– how they were constructed, how they were being manipulated throughout the show, how truly complex some of them were.

For every show I have performed for a group of children, I have noticed a similar reaction. They notice quite a lot, and even though they are very invested in the story and characters, they also notice the life behind the puppet, which is the focus, imagination, and playfulness of the puppeteer.

Because of children’s innate curiosity and excitement, I usually do a short workshop after each performance, where the children get to touch and manipulate the puppets, and get to experience creating one of their own. It is these kind of experiences that provide endless inspiration for us, at Von Orthal Puppets, and it is the child-like fascination that we hope to bring out in even our oldest audience members.

What was the most challenging show you ever undertook? What made it so challenging, and how did it come out?

The most challenging show was one of the first puppet productions I was a part of: “The Adding Machine” by Elmer Rice. At that time I was part of a theatre ensemble that wanted to create puppet experiences for adults. No one was doing this, at least here in Chicago. I thought it would be wonderful to present a puppet play for adults, since we all loved the art form. It took us nine months to build, with four of us doing all the building and ultimately all the performing. The show had 60 puppets in all. The night we were to open, we were so behind schedule we actually were considering canceling, even though the press was coming that night from all over. We pulled it together and opened the show, not knowing what anyone would think. The show was such a success, receiving rave reviews. We had planned to run the show for about eight weeks… Two years later, we were still running. We just could not close the show. We had a tiny theater which had about 70 seats. We were sold out every night with people coming back to see it three and four times, bringing more and more friends.

The show was such an undertaking that we won an International UNIMA Award in the Puppetry Arts, the most prestigious award one can win for a puppet play. I think the thing that made it so challenging is that it was such an in depth piece of theater and, creatively speaking, we had to stretch in every direction. This experience definitely solidified my desire to continue in the puppetry arts.

What has been your greatest success to date?

We have had much success with the puppetry, which I am very grateful for, but I think the most successful is “Tara’s Story, The Birth of the Universe”, a creation story we were commissioned to build originally for the National Day of Puppetry. This production has performed all over the country and every time we perform it, it creates another opportunity to present it all over the world. I think the reason “Tara’s Story” has been successful is that it speaks to a variety of people about who we are and where we come from in a very archetypal way. Children and adults can relate to this creation story, which attempts to explain our meaning here on earth.

How did you find out about Fractured Atlas and what motivated you to become a member?

Von Orthal Puppets’ Outreach Coordinator, Katie Jones, suggested that we join Fractured Atlas. She was familiar with Fractured Atlas because she had met with a representative during her time at the Directors Lab at Lincoln Center Theater. Based on the success of that meeting, Katie thought Fractured Atlas could really aid Von Orthal Puppets in furthering its mission. I was very interested in the idea of fiscal sponsorship, so that our creative dreams can finally have the financial support needed to become a reality, I can expand my business in terms of networking with other arts organizations, and provide staff members with decent salaries and benefits.

How do you use your Fractured Atlas membership?

Currently, our main uses of Fractured Atlas are to broaden our exposure in the theatrical community, and to have better (and legal) means of raising funds through the fiscal sponsorship program. In the next few months, we are planning on having a benefit fundraiser, as well as applying for grants.

What’s next on your professional horizon?

This fall, we are focusing on three main projects. The first is that we are in the design stage of “Berwyn Avenue”, a funny and poignant story about a family’s experience in Chicago in the 1970s. The performance run is currently scheduled for spring of 2010. Secondly, we hope to create a large-scale educational program in Chicago Public Schools and area libraries. Finally, we are partnering with an organization called Casa Came, to create a show that will be performed at the Mayan Festival of Ancient Wisdom in Guatemala this December.

How can we see/experience and learn more about Von Orthal Puppets?

Please visit our website for more images and information. Von Orthal Puppets can also be seen performing at most puppet festivals in the Midwest and in many international locations including Peru and Australia. We also offer a new class each quarter, as well as a summer camp, so students of all ages can experiences the magic of puppetry firsthand.