The Black Sheep Puppet Festival's Call for Artists July 30, 2008

Black Sheep Puppet Festival
The Brew House, 2100 Mary St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203
412-381-7767, [email protected], www.brew-house.org, www.blacksheeppuppet.com

Call for Artists

Coming October 10-26, 2008 – the Tenth Annual Black Sheep Puppet Festival, bigger and better than ever, and YOU have multiple opportunities to be a part of it!

The Black Sheep Puppet Festival is now accepting proposals for:
• Puppet Performances
• Puppet Films
• Interactive Puppet Art
• And, the 24-Hour Puppet Reality Experiment!

Check our website for a tentative schedule of events.

Puppet Performances
Do you have an existing puppet show or concept? Send in your proposal to perform at the Black Sheep Puppet Festival. We are finalizing our schedule and will have multiple opportunities for you to present your work. Stage performances will be at the Brew House on both the weekends of October 17-19 and 24-26. Smaller shows may be included at the Opening festivities of October 10 or other festival events. All sizes and styles of performance are open to consideration, even an improvisational “Puppet Slam” solo performance.
Send your proposal by July 31, 2008 to the address above. Please be as detailed as possible with your show description. Be sure to include full contact information, budgetary requirements, technical requirements, length of performance, set up and tear down times, appropriate audience, and schedule availability. You do not need to have a fully-fleshed show by the time you submit, but please give us as much information as you can to help our decision process. Please feel free to ask questions. Materials can not be returned without prepaid postage.

Puppet Films
In cooperation with Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Black Sheep plans to present a program of short puppet films, from both local and visiting film and video artists. Animations are acceptable but physical puppetry is preferred. Screenings will take place October 18 and 19.
Contact us by August 31, 2008 if interested in submitting a film. Actual film or video, ideally in digital format, will need to be available by September 30, 2008. In your initial contact please be sure to indicate full contact information, length of film, appropriate audience, format, and budgetary requirements. Materials can not be returned without prepaid postage.

Interactive Puppet Art
Calling all types of artists, non-artists and anyone interested in puppetry! We need your puppets for the Black Sheep Interactive Gallery Exhibit, opening October 10. Experienced puppeteers to novice puppet makers will be considered. Any and all forms of puppetry are welcome. Interactivity is not only encouraged, it is required. We want the viewer to touch, play and perform with your puppet installation. This can mean anything. Write a short script to accompany your puppet. Include instruments to be played when your puppet performs. Create a group of puppets that belong together.
Any form of interaction counts. Find a new use for an existing puppet or create a puppet with your friend and submit together. Or take your friend’s short story and create it in puppet form. Collaborations are encouraged. You could even write a proposal to perform using your own puppets in the gallery on certain nights. Remember, this is a hands-on exhibit. Your piece will be handled by the viewers and may not be returned to you in perfect condition. Keep this in mind throughout your process.
Acceptable Styles: Hand Puppets, Marionettes, Finger Puppets, Shadow Puppets (dark space is available), Water, Toy Theatre, Giant Puppets or anything you can think of.
Acceptable Media: Wood, metal, fiber, leather, cardboard, found objects or anything you can think of.
Feel free to include examples of previous work and sketches of your ideas with your written proposal. Materials can not be returned without prepaid postage. We look forward to hearing from you! Concepts needed by August 31, 2008.

24-Hour Puppet Reality Experiment
Don’t have time to create your own show, film, or artwork? Become part of a new creative collaboration: the 24-Hour Puppet Reality Experiment!
On Thursday evening, October 16, fifteen people from a diversity of backgrounds and interests will be grouped into 3 teams of 5, given tools, materials, and studio space at the Brew House, and tasked with creating 3 new puppet shows which will be performed in front of a live audience in only 24 hours! Plus, the entire creative process will be filmed and documented.
Write to us with your full contact information, 500 words or less about your background, and no more than 250 words telling us why YOU want to take part. Send this application by September 15, 2008. Participants will be chosen and notified by September 30. We want people from ALL backgrounds so don’t be shy. Become part of this one-of-a-kind first ever show!

Send your proposals or questions via email to [email protected] or by postal mail to The Brew House, 2100 Mary St., Pittsburgh, PA 15203. It’s going to be our most ambitious festival ever and we would love for you to be a part of it!

Official Website: http://blacksheeppuppet.com