The Giant Puppet
Volunteers and Updates for USS Mariano
Vallejo submarine, 2011
(scroll down for past
giant puppet projects)
Below is a slide show of
some of the great volunteers that helped
out with the 2011 parade, building the
submarine puppet and helping ready the
other 4 puppets. Some of the work was at
our house and some at the Vallejo Ferry
Building where we again had a temporary
giant puppet workshop.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
2009 Giant Horse Puppet
Note: there were over 22
volunteers on the giant horse project
from 2009. Below are a few of them.!
(Volunteers in fairly random
order!)
 - Benjie
Nelson, Mountain View, CA- Benjie is a robotics engineer,
puppeteer and puppet builder. He trained
under his parents, Michael and Valerie
Nelson of the Magical Moonshine Theatre.
He enjoys mechanical problem solving and
showing off to his robotics engineer
buddies what impressive giant horses
puppeteers can build. Benjie currently
works at Anybots
in Mountain View, CA
 - Greg Powers,
Napa, CA
 - Kevin
Menegus, Vallejo - Kevin
Menegus developed his unique
style of puppetry while performing
throughout the world. Kevin has
studied with puppeteers Tony Urbano, Bob
Baker, Randall Metz and Lewis Mahlmann.
Kevin received his Bachelor of
Music Degree in Percussion Performance at
the University Of The Pacific
Conservatory Of Music. Kevin has
also performed on major cruise lines such
as Crystal Cruises, Holland America and
the Silverseas. www.FratelloM.com
 - Mindy
Hackett, Vallejo - I am a Planning Specialist with
the US Forest Service in Vallejo, CA
and I'm having too much fun to
retire. I sing alto with Vallejo
Choral Society and the Fellowship United
Methodist Church choir, which is the
extent of my artistic endeavors. My
favorite way to relax is – a good
book, junk food, and silence. - -
I was happy to be asked to work on the
mare and absolutely delighted at how
the project turned out. Keep me in
mind in the future!
 - Naomi S.
Cooper, Vallejo - I discovered Valerie and
Michael (and Magical Moonshine
Theatre) by chance, as my husband
and I were walking around near the ferry
building prior to July 4th; we noticed
the activity and excitement surrounding a
huge horse puppet! I truly enjoyed
outfitting two of the hooves, and
spending some time with these
amazing people. My personal art work has
taken many forms, though ceramic
sculpture is my current focus. www.naomisteincooper.com
 - Kim Webb,
Vallejo - Raised
with shows like Sesame Street and
Mister Roger's Neighborhood, how
could I not love puppets? When
I'm not hugging giant horse
puppets, I sing with Valerie in the
Vallejo Choral
Society. - By
allowing volunteers like myself and
others to help with this project,
Valerie and Michael
have given us the opportunity
to share in creating something truly
valuable - community pride.
 Jessie Horak,
Vallejo - Jessie is a real estate agent
with Exit Realty. She has been active in
Ren Faire (and associated Faires) for
decades, and has been a prop and scene
maker for Time Travel Theatre.
 - Sam Kurshan,
Vallejo, CA - My
name is Sam Kurshan. I moved to Vallejo
in 2003 and instantly fell in love with
it. I am actively involved in city
government and I am running for City
Council. I believe the best way to revive
our city is by participating in events
that bring us all together, where we meet
our neighbors, make new friends and
collectively give something back to the
community. Helping with the construction
of the giant puppets and being inside of
one in the parade was that kind of
opportunity. I encourage everyone reading
this to seek out those opportunities and
actively participate in them. You will go
home with a wonderful feeling.
 - Allison
Harris, Vallejo - Allison works
at Panama Red Coffee Company, and knows
French and other forms of braiding.
 - Ralph
Holdermann, Napa, CA
 - Ernie
Fosselius, Sebastopol, CA - Ernie Fosselius is perhaps best
known as the filmmaker of the most
successful short film of all time,
"Hardware Wars," a spoof on
hardware wars. Ernie is also an automata
maker, and images of his automata can be
seen HERE.
 - Wallace
Henderson Ingalls, Vallejo
 - Earlene
Millier, Vallejo
 - Fred Riley
III, Oakland, CA
 Akiko, Oakland,
CA
 - Robert
Gonzales, Vallejo, CA
 - Michael Katz,
Berkeley, CA - Michael
Katz has been a
storyteller since 1984 and has been
featured at such illustrious locations as
the openings of both the Los Angeles
Getty Center and the Disney Concert Hall.
He is one of the founding members of the
national touring theatre company
BOXTALES, and was the founding Artistic
Director for the Flying Leap Storytelling
Festival in Solvang, California.
 - Caroline
Hegarty, Vallejo
 - Mary Ewart,
Vallejo -
Don Hill, Vallejo
Don Kelly, Vallejo
Kelly Clark, Vallejo -
Brian Powers, Napa, CA
and more to come!
Magical
Moonshine Giant Puppets, Box 1258,
Vallejo, CA 94590, U.S.A. - tel:
707-363-4573
Click
here to send us an Email: mail@magicalmoonshine.org
 
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