Bay Area Puppetry Arts (BAPA)
What is Bay Area Puppetry Arts? BAPA is a new puppetry arts center for the San Francisco Bay Area and environs. BAPA was founded by Bay Area puppeteers and international performers Michael & Valerie Nelson who, between them, have almost 6 decades of professional performing, playwriting, directing and producing in the Bay Area.

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Goals of BAPA:
The goals of BAPA are to provide a center for puppetry arts in the Bay Area, with a primary focus on public performance, performances for youth, performing arts education, puppetry and drama curriculum development for schools, and community building through the arts. Second tier goals for BAPA include conservation of puppets and artifacts, puppetry exhibits, and serving as a resource center for puppetry in Northern California.

How will BAPA grow and operate?

BAPA's growth plan is one of organic expansion, starting small with modest means and growing as conditions dictate. BAPA will seek to establish partnerships with existing community centers to share resources and facilities. Programs will attempt to be self-supporting. In addition project and operating funding will be sought from foundations, government bodies, charitable organizations and individual donors, as well as event receipts.

About the Founders: .

Michael and Valerie Nelson founded and have run Magical Moonshine Theatre for almost 30 years, as a vital arts organization with an international following, and as an arts business. Under their leadership, MMT has grown to be one of the nation’s top puppet companies, regularly selected to headline at national puppetry festivals and garnering 3 UNI Awards (the nation’s highest award for excellence in puppetry.) In addition the company’s original productions have proved popular in over 15 countries throughout Latin America, Asia and Europe.
Michael studied puppetry with Muppet creator Jim Henson at the International Institute of Puppetry in France, and has taught puppetry at the college, and elementary school levels (joined by Valerie) as well as master classes for professional puppeteers and teachers. Currently Michael and Valerie (whose background in music and education have served the company well) are designated California Arts Council Artists in the Schools.
Michael is past Artistic Director of the Puppeteers of America National Puppetry Festival, and both Valerie and Michael are current directing staff of the next National Puppetry Festival (to be held in Atlanta, summer 2009.) In addition Michael is past president of UNIMA-USA, the US branch of the oldest international theatre organization in the world, and current president of the San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers Guild, one of the nations largest and most active puppet guilds.


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