Niche

I

gor Gozman and Irina Bara- tomiming marionettes with classical mu-
novskaya were looking for new sic and recorded sounds to set the mood,
opportunities when they moved will be performed at 1:30 p.m. Wednes-
from Russia to the United States day, Dec. 27, at the Creative ARTS Cen-
five years ago, and as they set- ter in Pontiac.
The Russian version of Cinderella has
tled in, American audiences
were finding new opportunities a plot twist different from the one local au-
for exploring European theater traditions. diences know.
Gozman studied dramatic arts in Rus-
The married couple formed PuppetArt
American-Russian Theater, crafting pup- sia and Baranovskaya studied painting
pets, presenting puppet performances and and sculpture. In the basement of their
Auburn Hills home, the husband-
teaching puppetry. With the help
of friends, they are about to stage Igor Goz man, Irina wife team maintains a workshop
three productions: Cinderella, Baranovs kaya and where they craft the lifelike faces
Natasha Khousid
and the devices that make it pos-
Firebird and Purimshpiel.
with ma rionettes
sible for puppeteers to simulate
Cinderella, which features pan- from Ci nderella.

Igor Gozman
and his
PuppetArt
American-
Russian Theater
are masters of
design and
performance.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

PHOTOS BY.BILL HANSEN

60

actual movement.
Baronovskaya sketches each doll before
she begins construction, planning the
defining smiles and frowns along with
every line that gives the sense of person-
ality.
Each face is sculpted from papier
mache, painted and topped off with a wig.
Each body is structured from wood, leather
and perhaps nylon threads, depending on
whether it is manipulated by rod, hand or
marionette strings. Tailoring the costume
from fine fabrics is the finishing touch.
"Puppets require a lot of imagination
from the audience and so they are right
for children, who all seem to have that,"