4F - Tuesday; September 4, 2012

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

4F - Tuesday, September 4, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom

Puppets to parade through
downtown in upcoming
FestiFools celebration

Runners begin first round of the Ann Arbor marathon at Michigan Stadium at 6:45 a.m.
F irst ever Ann Arbor
Marathon escapes weather

'U' students make,
share their puppet
creations with A2
By ALICIA ADAMCZYK
Daily Arts Writer
MARCH 30, 2012 - Looking
for a particularly foolish way to
spend the first of April this year,
but tired of the same old pranks
and tricks? The sixth annual
FestiFools will offer an artistic
experience for April Fool's Day
enthusiasts.
In 2006, Mark Tucker, the
arts director for the Lloyd Hall
Scholars Program, decided to
take the idea of street theater
to the next level for University
students. As part of his Art in
Public Spaces course, Tucker
had his students create giant
paper-mach6 puppets to assist a
local theater production.
Six years later, this foray
into student puppeteering has
become one of the most talked-
about events in Ann Arbor.
Tucker wrote in an e-mail.
interview that FestiFools is a
non-profit public art perfor-
mance unrestrained by a tradi-
tional theater, sponsored by the
University, City of Ann Arbor
and civic, corporate and private
donors.
"Ultimately, we're exposing a
broad spectrum of people to this
entertaining brand of public art
as a vehicle for celebrating and
supporting creativity and visual
literacy," Tucker wrote.
While the actual parade will
take place on Sunday, FestiFools
isn't merely a one-act show.
Prom dusk to midnight tomor-
row, mischief-makers eager to
get an early start on festivities
can attend FoolMoon, a proces-

sion of handmade, illuminated
sculptures throughout the
streets of Ann Arbor.
Besides viewing the sculp-
ture procession, attendees will
have the opportunity to witness
street-sized shadow-puppet
performances, experimental
silent films and other surprises.
In addition, Tucker wrote
that Spontaneous Art, a perfor-
mance art collective, will create
live video games for festival-
goers.
"They will be dressed in
robot suits and provide chal-
lenges similar to obstacle
courses or light sports," Tucker
wrote. "Players will have to
dodge, jump, duck, aim, throw
and step quicklyto make it to
the next level."
Art & Design Prof. NickTobi-
er, whose students produce the
puppets for FestiFools, said he
can't wait for the students to
march down Main Street with
their creations.
"You know, as we round the
corner and enter, I'm just look-
ing forward to seeing the looks
(in) their eyes," Tobier said. "It's
great to be part of some event in
which you're both part of Ann
Arbor and part of the Univer-
sity. I think that happens all too
rarely."
Art & Design freshman Kelly
Sadlon, one of the students
involved in the parade, said she
can't wait to see the reactions
of the children in the audience
when they catch a glimpse of
the puppets.
"Events like this bring atten-
tion not only to Ann Arbor, but
to the art school and art itself,"
Sadlon said. "It's parades like
these that make children and
adults aware of art who may not
typically be exposed to art in
their everyday lives."

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nners join from services for the event.
Finishing first in the mara-
oss U.S., various thon was 39-year-old Marco
Capelli with a time of 2:48:02.
ks of life to raise The first woman to finish was
24-year-old Allyson Weimer,
oney for schools who had a time of 3:11:36. In the
half marathon, 20-year-old Tole-
By STEVE ZOSKI do native Trevin Flickinger fin-
Daily News Editor ished first with a time of 1:18:40.
29-year-old Denver native Sarah
NE 17, 2012 - Leave it to Pizzo was the first female to fin-
Arbor to bring together a ish with a time of 1:27:10.
nt who overcame paralysis, - Among the marathon's orga-
, military veterans and a nizers were Michael Highfield,
n a Chinese food costume founder of Champions for Char-
rticipate in the same ath- ity, and his wife Andrea High-
vent. field.
s Father's Day morning In an interview after the mar-
rd the first time runners athon started, Andrea Highfield
participate in a 26.2-mile said she was thankful for the
hon through campus and gentle weather, adding that she
treets - many of which and her husband had .been con-
closed as a result of the cerned the morning would be
ver Ann Arbor Marathon ruined with rain and storms.
s conjoined half marathon The night before the race, the
K races. website for the marathon noted
e marathon course began that there was a planned proce-
e Michigan Stadium and dure of postponing the race or
on the 50-yeard line pausing the race's timing if light-
bel Field after traveling ning was spotted before or dur-
gh parts of campus such as ing the race.
g House, the Law Quadran- "So thankful," Highfield said.
tst Ice Arena, the Michigan "We were both up all night just
and Nichols Arboretum. making arrangements for if we
n Valley Ambulance was on had to switch times."
by at the finish at Elbel, and Water stations were set up at
sorted three participants every mile, and stations provid-
ble condition because of ing GU energy gel were set up at
elated issues. miles 12,18 and 22.5.
ampions for Charity, which At the beginning of the mara-
osts the annual Big House thon, Highfield told runners
leart .5K, 10K and 1-mile they could vote for the best, most
organized the event., Six enthusiastic water station when
s from every race fee ben- they finished the race. Highfield
the Ann Arbor Public explained the best-voted station
Is Educational Founda- would receive prizes such as a
Verizon tablet and $250 in cash.
ditional charities were Highfield added that volun-
ed to register and use the teers came from places including
hon as an independent Ann Arbor Public Schools.
aising opportunity. The Highfield also said her hus-
was sponsored by local band's committee, the Ann
esses, like Ann Arbor State Arbor Marathon Committee,
along with national com- had researched the best course
s like Macy's. for Ann Arbor.
'rently, the marathon's "My husband and his commit-
te has released times for tee wanted to show off all of Ann
eople in the full marathon Arbor," Highfield said.
211 people in the half mara- Though the inaugural mara-
Local running store chain thon started outside Michigan
ng Fit provided timing Stadium, Highfield said future

events could try finishing there.
"It would be nice to be able to
finish (in the Big House) - and
maybe we'llgetto that someday,"
Highfield said.
Standing on the corner of
East Madison and State streets,
Northville resident Sarah Hen-
dricks waited to cheer on Rack-
ham student Clarissa Freeman,
who ran the half marathon after
suffering from prolonged paraly-
sis due to a debilitating condition
called spina bifida while in high
school.
"She has a medical condition,
and she had a relapse and wasn't
able to walk or take care of her-
self," Hendricks said. "She's
been working really hard and
training, so it's pretty much a
miracle."
Hendricks explained Free-
man's relapse occurred 18
months beforethe marathon and
while her time was well done for
a first-time runner, she knows
Freeman can improve.
"For a (first) race, there's
always a learning curve for both
participants and the organizers,
so you (can) always learn," Hen-
dricks said.
Before the marathon, sup-
porters of an Immaculate Heart
of Mary Catholic nun named
Julia, who was- running the full
marathon, stood by the starting
line.
Maxine Kollasch, an IHM sis-
ter from Monroe, said Julia was
running the event to fundraise.
for their faith and spirituality
outreach blog called A Nun's Life
Ministry.
"We have Julia running the
marathon," Kollasch said. "She's
been training faithfully, and
she's really excited about this."
She added that they were
happy to provide Julia with a
much-needed energy boost after
she completed the marathon.
"We're here to support her
and give her coffee at the end of
it all," Kollasch said.
Team Red, White & Blue,
an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit
group for wounded veterans,
had members running in the full
marathon, half marathon and
SK, including Johnny Algor, a

recent law and business gradu-
ate and military veteran.
Before he ran the 5K, Algor
said his foundation fundraised
in support of the event, which
he added is one of many events.
his organization participates in
to promote wounded veterans'
well-being..
"We try to reintegrate wound-
ed veterans back into society,
and one of the ways we try to
get them out is through physical
fitness," Algor said. "That's also
how we build awareness."
Algor said his organization
was able to come together for
the marathon and bond with a
dinner at Conor O'Neill's the
night before as well as a tailgate
planned for after the event.
Algor said he was excited to
run by the places where he stud-
ied for years.
"We'll get to see some of the
sights, I'm excited for it," Algor
said.
Ann Arbor residents Chris-
topher and Carolyn Todd sat in
chairs on the corner of Hill and
State streets to cheer on their
son Kevin and friend Josh, who
traveled from their respective
homes in Boston and Miami to
run.
Carolyn Todd said the mara-
thon did not count as a qualifier
for the esteemed Boston Mara-
thon, something she said would
have drawn in more competitive
runners.
"This is not a qualifying event,
which is not disappointing, but
that means it's not (the) highest
caliber - but it's their first (mar-
athon)," Todd said.
The Todds said it was nice
that the event was in their home-
town because this was their first
time getting to see their son run
a marathon, even though he has
run many and qualified for the
Boston Marathon this year.
Christopher Todd said if they
had a gripe about the marathon,
it would be at their struggle to
find parking.
"We were planning on park-
ing at Yost, but there's no way of
getting in there," Todd said.
See MARATHON, Page 5F

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MRiSA Mv LAIN/uaiy
A parade-goer watches Art & Design students prepare for festifools on April 1,
2012.
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