12pm – UNIMA-USA Symposium: Conversations on Puppetry, Social Justice, and Diversity: Part 1 at Teatro SEA
Presentations and discussion on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in US puppetry past, present, and future by scholars and artists in the field.

Moderator: Claudia Orenstein, Theatre Professor, Hunter College, CUNY
Speakers:
Jacqueline Wade: Executive Producer of Women of Color Productions, Inc.
Designer, Sculptor, and Lead Builder for giant Mumia Puppet
Presentation Title: Mumia Abu-Jamal Giant Puppet: Creation and Protest Performance

Kuang-Yu Fong: Executive & Co-Artistic Director, Chinese Theatre Works
Presentation Title: Casper as a Banana: Experiences in American Chinese puppetry.

Ginew Benton: Native American Writer & Director
Presentation Title: Native American Oral History and Puppetry

Paulette Richards. Puppet Artist and Independent Researcher
Presentation Title: Puppetry’s Past: African-American Masquerade

2:30 pm – Teatro SEA’s Theatre Book Series Presentation @ Teatro SEA

After three decades of uninterrupted theater work and bringing unforgettable adventures to thousands of children and youth, the award-winning Latino Theater Company, Teatro SEA, in collaboration with The Morán Group, bring you their bilingual Theatre-Books Series. Each volume includes full scripts in both languages (and on certain titles, even a third bilingual script!), so now you can broaden the experience of “CULTURA” and the magic of “TEATRO” by reading, studying, staging, and, most importantly, enjoying theater.

5pm – Puppet States by Paulette Richards at Teatro SEA

This lecture/ screening presents a series of short digital narratives as examples of how independent filmmakers can use low-tech equipment and puppets to challenge conventional modes of mimesis and representations of minority cultures.