Eurasian Migrations in Puppet Theatre and Clowns: Hindu, Muslim, and Contemporary Exchanges

Kathy Foley, Sep. 17, 2019 2-3pm. 220 York Street, Room 100.

Puppetry, including clowning, is connected across the Eurasian land mass in three distinct periods: an early one in which Indian sources and Hindu religious ideas impacted traveling performers; a second which may have links with Muslim Malamati and Qalandari thought; and the contemporary period where global flows have become widespread as exemplified by the work of Dadi Pudumjee.

Kathy Foley is a Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of California, Santa Cruz who works on puppets and mask and serves on the UNIMA-International Research and Publications Commissions as well as  president of UNIMA-USA (2017-2019). Research was supported by UCSC Committee on Research and Arts Research Institute, Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Asian Cultural Council and World Wood Foundation.