continued from previous page Festivals in Puerto Rico


Since its creation in 1955, the ICP has been the governmental agency in charge of promoting the arts in Puerto Rico. From 1977 to 1981, it sponsored the Festival de Teatro de Títeres (Puppet Theater Festival) on an annual basis. These festivals featured the pioneering companies mentioned above. ICP then combined the Puppet Theater Festival with the Festival de Teatro Infantil (Children’s Theater Festival) and, subsequently, the Rutas de Teatro Infantil (Children’s Theater Routes), which were celebrated yearly through 1987. In 2002, ICP reinstalled the Puppet Theater Festivals and now celebrates them every other year. The eighth edition of the festival was celebrated in December 2009. The success of these festivals encouraged master puppeteer Mario Donate to fund and organize the Bienal Internacional de Teatro de Títeres (the International Biennial of Puppet Theater). The 14 editions of this festival have engaged companies from Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico,


Dr. Moran points out that perhaps the first Puerto Rican puppeteer was Pura Belpre (1899-1982), an author, sto- ryteller, puppeteer, and the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. Born in Cidra, Puerto Rico, she began working at the New York Public Library in 1921. She was an advocate for the Spanish speaking community and es- tablished the first bilingual story hour. Her tale Perez and Martina was published in 1932. Juan Bobo and the Queen’s Necklace was published in 1962. She retired in 1968.


Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the United States, as well as Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, since 1987 the city of Caguas, “the capital of Puerto Rican puppet theater,” has celebrated a city puppet festival. Finally, beginning in 2008, eight Puerto Ricans initiated a festival known as Titeretada. This festival includes expositions, films, a cabaret, bazaars, and shows, and has been held annually since 2008, celebrating World Day of Puppetry during the month of March.


Puppet Theater Schools Other than the puppet theater seminars offered by the Programa de Teatro Escolar and Escuela Técnica de Artesanía Teatral or the sporadic workshops run by existing companies, formal instruction has not been available. However, recently the University of Puerto Rico’s Departamento de Drama at the Río Piedras campus, offered courses by Noelia Ortiz, a master’s degree graduate in puppet theater. Classes in the Schools of Fine Arts in the cities of Caguas and Carolina are also offered.


Publications Company Y No Habia Luz.


There are few publications regarding the history of puppet theater in Puerto Rico. Rafael A. Ortiz wrote a book in 2002, Apuntes sobre el teatro de títeres en Puerto Rico (Notes on the Puppet Theater in Puerto Rico), in which he summarizes the historical movement from a personal perspective. He offers valuable information on the main puppet companies and on his own company, El Mundo de los Muñecos. Manuel A. Morán’s doctoral dissertation, “The Development of Teatro Escolar” (NYU, 2005), includes an extensive chapter on the MIR experimental project, its performances and seminars, and interviews with Santiago Lavandero and George Latshaw. Gladys Ruiz has written many articles documenting the history of the Teatro Escolar Program, which she directed for many years. Another important figure is Tere Marichal, who published a puppet theater bulletin called El Titiritero Alquimista (The Puppeteer Alchemist, 1983),and José Rodriguez, from the company Los Soldaditos (The Little Soldiers), wrote El Arte de los Titeres, Efectivo y Divertido (The Art of Puppets, Effective and Amusing).


in 2008, eight Puerto Ricans initiated a festival known as Titeretada. This festival includes expositions, films, a cabaret, bazaars, and shows, and has been held annually since 2008, celebrating World Day of Puppetry during the month of March.


Company Teatro SEA. 16


Dr. Manuel Morán is an award-winning actor, singer, writer, composer, puppeteer, theater and film director, and producer. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of SEA, Society of the Educational Arts, Inc (www.teatrosea.org) with offices in Puerto Rico, Florida, and New York City. Moran’s three-episode film, Títeres en el Caribe Hispano/ Puppetry in the Caribbean, a documentary about puppet theater in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, premiered at the Havana Film Festival in Cuba. Dr. Morán has served as president of UNIMA-USA (2016–2017) and currently serves as vice president of the international organization UNIMA.


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