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Why
we started:
In the Past, Myanmar Puppetry was not only for entertainment, but also
a high art held in much esteem by all classes. Marionettes were a means
of making people aware of current events, a medium for educating the people
in literature, history and religion, display of lifestyles and customs.
At the same time, they functioned as mouthpieces for the people in the
days of royalty, tiny hands in state and social affairs.
Nowadays, the old traditional marionette generation has almost faded away.
This is simply due to the lack of patronage required during the last few
decades. Therefore, it has come to pass that the art of marionette is
referred to as a dying art that was rapidly disappearing with the advance
of modern entertainment. The same story is applicable to the artists.
So we, a private team of professional artists, like to restore this folk
art and have arranged a special marionette show for visitors to Mandalay,
the centre of Myanmar arts and culture. We consider that this show would
be of great interest to tourists and also a good help to give them an
idea of ancient Myanmar and Myanmar culture.
How
we started:
 The
two female founders who were sincerely interested and focused on the discovery
of puppetry have organized the Mandalay Marionettes Theatre since 1986.
The first one is Mrs. Ma Ma Naing (left), who is a daughter of U Thein
Naing, the writer of Burmese Puppet Theatre published in Yangon in 1966.
The other one is Mrs. Naing Yee Mar (right), who had a chance to learn
about Myanmar Puppetry from the researcher Dr. Tin Maung Kyi. The aims
of his research are to rediscover and preserve Myanmar anatomical science
relating to puppets and to help future scholars who opt to preserve and
further promote this science.
Luckily these two young ladies have discovered the two old puppet players
U Pan Aye and U Mya Thwin (passed away in 1995) and could start the theatre
with a higher level of attraction for visiting tourists. They are the
former pupils of the Marionette artist Shwe Bo U Thin Maung, one of the
remaining descendents of the ancient professionals. They have gradually
built up their team by experienced artists as well as young artists (puppet
players, musicians and a human dancer). Our artist team is supervised
by Dr. Tin Maung Kyi, U Pan Aye and U Shwe Nan Tin who is also the former
pupil of the Marionette artist Shwe Bo U Thin Maung.
What
we have been through:
Owners of the Theatre and formed a management team.
- 1986- Founded by two ladies, Ma Ma Naing and Naing Yee Mar,
focussed on tourists in Myanmar.
- 1992- First Local performance at
the Shwei Por Kyung meditation centre for a week, sponsored by the
meditation center.
- 1993-Performance for the International
School in Yangon sponsored by the school and invited by
MRTV, Yangon for the television program.
- 1994-Participation in the hundred-anniversary
celebration of the Mandalay Moat. And started to perform
the overnight entertainments for the local people at the pagoda festivals
in
Mandalay.
- 1995-Master U Pan Aye won the first
prize for his individual manipulating talent in the whole
Myanmar-performing-art-competition
in Yangon.
- 1996-Daw Ma Ma Naing won the first
prize at the PAC in Yangon.
- 1997-The whole troupe won the second
prize for the Widura wise-sage Buddha story in the PAC in
Yangon.
- 1998-The whole troupe won the first
prize for the "Sambula" Buddha story in the PAC in Yangon.
Daw Ma Ma
Naing Participated in the trade fair in 1998 in Singapore as a puppeteer.
Daw Ma Ma
Naing and Shwe Bo Tin Saung (Vocalist) participated in the flying Circus
Project, 1998,
for a month
sponsored by the Theatre works in Singapore.
- 1999-Participated in the AIDS educational
Programs, Performance by the title of, Shame and Caution
Leads to Safety.
-
2000- After we have set up our theatre
as a company limited, Ma Ma Naing and Ko Kyaw Myo Ko became
equal owner of the theatre and formed a meangement team.
- 2000 in France -
- Participated
in the Worldwide Festival of Puppet Theatres in Charleville Mezeries in
France
for 10 days.
- Performed
at the Maison des Cultures du Monde Theatre in Paris for 3 days.
- 2000 in The Netherlands -
- Performed
in the Soeterijn Theatre of the Tropen Museum in Amsterdam (including
the
workshop
and lectures)
- Performed
at the Utrecht University and The Hoge School in Utrecht (including the
workshop
and lectures)
- Performed
in the Rasa Theater in Utrecht (including the workshop and lectures),
- Performed
at an old people's institute in The Hague
- 2000 in USA -
- Performed
at the East West Centre in Honolulu, Hawaii, for a week (including the
workshop
and
lectures),
- Performed
at the National History Museum in New York for 3 days (including the workshop
and
lectures),
- performed
at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco for 3 days (including the workshop
and lectures),
- performed
for the University students at Santa Cruz in Calfornia, for a week(including
the
workshop
and lectures),
- 2001-The troupe won the second prize
at the PAC in Yangon for the "Buridat" Buddha story.
What we are aiming for:
Our private team of professional artists has been trying to preserve our
Myanmar puppetry which still holds its own national characteristics and
the original Myanmar tradition as it includes all the artistic works such
as Myanmar dancing and music, sculpture, sequin embroidery and painting.
Therefore,
we have been searching for talented young puppeteers. We let them present
their talent on our stage and let them convey this talent to the next
generation as well as to the world.
Our theatre
team is also taking an active part in social welfare of the locals. As
an Example of currently collaborated with 'Care' (a Non Governmental Organization
in Myanmar) to improve the awareness of AIDS through puppet plays among
the Myanmar people.
In order
to carry out the above mentioned tasks and to be more efficient in exchanging
ideas with other cultural counter parts from abroad, Mandalay Marionettes,
which was an ordinary family entertainment group, has formed itself as
a company limited. |
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