Puppetry master Chen Hsi-huang (陳錫煌), who is revered as a "National Living Treasure" of Taiwan, will lead his Traditional Glove Puppet Troupe to perform " A Chance Encounter (巧遇姻緣)" from June 15 to 16, 2019 at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. Maestro Chen and the company will also hold a post-performance session to showcase sophisticated skills for puppet movements.
This first time ever performance is co-sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta (TECO in Atlanta) and the Center for Puppetry Arts.
Maestro Chen will donate two Taiwan traditional puppets to the Center for Puppetry Arts to display in the Center for the visitors to better understand Taiwan’s glove puppet culture.
Maestro Chen is the only glove puppeteer in Taiwan to have been recognized by the Ministry of Culture as an important preserver of both traditional glove puppetry and classical glove puppet clothing and headwear props. He founded the eponymous Chen Hsi-Huang Traditional Puppet Troupe (陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團) in December 2008.
The main focus of Chen’s puppetry is “life.” He wants his puppets to resemble people in all respects, including their postures, expressions and movements. He also has a habit of describing what he wants from his puppets in terms of “asking” them, revealing a master’s deep respect for the art he practices.
