Theatre for Lifelong Learning Artist Interview: Lee Armstrong, Part II

Photo Credit: Adam Traum, “Hawaii Tel Federal Credit Union Shoot at Images in Motion,” 2012

Text: Linda Lau & Rae Mansfield with Lee Armstrong

TFLL: We are Rae and Linda and this is Theatre for Lifelong Learning. Our guest today is Lee Armstrong. Lee Armstrong is co-owner, producer and puppeteer at Images In Motion Inc., a company that specializes in puppetry for TV and film. She is a recipient of two regional Emmys, as a producer/writer and puppeteer. She has worked on Canadian network TV and was a puppeteer on Jim Henson’s Emmy winning Fraggle Rock. Her puppetry can also be found in Follow That Bird, Monkeybone, and Being John Malkovich. Lee is a past President of the San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers Guild, and has been a consultant and instructor for TV workshops for Puppeteers of America. In addition to her creative work, Lee has taught puppetry for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at University of California, Berkeley and teaches Muppet Magic at University of California, Santa Cruz. Welcome Lee.

TFLL: How did you get into teaching older adults puppetry?

Lee Armstrong: I have only in the last five years worked with seniors and puppetry. When I lived in Toronto, I would tell people I was a puppeteer and they’d go “Oh, I’m a teacher, you must come to my class.” I studied with the very talented puppeteer, Nikki Tilroe. She had been a dancer and had such a great sense of movement in her puppets. Then I would go into classrooms and I’d work with kids and instead of emphasizing the building of a puppet, which you can get out of books, I would emphasize bringing the puppet to life.

I’ve taught puppetry for the last 45 years. I’ve taught in elementary school, middle school, high school. I’ve taught fire fighters who want to do safety messages. I’ve taught librarians. I’ve taught teachers.

I lucked into a university course, Jim Henson and the Art of the Muppets, being taught at UC Santa Cruz. Dr. Kathy Foley was teaching it. She was going on sabbatical and I’d come in a couple of times to teach TV puppetry because that’s the stuff I like to do best. Eventually, she just gave me the course. I love the energy of the students and enjoy sharing the work of Jim Henson, who is the quintessential TV puppeteer.

Then, I was in a rock and roll choir in Sonoma and somebody in the choir was on the Osher Lifelong Learning [Institute] course selection committee. She heard that I was teaching a course on puppetry at UCSC and said, “Oh, you must come and teach at OLLI Berkeley.” I said “sure.” So I did shorter courses on puppetry.

I realized I really like working with more mature students and contacted San Francisco State [University] and the OLLI program there. [I] asked if they would like to have puppetry courses. They said they would, so I taught there and thoroughly enjoyed the maturity of the group and the experiences that they brought to the art of puppetry.

I don’t teach seniors any differently than I do anybody, and I enjoy all ages and teaching anybody that’s interested in puppetry.

TFLL: That seems to be the pattern with how everyone ends up teaching at OLLI’s. We all seem to magically fall into it.

Lee Armstrong: Yes, and there are some fascinating people that take those courses. I had a guy in my class [who] was doing radio stories. He thought puppetry might be nice to do with his grandkids. There are all sorts of interesting and talented and well-educated seniors taking all sorts of classes.

TFLL: How do you think taking part in puppetry can be beneficial for older adults?

Lee Armstrong: I find that older adults have so many skills learned throughout the years. I’m always amazed. When they do puppetry there are so many skills they can bring to the art form.

There are people nowadays who don’t know how to sew, but a lot of seniors have that skill. So for creating puppets, they have sewing skills and arts and crafts [experience]. Some have had a lot of experience writing and developing scripts, or [doing] carpentry. A lot of 20-year-olds do not have the skills that seniors have. They can use all of these skills in puppetry. And it’s also, I think, a joyful art.

I think you get something from puppetry. You give something to the audience as you do this and you create your own world. Also, the audience gives something back to you in their laughter and their attention. It’s a two-way street and I think seniors have so many skills that are already there that they can incorporate into puppetry.

TFLL: I really never thought about what you just said, Lee. It’s so interesting to think of very basic skills that other generations just don’t have anymore.

Lee Armstrong: I do try to teach these basic skills, too. For example, at my Santa Cruz class, I’ll ask, “If you want to learn sewing I will be holding a class.” I think it’s also a great group thing. A lot of people are seeking things that they can do together in a group. Creating your show can be a very group experience.

TFLL: How does teaching older adults puppetry change your perspective about the art form?

Lee Armstrong: I don’t think it has. I think it is a wonderful art form for any age. I think it’s a great art form for expressing yourself whether you’re a kid, a teen, or an adult.

TFLL: Would you share a memorable moment from one of your older adult puppetry of courses?

Lee Armstrong: I’ve taught short courses at State and at Berkeley and we’ve had a great time. We’ll work on little short pieces and some of them have used their puppets to give advice to the younger generation and some of them have used puppetry to share their political views.

Now that isn’t so much different than any other course because other people have shared advice or given their political views, but it is interesting sometimes that seniors have had more time to think about these things; advice, politics and what would be good for the environment. Sometimes the knowledge that the puppet gives is a little more in-depth and brings a wealth of experience from the life of hard knocks. There’s a richness to the material.

TFLL: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received or given about puppetry?

Lee Armstrong: There are two puppeteers that I think of. Bill Baird, puppeteering in New York, and he says “Puppetry is an idea in motion.” I’ve always loved that statement because sometimes puppeteers do very static puppetry where the puppet just sits there. And what you’re trying to do is create the illusion of life and bring life into an inanimate object and it has to have motion. It has to breathe, which brings me to Jim Henson.

I would watch him puppeteer and would be amazed by how much energy and life he put in a puppet. He always said that the soul of the Muppet is in the wrist. You can take your hand and just by breathing with your wrist you can see how a puppet could come to life, and then … you stick a sock on it!

TFLL: Excellent for carpal tunnel, actually. Now that’s another benefit of puppetry.

Lee Armstrong: Oh yes. Puppetry is good exercise because the puppet shouldn’t be static and neither should you. I think it is a good form of exercise. You’ve got a puppet above you and you’d be amazed at how much exercise you get from doing a puppet show.

TFLL: That’s making me think of Caroll Spinney.

Lee Armstrong: Yes, walking around with a big bird head on his right hand. Dave Goelz (puppeteer for Gonzo the Great) went to the doctor once and the doctor looked at his right arm and he said, “Are you a weightlifter?” Dave said, “Oh, I’m a puppeteer. Right-handed.”

It is really good exercise and also good for thinking on your feet.

I have been playing puppets with my mom. She’s 93, has a bit of dementia, and her face lights up when she sees me but her focus goes to the puppet when we’re singing, and like a conductor, she directs my puppet.

My puppet is in the car now because I take it every day when we go see mom. Sometimes puppets and music can be really helpful in communicating.

My mom can’t carry on a conversation very well, but she knows lyrics to songs and when I bring out the puppet, she is much more interested in what the puppet is doing. I think maybe because people are ordinary and the puppet is magical.