Giant Puppets A Hit With Oskaloosa Community
Giant puppets illuminated the night at William Penn University this past week.
September 30th, 2022
Oskaloosa, Iowa – On Tuesday evening, a magical parade that most from Oskaloosa haven’t been a part of took place near the Musco Technology Center on the campus of William Penn University.
Two puppets, much larger than two adults, appeared inside the bike trail tunnel that runs under the railroad track near William Penn.
An audible gasp was heard as the lights came on, illuminating a muse and a mammoth, as they made their way down the bike trail to the MTC (Musco Technology Center) and then marched on through the campus.
The project was created by students and a creative crowd of adults from the community, under the direction of world-renowned puppeteer Andrew Kim and professor Brant Bollman of William Penn.
The project was made possible by a grant from the Artist Project, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and Mahaska Drug, who stepped forward when the need arose.
Kim’s specialty is the giant lantern puppets, and he’s been creating these works of art for over two decades.
During that time, he’s developed his own articulating limbs that help the puppets mimic more lifelike movements.
Several volunteers who helped create the puppets are part of the Mammothly Creative group of individuals working to promote arts in Oskaloosa and Mahaska County.
Bollman and the others from Mammothly Creative knew their creation would be a giant mammoth to celebrate that artistic movement in town.
“I’m full of knowledge that has been crammed into my head that I have to now incorporate into my own work,” Bollman said of the opportunity to learn from a leading expert.
Bollman said it all came together and that all the work was worth it the moment that Allison McGuire started to sing and the lights came on in the puppets, accompanied by gasps and then smiles and looks of wonderment from the crowd.
“It was just really nice for us all to come together, and everybody had a piece of it. It couldn’t have gone any better,” Bollman said. ” On occasion, you dream up a crazy idea, and it works out the way you want it to.”
