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The structure of the theater was designed by Yurij Kostiw, the figures by Slava Gerulak. Mem bers of UNWLA made and embroidered the costumes for the puppets. The Puppet Theater was the project of Branch 64 in New York. The Daily News, in its Christmas issue, carried an article about the exhibit, with photographs. This form of Christmas Holiday entertainment in Ukraine had its beginnings in the seventeenth century. According to scholars, it was probably founded and the plays for it written by students of the Kievan Academy. Eventually it was taken over and popularized through out the country by wandering teachers, minstrels, deacons and traveling theatre troups. The puppet theatre consisted of a miniature two- storied structure and puppets were made out of wood and dressed in appropriate clothes. Each puppet had a wire attached to one leg and in this way the puppeteer was able to control the dolls' movements leading it back and forth via the vertical and horizontal grooves cut out in the floors of the structure. The play consisted of two separate acts that were thematically unconnected. The first act was religious in theme and didactic in character: in it we see the shepherd and the Three Kings who come to visit the new born Christ. They sing and rejoice in His birth. This part of the act takes place in the upper floor. There is also a scene with weeping Rachel whose child was killed by the order of King Herod. Rachel curses the King, he dies and the devil takes his soul and body into hell. The whole of the second act took place on the lower flor and consisted of short humorous scenes that were intended to amuse the viewer. Although the various short scenes of the second act do not constitute a tightly knit act, they do gravitate around one personage who is not given a specific name, just called "the Kozak" (Zaporozhets'). In Ukrainian folklore there are many legends about Kozak Mamai who was a great warrior, defender of free dom and honor, and who always appeared at a very critical moment in a battle and saved the day. It is pro bably upon this semi-legendary folk-hero that the role of "Kozak" in the puppet theatre is based. In the play even the "Kozak" doll is always made larger than the others. He wears a Kozak uniform, carries a bandura (Ukrainian fol instrument) and smokes a pipe. In a very long monologue he speaks of the glorious past of Ukraine when the people were free and independent. The short scenes of the second act show us a variety of negative characteristics of man, a. e., cowar dice, greediness, etc. The scenes change rapidly and in Letter to the editor Dear Madams: I have just received the November issue and I want to congratulate you on a very fine magazine. I am happy to see that our younger talent is taking part in the magazine. Our Life is both a wonderful friend to me, and terrible habit that wastes at least an hour or two of my valuable time. When I receive the current issue I can't wait to read it, it is my monthly Ukrainian lesson, I have to read every last word and in Ukrainian that takes time, but I love it. I also feel as Mrs. Tarnawska that our magazine should increase its scope and not be limited to the publication of our organization. Perhaps this change might bring in more women to our branches. Of course I belong to branch #28 in Newark, which you know is one of the nicest branches in all America, our convention proved that, with so many of our members taking part in it. Keep up the good work and perhaps in the future I will have the courage to write you in Ukrainian. On second thought you deserve a reward, so here's a check of $25.00 for the Fund of Our Life. Sincerely, (Miss) Anne Dubas Newark, N. J. them people lie, cheat, trick each other, argue, fight all for the purpose of bringing out the comic element in such behavior. The "Kozak" is above all this. Although he may pretend to be fooled, he does so only to get a hearty laugh out of it. He conquers all who wish him ill, even the devil. In the "Kozak" the viewers saw the heroic past of Ukraine. To them he was the eternal defender of Ukraine's freedom and religion. Both acts were accompanied by choir singing, duets, solos and instrumental ensembles which consisted of a violin, cymbals, a flute and a drum. The "Kozak" plays his bandura and sings old epic songs. He and the others also dance. During the Christmas holidays, students would wander from house to house, from town to town, village to village with the puppet theatre and give perfor mances. Lubow Wolynetz 24 НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ, СІЧЕНЬ 1975 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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