By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

Puppets are interesting creatures. They are defined by their country and time period of origin. They have evolved from cut out stencils and shadow puppets, to marionettes, to the Muppets.

Perhaps the best thing about puppets is that anyone can use one, though there are certainly some people who are more trained than others. There is an innate simplicity to puppets, though, and if you are interested, The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta is the place to go.

The center, formed in 1978, has theaters, a museum, as well as workshops and classrooms. The museum includes marionettes like Punch and Judy, as well as examples of animatronics, and some of the Pigs from Pigs in Space. Along with the museum, there are also guided tours throughout the center, showcasing the places where the puppets are created, stored and used.

There are lots of exhibits to see, but perhaps the most fun are the "create your own puppet" workshops. The workshops run Monday through Saturday at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. and cost $3.50 when purchased with another event on the same day.

While perusing and creating can be fun, the true spectacles of the center are the shows. The performances showcase many different puppetry styles used by different production companies through the country and the world.

This summer, the shows will be "Peter Rabbit," "Aesop's Fables," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "Bingo the Circus Dog" and "Pinnochio."

"Peter Rabbit" by John McDonough's Pumpernickel Puppets runs from June 14-19. "Aesop's Fables" by P.N.C. Productions of Foley, Ala. runs from June 21 to July 3. Grey Seal Puppets of Charlotte, N.C. will perform "The Emperor's New Clothes" July 5-17. July 19-31 will feature "Bingo the Circus Dog" presented by Paul Vincent-Davis's Puppet Arts of Brookline, Mass.

Closing out the summer festival will be "Pinnochio" by the National Marionette Theater of Brattleboro, Vt.

Additional activities at the Center for Puppetry Arts this summer will be a presentation of "Fool's Fire," a movie done for American Playhouse by Julie Taymor. "Fool's Fire" is based on the short story Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe. The show runs from June 11 to July 11.

There are also puppetry camps being offered for children, giving them the opportunity to write, design and perform their own shows.

The Junior Puppeteer's Workshop for children 7-9 runs July 12-16 or Aug. 2-6. The Puppeteer's Workshop for ages 10-12 runs from June 21-25 or July 26-30. Camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Teen Production Workshop for ages 13-18 is offered from July 19-23 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The costs differ for each camp. Phone 404-873-3391 for information.

Whether your idea of fun is Mummenschanz or the Muppets, The Center for Puppetry Arts is an entertaining and educational place.

The center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is at 1404 Spring St., NW at 18th in Atlanta.

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