Brazilnut72 Posted by brazilnut72 on Aug 20, 2008
I figured I should give a short introduction.
My name is Andrew and I live in Brazil, where I serve as a missionary. My wife (a lovely Brazilian named Itacyara) and I work in a seminary in the city of Crato, in the state of Ceará, about eight hours inland (southwest) from the capital city of Fortaleza.
I grew up in the northeastern part of US (NY and PA). As a child I was fascinated by the muppets. When I was a teenager a puppet team from what is now Cedarville University came to a camp I worked at. One of the guys noticed my interest and gave me some lessons. I was hooked. I later took the little course that Puppet Productions offered. Then I went out and bought every VHS of the Muppets that I could lay my hands on. I worked in a couple church puppet teams, and, together with some friends, started a "professional" group that traveled throughout upstate NY for about a year.
When I was seventeen I spent two months in Brazil, visiting a missionary our church supported. Then in 1994 I was invited to come back and start a puppet team at the seminary where we now work. I spent two years here, learned the language, and traveled throughout the northeast part of the country with the team. I met my wife during that time, and also became convinced that my life's work would be in Brazil.
In 1996 I went back to the US for further theological training. I went to a small Bible college in Florida (which has since ceased to exist). While there I started a puppet team for our church. The team participated in (and won) our denomination's talent contest three consecutive years.
In 2005 my wife and I came back to Brazil, this time to stay. Having been invited to teach at the seminary, I expected to continue with puppets just as a hobby. It is difficult to get good puppet material down here, and so I figured I would just work with the seminary team doing local things.
That all changed when a mutual friend introduced us to Cicero and Nice. They had found one of the Portuguese instruction booklets I had made while here and had started their own church puppet team, making their own puppets through trial and error. When we met, we realized that my experience with organization and technique, and their capacity to build just about anything imaginable would make for unlimited possibilities.
At about the same time our area churches got together and started an hour long program that airs on a local channel on Saturdays. They approached me and asked if I would do something with puppets. I talked to Cicero and Nice, and the Cidade Feliz (Happy City) was born.
We filmed several segments using backgrounds we made out of foam and EVA. At that point most of our puppets were Puppet Productions models I had been given while still in the US. Then we decided to take it up a notch with chromakey backgrounds, a more thorough sound system, and puppets made exclusively by Cicero and Nice. Now we are taking it up another notch with a series of consecutive segments following one plot line, and developing more characters (live and puppet). I didn't know missionaries were supposed to have this much fun
I will let Nice give you some more details about what we have going on when she makes her debut. In looking through this forum, I can already tell that it is going to be a great resource for us. We have much to learn, and we hope to contribute as much as possible to the community.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome you have given us.
My name is Andrew and I live in Brazil, where I serve as a missionary. My wife (a lovely Brazilian named Itacyara) and I work in a seminary in the city of Crato, in the state of Ceará, about eight hours inland (southwest) from the capital city of Fortaleza.
I grew up in the northeastern part of US (NY and PA). As a child I was fascinated by the muppets. When I was a teenager a puppet team from what is now Cedarville University came to a camp I worked at. One of the guys noticed my interest and gave me some lessons. I was hooked. I later took the little course that Puppet Productions offered. Then I went out and bought every VHS of the Muppets that I could lay my hands on. I worked in a couple church puppet teams, and, together with some friends, started a "professional" group that traveled throughout upstate NY for about a year.
When I was seventeen I spent two months in Brazil, visiting a missionary our church supported. Then in 1994 I was invited to come back and start a puppet team at the seminary where we now work. I spent two years here, learned the language, and traveled throughout the northeast part of the country with the team. I met my wife during that time, and also became convinced that my life's work would be in Brazil.
In 1996 I went back to the US for further theological training. I went to a small Bible college in Florida (which has since ceased to exist). While there I started a puppet team for our church. The team participated in (and won) our denomination's talent contest three consecutive years.
In 2005 my wife and I came back to Brazil, this time to stay. Having been invited to teach at the seminary, I expected to continue with puppets just as a hobby. It is difficult to get good puppet material down here, and so I figured I would just work with the seminary team doing local things.
That all changed when a mutual friend introduced us to Cicero and Nice. They had found one of the Portuguese instruction booklets I had made while here and had started their own church puppet team, making their own puppets through trial and error. When we met, we realized that my experience with organization and technique, and their capacity to build just about anything imaginable would make for unlimited possibilities.
At about the same time our area churches got together and started an hour long program that airs on a local channel on Saturdays. They approached me and asked if I would do something with puppets. I talked to Cicero and Nice, and the Cidade Feliz (Happy City) was born.
We filmed several segments using backgrounds we made out of foam and EVA. At that point most of our puppets were Puppet Productions models I had been given while still in the US. Then we decided to take it up a notch with chromakey backgrounds, a more thorough sound system, and puppets made exclusively by Cicero and Nice. Now we are taking it up another notch with a series of consecutive segments following one plot line, and developing more characters (live and puppet). I didn't know missionaries were supposed to have this much fun
I will let Nice give you some more details about what we have going on when she makes her debut. In looking through this forum, I can already tell that it is going to be a great resource for us. We have much to learn, and we hope to contribute as much as possible to the community.
Thank you so much for the warm welcome you have given us.
Re: Brazilnut72 Posted by LJ on Aug 20, 2008
Welcome and WOW! You are really doing a lot! Can't wait to hear more!! I am glad your missionary experience IS fun!! You can be sure that since you are having fun that God is using you to minister in a great many ways. (I must interject that our short time in Africa - before we were evacuated due to political unrest - was not fun! Although we learned a lot - mission work is not a gift my husband and I have. I am always happy to hear of people who God is using in other countries. Obviously the people of Brazil are being blessed by you!!) Again WELCOME and can't wait to keep hearing about your work! 
Re: Brazilnut72 Posted by StiqPuppet Productions on Aug 20, 2008
Welcome to the group, I like your write up and hoping to see you around and make yourself at home. Please share your knowledge and ask any questions we ALL love to help out. 
Daryl H
to the group, I like your write up and hoping to see you around and make yourself at home. Please share your knowledge and ask any questions we ALL love to help out. Daryl H
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