ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF ...

To manage such an investigation, the phenomenological epoche, Husserl’s
characteristic project of bracketing, becomes useful. In each particular essence, as it is
revealed by the objects, their plays, and the individual puppeteer’s articulated
perspective, lie multiple potential discoveries. Thus, the plan herein is to take the reader,
step-by-step, through: the essence of the given puppet, the essence of the character that is
represented by the blackface puppet, the essence of the play being presented, and the
essence of the atomized character, a conflation of its various frontalities (voice, object,
movement).
The essence of the given puppet or its character depends on the influences that
bear on individual puppeteers. However, the perceived essence of a tradition requires its
own bracketed analysis. Unless one understands the precise essence of pertinent sources
as understood by the artist, one cannot understand how he/she incorporates those
essences into new work. This follows from the Husserlian notion of co-presence. Co-
presence explains the relative visibility of the essence of influences within the essence of
the current performance. When possible, this investigation will attempt to explicate the
essence of sources for individual puppet productions before examining the essence of the
puppet productions themselves.
Phenomenology is especially useful given the fragmentary nature of the materials
at hand. Some artists were careful to preserve their work and, in their memoirs and
biographies, discuss their influences directly. Some works exist only as photographs,
drawings, or descriptions. The influences of others can be speculated on based upon
available evidence. In a select few cases, time graced the investigation with complete
productions and the reflections of their creators. Generally, only fragments of complete
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