History of Puppetry
in Canada
Noreen Young
Noreen Young is well known for her cast latex puppets, which have been seen in a number of children's television programs, including Readalong and Under the Umbrella Tree. Self-taught, Young was attending the Ontario College of Art when she decided that puppetry "was more fun." In 1962, she began working in television at CJOH/CTV in Ottawa and later worked for the CBC's English television network as well as TV Ontario. Young has also created programs for government agencies, and has contributed to a number of public outreach productions dealing with issues such as smoking and ecology. Through the medium of television, her puppets have entertained generations of viewers. Young's numerous awards include an ACTRA Award for Best Children's Program and a UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence in the Art of Puppetry, and she was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1995. That same year, she established a bursary for young artists. In 2005, Young founded the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival, which is held annually in Almonte, Ontario.
Adapted from Figuratively Speaking: Puppetry in Ontario by Ken McKay, copyright 1990. Courtesy of the Ontario Puppetry Association and Ken McKay.
Bibliography | Resources | Credits | Index