Chicago Playwright, Puppeteer, Director & Artist
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  • CV
  • Writing
  • Puppetry
  • Puppeteers of Color Social
  • Thankyoutine's Day
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ALLYSON GONZALEZ
Independent Playwright, Photographer, Puppeteer and Director in Chicago, IL

Creative Director of the Puppeteers of Color Social
Founder of Thankyoutine's Day
Author and Publisher of Save the Bees Worx
Artistic Conductor Emeritus of Stand On Your Hands and Clap

Founder of The Allyson Gonzalez Residency for Art, Science & Cultural Exchange

Artistic Proficiencies
Puppetry, Writing {Playwrighting, Poetry & Technical}, Stop-Motion Animation. Directing, Performance Art,
Fiber Arts, Zines, Comics, Watercolors, Polaroids, Soundscape Design and Producing


Solo Tour
Hosting Your Own Retrospective Is Like Throwing Your Own Birthday Party But That's Not Going to Stop Me (an examination of the first decade)
>>Menu includes a poetry reading from Save the Bees Worx Issues I, II & III, film screening of Chronology Never Gets Old, shadow puppetry performance of This Gonzalez Is Here to Take Your Job and audio rollercoaster A Stack of Bonds This Big Redux
2020    Padua, Italy *cancelled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions*
2019    Radio Penny. St. Louis, MO


Dramatic Works
2020    Ethical Porn Search Engine B*Storm, One-Act > Audio drama, Produced in Chicago, IL
2020
    Take More Cabs & Make New Friends, One-Act, Published in the deadline. Issue 39 by Back to Print
2017     Baby I'm Rich AF, One-Act > Puppetry, Performed by Stand On Your Hands and Clap
2016
     A Stack of Bonds This Big, One-Act > Performance Art and Audio Drama, Performed by Stand On Your Hands and Clap
2013
     The Moon Is A Wild Place To Answer The Call Of The Wild, One-Act > Puppetry, Published in Save the Bees Worx: Issue I and performed by Stand On Your Hands and Clap
2009
    THIS IS A MIRROR, YOU ARE A STATUS UPDATE, Co-written with Nivan Yahaghi, One-Act, Performed during The Invention of Space, an immersive theater experience
2007    When the Smoke Clears and Other First Time Hits, One-Act, Performed by Stand On Your Hands and Clap

Other Publications
2015 - Current   Tinyletter: Secret Bonus Track, Author and Publisher
2020  "Compensation," comic, Published in the deadline. Issue 40 by Back to Print
2020   Thankyoutine's Day advertisement, Comic Artist, ZINEMercado's Annual Artist Compilation Zine
2017    "A Pinter Pause Held" POEM A DAY, Published by Back to Print
2017    SOS DISTRESS SIGNALS TO GET US THROUGH STOP, Author and Publisher
2014    Save the Bees Worx: Issue III, Author and Publisher
2013    The Wild Pumpkin Patch, Illustrator, Published by Back to Print
2013    Save the Bees Worx: Issue II, Author and Publisher
2013    "Good Morning. How Are We Going to Help Save the Planet Today?" Write for Light: A Collection of True Stories and Poems about Finding Light in the Darkness, Comic Artist, Published by Dean Tucker
2013    Save the Bees Worx: Issue I, Author and Publisher
2000   Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans: 2000 Edition, Poet, Published by the American Academy Of Poetry
1998    Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans: 1998 Edition, Poet, Published by the American Academy Of Poetry


//Puppetry Expertise
Performance, Construction & Film: stop-motion, object work, table top, multimedia, toy theater and shadow puppetry
​
//Member of
Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA-USA)

Puppeteers of America
Puppeteers of Color Social


//Film - Director, Puppeteer, Cinematographer & Producer
2018-2020    I'm On The Pursuit of Happiness and I Know Everything That's Shine Aint Always Gonna Be Gold But I'll Be Fine Once I Get It Yeah I'll Be Good by Allyson Gonzalez, Edited by Michael Heffler, screened at Sea Beast Puppet Company's Puppet Meltdown Puppet Slam, Chicago, IL & Black Cherry Puppet Theater's Virtual Slamwich, Baltimore, MD
2018    Test Case 1 by Sam Grossman, created and performed by Sam Grossman, Directed by Allyson Gonzalez, Edited by Michael Heffler, The Allyson Gonzalez Residency for Art, Science & Cultural Exchange. Chicago, IL
2017    I Got Hot Sauce In My Veins by Stand On Your Hands and Clap, original music composed and recorded by Mat Roberts & Paul Cherry, Edited by Michael Heffler, shadow puppetry consultation by Myra Su, puppetry assistance by Sean Dolan, screened in Juneau, AK, Baltimore, MD & San Francisco, CA

2014    Bow Tie Boy’s Cross-Country Spoken Word Feltamation by Stand On Your Hands and Clap, produced in New York City, NY & Chicago, IL
2012    Felt PSA: Reminder to Vote by Stand On Your Hands and Clap, Chicago, IL

//Solo Performance - Director, Puppeteer, Playwright & Producer
2019    Why Men Great Til They Gotta Be Great? Puppeteers of Color Social, University of Chicago's Chicago Performance Lab residency, Chicago, IL
2018    This Gonzalez Is Here to Take Your Job, Puppeteers of Color Incubator, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2016    A Stack Of Bonds This Big, Poetry Talk, The Public House Theatre, Chicago, IL
2015    Serious Business, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2015    The Case of the Curious Couch, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2015    I’ll Be Dead Wrong and You’ll Be Just Fine, Puppet Meltdown, Sea Beast Puppet Company, Chicago, IL
2014    Take a Hike, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2013    It’s Unbearable, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2012    A Rocketship In a Hurry, Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Theatre Festival, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., Angel Island, IL


//Collaborative Performance - Director, Puppeteer, Playwright & Producer
2017    Baby I'm Rich AF, performed with Angela Antkowiak & Amy Nicole, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Chicago Intnl Puppet Theater Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2014    It Was Supposed To Be My Day Off, performed with Sean Dolan, Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Theatre Festival Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., Angel Island, IL
2014    How I Spent My Summer Vacation, performed with Kayla Pulley & Maggie O'Keefe, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2014    The Princess and The Prick, performed with Maggie O'Keefe, Nasty Brutish & Short: A Puppet Cabaret, Chicago Intnl Puppet Theater Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2013    Well, Hell, I Guess That Makes Me a Feminist, performed with Sean Dolan, Abbie Hoffman Died For Our Sins Theatre Festival, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., The Den, IL


//Group Exhibition - Shadow Puppeteer
2017    Copy & Paste by Myra Su and Through the Lookingglass by Myra Su & Mitch Salm, performed with Myra Su & Mitch Salm, Trade Routes: A Festival of Artistic Exchange, Links Hall, Chicago, IL & Black Cherry Puppet Theater, Baltimore, MD
2016    Spot of Bother by Myra Su, performed with Myra Su & Cynthia Campos Costanzo, A-Squared Asian American Performing Arts Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2016    Spot of Bother by Myra Su and Through The Lookingglass by Myra Su & Mitch Salm, performed with Myra Su & Mitch Salm, Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, IL; National Puppet Slam at the Center for Puppetry Arts & DragonCon, Atlanta, GA
2014    And Dream of Teeth by Rough House, performed with Rough House, Chicago Intnl Puppet Theater Festival, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2014    The Shadow Puppet Conspiracy, with Sea Beast Puppet Company, The Chicago Humanities Fest & The Chicago Improv Fest, Chicago, IL


Teaching
2018    Stop-Motion Animation and Web Presence 101, The Allyson Gonzalez Residency for Art, Science & Cultural Exchange. Baltimore, MD x Chicago, IL

Art Exhibit
2020    Tip Street Vendors Big for Making Life Delicious, paper cut instillation, Purple Window Gallery's Hello Neighbor public art initiative


Public Speaking
2018    Office Hours: I Made a Thing, Now What? Panelist, BackerKit Bond Conference, San Francisco, CA
2016    So You Want To Be a Puppeteer, Panelist, DragonCon, Atlanta, GA

Press

2018    Arts & Culture, Catey Sullivan. "Nasty, Brutish & Short Showcases Work from the Puppeteers of Color Incubator." The Chicago Reader. Vol 48, No. 10. 20. Print & Digital. 
2018    Editorial Assistant. Negesti Kaudo. "Alumni Shorts." Demo: The Alumni Magazine of Columbia College Chicago. Issue 27. Fall/Winter 2017: 35. Print & Digital.
2017    Editorial Assistant. Negesti Kaudo.  "Class Notes." Demo: The Alumni Magazine of Columbia College Chicago. Issue 26. Spring/Summer 2017: 53. Print.
2017    Campus Editor, Ariana Portalatin. "
Alumna Creates Recycled Puppets for One-Woman Shows." Columbia Chronicle. Print & Digital.
2016    Senior Editor, Justin Breen. "Chicago Puppeteer Wants To Turn Your Garbage Into Props." DNAinfoChicago. Digital.

Education
2018    Puppeteers of Color Incubator, co-presented by The Art Leaders of Color Network, Links Hall & Rough House Theater - Chicago, IL
2017    Alaskan Robotics Mini-Con - Juneau, AK
2016    National Puppetry Conference, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center - New London, CT

2014    Chicago Puppet Lab, Rough House - Chicago, IL
2009    Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Directing, Columbia College Chicago - Chicago, IL
2008    The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education - Chicago, IL
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  • Upcoming Shows
  • CV
  • Writing
  • Puppetry
  • Puppeteers of Color Social
  • Thankyoutine's Day
  • Bio
  • Contact
  • Support me on Patreon