Jaza Enterprises

Welcome, my name is Jim Andre and this is the Puppetarium.

I dreamed this up, literally 50 years ago when I was 10. My parents gave me a working plastic model of a V8 engine. I went to the basement to put it together but I couldn't get past the shape of the crankshaft. I imagined tying puppets to it and as it turned slowly, a different puppet would rise and a taperecorder would recite what each puppet would say as it rose. Also, as did everyone else, I loved the Christmas window displays at Marshall Fields. And so, with a little extra time and money, I forced this into existance.

I'm using the Puppetarium as a calling card for my other businesses and interests. My loves are creating pysical projects like this one, installing a pedestal sink or conceptual things like short stories and screenplays. I recently retired from a 30 year stint as a Best Boy Electric and a Gaffer in the independant film industry.

I'm currently writing a sitcom about my experiances there. I'm still trying to get it sold. I'm also writing a number of children's books.Children are another of my great loves. Some of my fondest memories are that of babysiting.

Kids are natural builders and natural writers. They don't have an issue with coming up with stories. They have an issue with writing them down. They might spend all day with dolls or action figures or trains and come up with an entire screenplay but no one would ever know about it. This is why the Puppetarium had to have a writing and sharing library underneath it.

My idea is to have a child play with the puppets, grab a notebook, go home and write his or her short story about them then, when finished, sign it and place it in the lending side of the library to share with friends and others. Other children could leave encouraging comments if they like. Or they could even develope a book club. I did this experiment in a grade school writing class, once.

Every story was about the same thing but each one was unique. If children are anything like me, and I think they are, writing will help organize their thoughts and ideas. The result will be increased self esteem and a greater love of life. For 30 years I was afraid to write most of my ideas down for fear that they would be laughed at but once I started, writing and sharing, I realised that my ideas were pretty good. I used to tell people on movie sets, "Do you know how to write a great screenplay? Write a bad one. Then start the rewriting process." I hope parents like the Puppetarium as much as I know the children will.

I like to include 'In Jokes' that parents will appreciate. I must have adopted this comedy from one of my favorite influences, Bob Bell. Look him up. This is a brand new site so my email will change but please send all feedback, for now to me here. Soon, I will have a way of letting people post stories of their own.