Marjorie Shanafelt

Born 1888-12-23 IL (USA)

Died 1973-01-12
Portland, OR (USA)

From the object record for a puppet in the Nebraska State Historical Society collections:

"Puppeteer Marjorie Shanafelt was a curator of visual education at the University of Nebraska. She also authored puppet plays and was an original member of the Puppeteers of America. In 1963, Marjorie estimated that she had made over a thousand puppets. She had a puppet theater in her home at 2525 South 19th Street in Lincoln. Party and club groups numbering up to 30 people frequently enjoyed shows there. She would also travel with her puppets to private parties. In 1949, she toured Europe and showed her puppets at the National Scala in Copenhagen. Marjorie died in 1973 at the age of 84."

Shanafelt was an associate of Lee Ridge. Shanafelt started her career in puppetry in Lincoln in the early 1930s. She put on puppet shows at the Lincoln USO during WW II. In old age, she moved to Oregon.

Places Lived

Lincoln, NE
Portland, OR

Author Of

Other

Keywords

Puppets; Puppet Theater Plays

Occupation

Curator
Puppeteer

Places Worked

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE

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