Puppetry is one of the minor arts, says puppeteer Dori Smith. “It’s not like a symphony or the theater.” You might think otherwise, however, if you spent an hour with Smith, learning about how she makes her puppets from scratch — creating a life-like, tragic-comic character of wood, clay, latex and fabric — which she brings to life by way of a set of controlling strings. Lynn Jennings, president of the San Diego Guild of Puppetry, is also amazed by Smith, calling her “a consummate artist who puts tremendous effort into everything she does.” Anthony Davi, who runs Little Italy Tours, sought Smith out after returning from a trip to Italy where, in Sicily, he watched a traditional puppet show called Teatro di Pupi. Davi was inspired. He decided he was going to revive the Italian tradition stateside and make it a part of his Little Italy Historical and Cultural tours. “I searched high and low, looking for someone who could do a traditional puppet show,” he said. According to Davi, the art of puppetry dates back hundreds, if not thousands of years. “Italy had a rich tradition of puppetry but it is dying out and it is non-existent in the Little Italys of America,” he said. “I want to bring it back to life.” Davi said in other parts of the world, both adults and children watch puppet shows, but in America, the popularity of the Muppets has shifted puppetry to the realm of children’s art. Davi hired Smith to give puppet shows at Po Pazzo restaurant and the Spagghetteria on India Street in conjunction with his tours. Smith has also performed at the Sicilian Festival in Little Italy, Cinco de Mayo in Old Town, the Downtown Branch of the Public Library and Space4Art. Her next show will be at the Rancho Santa Fe Branch of the Public Library on Oct. 18. Smith is known for her commissioned “Roast and Toast” puppets, modeled after famous people, which she made for Rob Appel’s “Bravo” — a now-defunct benefit for the arts held at Westgate Hotel Downtown for many years. She constructed look-a-like puppets of Jung Ho Park of the San Diego Symphony, Craig Noel of the Old Globe Theater, Actress Cyd Charisse, who starred in the movie Singing in the Rain and George Chakiris from the film West Side Story. Smith described the different types of puppets: hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes and tabletop puppets. She likes marionettes — puppets worked with a set of strings — best. The term “marionette,” she said, derives from the puppet “Little Mary,” a character from the Biblical or Miracle puppet shows of the Middle Ages. Smith’s current puppet show is called “Circus Minimus” and tells the story of a troupe of circus performers, including Sparky the dancing dog, Miss Pinkly Panky Poo the acrobat, Tumbelino the tumbler, Ratonini the xylophone-playing rat, Map Cap the unicyclist, Blocko the strong man and Jelly Bean the rope gymnast. Puppetry conveys its message through motion and movement, she said. “You convey the story and meaning through gesture rather than words, as in a play. It’s a lot like pantomime. The aim is to bring an inanimate object to life — you have to give a spark of life to the puppet.” Smith’s next project involves developing the characters and a show to help educate school children about how to deal with bullies. She hopes to present the show throughout the school district. Although puppetry seems to be in decline around the world, this month will boast a plethora of puppet events in San Diego. Smith is confident that puppetry will again regain its stature, because, as she believes, “Puppetry will always have a future.” Upcoming puppet events: • International Puppet Exhibit at the Cannon Gallery, 1775 Dove Lane in Carlsbad, Oct. 1 to Dec. 30, free • Halloween Puppet Show “Goblins Night” by Kathy Felker at Space4Art, Studio #32, 325 15th St., Oct. 9, 1 p.m., $7 adults, $5 kids • Hobey Ford’s Golden Rod Puppets, Carlsbad City Library, 3368 Eureka Place, Oct. 15, shows at 11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., free. • Circus Minimus by Dori Smith, Rancho Bernardo branch of San Diego Public Library, 17040 Avenida de Acacias, Oct. 18, 10:30 a.m., free For additional information, visit www.pigseyepuppets.info, call (619) 670-8021 or email [email protected] Also see www.sandiegoguildofpuppetry.org or www.littleitalytours.com or www.space4art.com.