"This book consists of essays by the curators of the most significant American puppet collections and by leading scholars in the field. In addition to description and analytical commentary, it includes a history of puppetry in the United States and an overview of its status today, and essays on the theater of Julie Taymor, the Jim Henson Company, Howdy Doody's custody case, puppet conservation, and the development of virtual performance space."--BOOK JACKET.