GRIFFIN March 2025

12 • CWEA GRIFFIN • March 2025 A longtime dream of Feltch and Kramer was to open a puppetry arts and education center to provide workshops and hands-on experi- ence in the theater arts for the next generation. Feltch now focuses his time toward making this a reality with help from the Kesslers. They’re exploring connections and build- ing interest in order to find an ideal location and raise funds. “The idea of the center is, you’re going to learn about puppets, but the center is not to create a whole raft of wonderful puppeteers,” Feltch Marionnettes from Page 1 restorations; however, a date to re- open has not been announced. For now, the first priority is Feltch’s health and finding ways of bringing joy back into everyday life through performing when pos- sible, working toward the goal of a puppetry arts and education center, and being surrounded by the com- fort of friends and loved ones. A Go Fund Me account orga- nized by Harold Karabell and Brian Combs on behalf of Feltch has reached 75% of its goal with over 800 donations. “We just loved what we were do- ing,” Feltch recalled. “It was never a job, it was a calling and making people happy. Bob was like the heart and soul of Kramer’s Marion- nettes, and I was the voice.” said, “which would be nice, but it’s to open the children up to a creativity, their own imagination, and that they have made something.” Meanwhile, Greg Kessler is writ- ing a book about Bob Kramer’s life and career. He hopes to publish this summer to include as many photos and stories as possible. Feltch also continues perform- ing with his intern Sylvie Kessler, daughter of Natalie and Greg. Feltch assisted with Sylvie’s senior thesis at Southern Illinois University–Ed- wardsville, where she built her own puppets and performed a show. It’s been restorative for everyone to cre- ate and perform again, Feltch and the Kesslers said. “This is what we hope to do with the center, is for the younger [peo- ple] to find a passion,” Feltch said. Feltch dreams of the vacant Or- pheum Theater on North Ninth Street as a perfect location for the proposed puppet center, as it’s not being used and it’s where Feltch and Kramer originally met. When it was known as the American The- ater, Feltch was touring with the show Pinocchio and he remembers being introduced to Kramer for the first time. The historic downtown theater was acquired by Jubilee World Inc. at the end of 2016 with plans to finish final Sylvie Kessler and Dug Feltch on stage together. Sylvie Kessler, Dug Feltch (center) and Bob Kramer performing together at Kramer’s Marionnettes. downtown, reach sporting and cul- tural events in minutes, walk to Grand Center, Union Station, Har- ris Stowe University and St. Louis University, and reach Interstate 64 a few blocks away. Kittlaus, who laughingly calls her- self “the Mini-Mayor of Midtown,” is determined to improve the area by raising awareness. She meets with business owners regularly and applies for any grants that will benefit the area. “We unfortunately didn’t get an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant for lighting and way finding, but through the East- West Gateway, we received a Great Streets Planning Project that will look at connections across Olive from the soccer stadium north into City Commons.” “I’m all about pulling the city to- gether,” said Kittlaus. To that end, she’s developed relationships with the Downtown Community Im- provement District and Down- town Neighborhood Association, Grand Center Inc, Greater St. Louis Inc., CITY SC, Covenant Blu Grand Center, the CWE’s Kate Haher, Sa- mantha Smugula in the East Loop, and Park Central’s Abdul Abdullah, among others. She’s asking what’s going on in other neighborhoods, and what resources the LBD might tap into. With all the things Kittlaus has done in her career, she says that her current role as executive director of the Locust Central Business District blends all those pieces together beautifully. Crossword Solution See Page 14 for Puzzle Kittlaus from Page 6