The AATEvolution of Valerie & Steve: Reflecting on Friendship, Puppetry, and Collaborative Practice
Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg and Steven Barker first met at AATE 2007 in Vancouver, sparking an eighteen-year friendship shaped by artistry, mentorship, and the joyful possibilities of puppetry. Using a Greek dramatic framework—complete with mythic pairings such as Narcissus & Echo, Artemis & Apollo, and Hestia & Dionysus—they trace their evolution as collaborators, educators, and conference companions across nearly two decades of AATE gatherings.
Through stories of residencies, shadow puppetry, pandemic pivots, and community-based projects, they reveal how puppetry has become both their shared artistic language and a flexible teaching tool adaptable to PreK–adult learners. Participants will engage in hands-on puppetry manipulation, improvisation, and short-form devising as Valerie and Steven model the structures they use in classrooms and community settings. This session celebrates the echoes that shape us—our mentors, our conferences, our creative risks, and the friendships that revive our practice.
Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg and Steven Barker first met at AATE 2007 in Vancouver, sparking an eighteen-year friendship shaped by artistry, mentorship, and the joyful possibilities of puppetry. Using a Greek dramatic framework—complete with mythic pairings such as Narcissus & Echo, Artemis & Apollo, and Hestia & Dionysus—they trace their evolution as collaborators, educators, and conference companions across nearly two decades of AATE gatherings.Steven Barker
Steven Barker is a faculty technical director, production manager, and statewide arts advocate whose work spans collegiate theatre, K–12 partnerships, and professional development for educators. As President of the Maryland Theatre Educators Association, he leads statewide initiatives supporting arts infrastructure and collaborative practice. Steven’s teaching and design work integrate puppetry, technical theatre, and accessible creative processes that empower students and educators alike. His eighteen-year collaboration with Valerie reflects his commitment to long-term artistic partnerships and the belief that shared creative practice strengthens both pedagogy and community.
Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg
Valerie Baugh-Schlossberg serves as the School Director for Story Tapestries, an arts service and communications nonprofit organization. As a multidisciplinary teaching artist, stage director, musical theater performer and puppeteer, her professional reach extends across generations, encompassing early childhood education, K–12 schools, community engagement, and senior adults. She is widely recognized for her ability to educate and entertain children and adults with equal success.
With over 30 years of experience, Valerie performs, directs, and devises works alongside diverse youth and adult populations. She has led residencies across multiple states, specializing in accessible theater movement, devising techniques and puppetry that invite learners to explore storytelling, character development, and improvisation. Her puppetry practice emphasizes joy, play, and the transformative power of simple materials—from paper bags to shadow screens—to unlock the imagination in settings ranging from Pre-K to adulthood.
Throughout her career, Valerie has developed and implemented comprehensive theater curricula for various organizations and companies across the United States. Her enduring collaboration with Steven Barker, which began at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) in 2007, has since flourished into a creative partnership grounded in shared artistry, mentorship, and a deep belief in theater’s capacity to connect communities. She has a BFA in Musical Theatre and has completed various graduate courses in theatre pedagogy, education, and theatre for youth.