George Neff
A Quonset hut—a long, steel building originally designed for military use—serves a different purpose for Dr. George Neff. Instead of soldiers or supplies, his hut houses puppets. Lots and lots of puppets.

Chet the Boxer, Aunt Millie and Elfis the Elf are three of over 100 puppets inhabiting the hut. All await their next performance for Dr. Neff’s Incredible Puppet Company (DNIPC), a professional puppeteer troupe he founded in 1979 while teaching at then-Glassboro State College.

Neff discovered his love of puppets while studying at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. “It was a combination of an interest in art—constructing things—and theatre.” He made his first puppet, a Hunchback of Notre Dame marionette, for a theatre arts class project.

After earning a master’s degree at Columbia University and a doctorate at Pennsylvania State University, Neff taught in the GSC/Rowan art department from 1962 to 2000, serving as chair for 15 years.

Though he did teach a few ceramics and drawing courses, he mostly taught puppetry, a program he began in the ’70s. “I was always interested in puppets, but there was no program here,” he explained. “I started with a course within the art department then developed it into the child drama track.”

Neff created campus-wide enthusiasm for puppetry. In 1982, DNIPC became a company-in-residence at the College. Other organizations evolved, including the student-run Glassboro Puppeteers and the Peanut Butter Players—named after the sandwiches served to its young audience.

Neff also helped create characters and props for campus theatrical and musical productions including “Peter and the Wolf,” “The Magic Flute” and “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

At one time, he took a more administrative role. “I was chair of the faculty committee that developed the senate and became the first president of it. From there, I went into central administration, serving as an assistant to the provost.” After a year or so, missing his favorite part about his job—“working with the students”—he returned to the classroom.

He advised the National Art Education Association’s student chapter and was president of the Art Educators of New Jersey. Neff was also responsible for getting the art department accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Neff’s artistic ability was not limited to puppets. While teaching a drawing class around the time of the 1967 Summit, Neff sketched two pictures of Hollybush. He presented one to President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office and the other to a member of the Council of Ministers in the Kremlin.
Though retired from Rowan’s full-time faculty, he teaches an occasional puppetry class. “If they need someone to teach puppetry, I’ll teach it,” he said.

After decades of focus, his interest in puppetry has only grown. He spends most of his time holding workshops, attending puppet festivals and performing with his company throughout the tri-state area.

“Within our basic repertoire, we have two-, three- and four-person shows. Ann [his wife] and I are always involved.” He and Ann—also a former Rowan professor—compose music, design stages and craft puppets for shows.

And as all experienced professors know, learning never ends. Neff is now mastering the manipulation of marionettes and other facets of his artform. “We are experimenting with computer-generated scenery. We have also begun working with toy theatre—a form of puppetry using miniature stages and cardboard puppets on sticks.”

When not in his workshop or on stage, Neff is learning to play the guitar. He and Ann also sing in the Rowan Opera chorus and are involved in the Rowan Friends of the Arts program.

But puppets with personality are still his passion. “The idea of doing something with a puppet is critical because otherwise you are just creating a doll or a sculpture. A puppet has to be brought to life. That’s the key to puppets and what makes puppetry different from other art forms,” he explained.

So far, Neff has brought over one hundred works of art to life. And they have brought smiles to thousands of faces.

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Alumni can honor retired faculty by donating to a scholarship fund and other investment. Call James Spencer at 856-256-5403 or visit the Rowan University Foundation.