David Simpich

David Simpich is an award-winning puppeteer based in Colorado Springs Colorado. He has been designing, building, writing, and performing marionettes since 1984. David has written and produced sixteen original plays with nearly two hundred original hand-sculpted actors.

History
During David's childhood years, his parents Bob and Jan Simpich operated a doll studio out of the basement of the family home. He observed as they sculpted doll heads, hand-painted faces, and sewed the clothing of these Simpich Character Dolls of Colorado Springs. Although David was surrounded by this artistry, it wasn't until he happened upon a handmade marionette hanging in a bookstore window that he, "sensed for the first time the dramatic potential of a simple figure on strings."

David and his wife Debby immediately began studying, creating and performing their first production after this store window inspiration. They performed in schools for about two years before opening the Simpich Marionette Theatre as an extension of the Simpich Character Dolls business in Colorado Springs. David went on to develop solo performances and eventually the now-growing family took the shows on tour. As of 2007, David and family performs at home at the Mount Saint Francis Auditorium and tours regularly with the Simpich Marionettes.

Awards
David has received four Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA plus The President's Award from the Puppeteers of America.
 * 1994 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for Great Expectations
 * 1995 - 96 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for Hans Christian Andersen Storybook
 * 1997 The President's Award of The Puppeteers of America
 * 1997 - 98 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for A Christmas Carol
 * 2002 - 03 UNIMA-USA Citation of Excellence for The Secret Garden

Productions

 * Beauty and the Beast - 1984
 * Heidi - 1986
 * The Little Mermaid - 1987
 * A Christmas Carol - 1987, 1992
 * Aesop - 1988
 * Tom Sawyer - 1989
 * Great Expectations - 1990
 * Hansel and Gretel - 1993
 * Hans Christian Andersen Storybook - 1994
 * Oliver Twist - 1996
 * The Pilgrim's Progress -1998
 * The Puppet Maker: A Story of Christmas - 1999
 * Portraits: A Gallery on Strings - 2000
 * The Stained Glass Circus - 2001
 * The Secret Garden - 2002
 * The Firebird - 2004