'Winnie the Oravian'. Children's Theater by Janusz Kaczorowski
A unique collection of puppets and stage designs from Janusz Kaczorowski’s Children’s Theater 'Winnie the Oravian'
By The Orava Ethnographic Park Museum
Leszek Janiszewski
Photo - Janusz Kaczorowski (between 1982 and 1986) by Stanisław WyrtelThe Orava Ethnographic Park Museum
Janusz Kaczorowski (1943-1987)
Graphic artist, poet, art theorist, and interdisciplinary artist; a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. One of the most charismatic figures of Kraków’s neo-avant-garde of the 1970s, influential in the city’s artistic, political, and countercultural life.
The Puppet - the Turon (The folk ox) (between 1982 and 1986)The Orava Ethnographic Park Museum
In 1982, after a series of professional setbacks, he left Kraków amid a deep personal and artistic crisis. He moved to Zubrzyca Górna to work at the Orava Ethnographic Park Museum, where he catalogued collections and served as a curatorial assistant.
Children's Theatre...
The most creative aspect of his time in Museum was working with local children, leading to the creation of the children’s theater ‘Winnie the Oravian’ -“Kubuś Orawiocek”. Together they made puppets and plays and grounding performances in Orava’s culture.
After a few years, in 1986, Janusz Kaczorowski returned to Kraków. He died tragically on June 17, 1987. Yet in Zubrzyca, the results of his work remained: the puppets, the sets, and, above all, the fond memories of the now-grown actors and of the children’s theater.
‘Winnie the Oravian’
We present selected puppets and sets: remarkable examples of the activity and creativity of their makers, who managed to create them from various materials during the difficult social conditions of the early 1980s in Poland.
The Puppet - 'The Froggie Princess’ sign (between 1982 and 1986)The Orava Ethnographic Park Museum
The Puppets
The Frog Prince, The Golden Duck, The Emperor’s Nightingale, The Swineherd, and Witalis the Fox – just a few of the Children’s Theater shows. Years later, some puppets still delight, though it’s often impossible to match them to a specific story or character.
For this reason, we have decided to present the collection to the general public, foregoing the assignment of dolls to specific fairy tales, while introducing a provisional division into thematic categories such as: folk, Orient, Historic-style, and animal puppets. We invite you not only to view the collection but also to share your suggestions regarding the names of the characters and their possible assignment to specific fairy tales.
Figures Inspired by Chinese Culture and the Imperial Court
Animal Figures and Anthropomorphic Characters
Figures in Historical Dress
Social Roles, Character Types, Traditional Professions, and Ritual Figures
Besides full-figure puppets, other forms also appeared; one example is this expressive face, likely originating from a fairy tale set in the Far East.
Decorations and Props
In addition to the dolls, the creators of the puppet theater also crafted various props, furniture, and stage decorations, such as the moon, e.g., depicting the passage of time.
The Mask (between 1982 and 1986)The Orava Ethnographic Park Museum
Puppeteers and performers.
Of course, performances sometimes featured not only dolls but also young people wearing masks, who became both puppeteers and performers.
In 2026, it will be 40 years since Janusz Kaczorowski concluded his work at the Museum – Orawski Ethnographic Park in Zubrzyca Górna. This is a wonderful opportunity to recall this remarkable figure, tell the story of the phenomenon of 'Winnie the Oravian', and perhaps inspire broader work on the collection and its exhibition.
Leszek Janiszewski
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