Evergreen Children's Theatre began in 1993 when Marshall Campbell and a group of theater people involved with the Kitsap Opera were discussing the local need of providing high quality children's theater and programming for residents of Bremerton and Kitsap County. At the time there were few opportunities for local families to enjoy good theater without having to endure the time and expense of traveling to Seattle. Campbell, a 1965 graduate of the University of Washington, School of Drama and a student of Aurora Valentinetti, in children's theater and puppetry led this effort.

Under Campbell's leadership, a group came together and formed a performing company calling itself Evergreen Children's Theatre. Campbell's vision included the creation of a three-part organization. One aspect was performance, another was education and classes, and a third was the creation of a puppet museum. The first production was entitled “Oniraku”, a charming tale of Japanese origins performed with hand puppets. In 1994 the second performance was of “Cinderella”, a full-scale production using hand puppets created by Campbell in the 1960's. This was followed in 1995 with a production using live actors of “The Masque of Beauty and the Beast”. This production culminated in a financial turning point in the organization resulting in a decision by the Board of Directors to not produce performances locally but to act as a sponsor and engage professional puppeteers and performance troupes to come to Bremerton.

Over the years performances have been a mixture of live theater and puppetry presented in several local Bremerton venues. In the fall of 1997 an association was struck with the Admiral Theatre Foundation where ECT was able to use the newly renovated Art Deco Admiral Theatre stage for its sponsored productions and to conduct classes in rooms on the site. Also included in the arrangement was the offer of a basement room to be used for a future puppet museum.

At this period, Campbell was able to interest his former teacher and mentor, Aurora Valentinetti to donate a portion of her large puppet collection to Evergreen Children's Theatre as the foundation of a Puppet Museum collection. Along with puppets made by and acquired by Marshall Campbell, this formed the core of the museum's collection, which in 2008, numbered over 1000 puppets, stage props and hangings and accessories. Through the generosity of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, ECT received by funding for construction of cases for the Museum, which opened in the fall of 1999.

In the year of 2000 Evergreen Children's Theatre and the Admiral Theatre Foundation received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which was used to underwrite a portion of the 2000-2001 season. Each year ECT and the Puppet Museum continue to seek funding from local, state and national foundations, organizations and individuals.

The 2001-2002 season was a time of great change for the organization. The Admiral Theatre Foundation announced that the theatre with its expanding programs needed to take over the classroom and museum space occupied by ECT. This move allowed the Museum to locate to a street level location on Fourth Street in downtown Bremerton. With donated materials, carpet and labor the Museum and office of ECT were able to move into greatly expanded, and improved display space in time for the holiday season. With the help of volunteers the Museum and gift shop began to provide a public presence throughout the year. Since that first move to Fourth Street the Museum has made a second move two doors down from its first location. These new locations have improved public visibility and created a new tourist attraction to the changing Bremerton landscape.

Since moving to Fourth Street we have worked to establish an exciting gift shop with tempting items for all ages. The Museum introduces a series of rotating exhibits highlighting significant parts of the collection and tells the story of puppet history around the world. As word spreads about the Museum's presence in Bremerton, attendance and interest have grown. It is hoped with this attention, that public support will emerge and enable the Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum and Evergreen Children's Theatre to continue to grow and establish a permanent home and professional staff. Help support this exciting endeavor and bring your family and friends to Bremerton for a fun filled day on the shores of Puget Sound.

--Stanley W. Hess, Museum Curator