From: "B. Shur" <mr_utamaro-AT-hotmail.com> To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2007 22:56:11 -0400 Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Help in Building Bunraku Puppets I worked with Wood and Strings Theater making some reproduction Bunraku puppets about two years ago. We didn't have any chances to examine the real thing, but bewteen the books we were able to find and some old footage containing naked puppets in action, we got to a pretty good approximation. We used wood putty instead of carving our heads but we felt good about the mechanisms. I won't know for sure until I get a chance to see the real thing up close. Here's our attemp (not a great picture) http://www.littlebeepuppets.com/resume/bun2.jpg Leon from W+S could explain the construction better than I. You can contact him at leon-AT-woodandstrings.net Good luck. ------------------------------------------------------------> B Shur Little Bee Puppets Dear Michele, In response to your appeal for Kabuki help, maybe the following will be of interest: I am not an expert in Bunraku, but have viewed a number of performances in Japan (Nagoya and Tokyo) and have been treated to various tours backstage at their primary location in Nagoya as well in Osaka. I have been allowed to put my hands on the puppets and see the internal workings of the animated heads....they use whale baleen for spring action.... They provided many demonstrations during the 1980 UNIMA Festival in Japan. The Kabuki theater tours during parts of the year, but is resident in Nagoya (if my memory serves me correctly.) We, my company, used the Kabuki style for our own production "Tales of the Ashanti," first created for Open House at Hollywood Bowl about 15 years ago. Recently deceased extraordinary puppeteer, Roger Mara wrote the basic script and designed the show, with Caldecott Award Winning author, Gail Haley, writing an additional piece to bring the production from 30 min. to a 50 minute version for theaters. Beverly Armstrong drew primary designs. Greg Ballora created the puppets themselves and developed some creative manipulation rod techniques allowing each puppet to be worked by a single puppeteer. The show has now toured to many parts of America....with rave reviews, I might add! I believe we have photos of the puppets on my web site: www.jimgamble.com If not, I know Ashanti photos are included in the Gallery Slideshow on our recently released nine DVD, (along with a tour of our studio.) Greg used dyed Scott Foam for basic construction, with somewhat muppet style mouth, but did a great job making the puppets NOT muppet-like at all. The Theater Dept at the University of Hawaii has also produced Kabuki productions...they are premier in Asian Theater Arts inviting outstanding Oriental Artists and Directors to teach in residence from time to time. Some of my performing tours have overlapped times when UH students were at work in Honolulu. I'm sure Dr. Tamara Hunt can provide additional info on their programs. I hope this rambling account is helpful. Many American puppeteers have experimented with Kabuki style, adapting to their own needs. Cross cultural experience helps puppetry in general. I've been fortunate to experience so many different parts of the world, myself. Sincerely, Jim Gamble --- Michele Repyak <starbelle22-AT-charter.net> wrote: > Hello, > > My name is Michele, and I am a student who is taking > an International > Baccalaureate World Theatre Studies class at my > school. As a part of this class, > we are required to write a research commission on a > specific element of a piece > of World Theatre. For my project, a director has > commissioned me to help her > design Bunraku puppets for her production of Love > Suicides of Sonezaki. We are > required to have several primary sources in our > reasearch, and I was wondering > if you would be able to answer some questions that I > have and if I can include > you as a source in my commission letter. If you > could help me or direct me to > someone who is knowledgeable in this field it would > be greatly appreciated. > Thank you! > > Michele > _______________________________________________ > List address: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org > Admin interface: > http://lists.driftline.org/listinfo.cgi/puptcrit-driftline.org > Archives: http://www.driftline.org > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Don't get soaked. Take a quick peek at the forecast with the Yahoo! 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