From: "Mark S. Segal" <segalpuppets-AT-comcast.net>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:40:48 -0500
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Preparing a production


Lisa,
Think you have had some great responses from some very fine performers.
Of course some of your question depends on what kind of show you are doing - 
for whom and why (and where).

Also think that you can rehearse forever and will not really know what works 
or doesn't until  it is in front of an audience. The audience is the most 
important element.
I have done both what Christopher and Fred suggested. Booked a time and HAVE 
TO BE READY and had an invited audience which was just as important to me 
and HAD TO BE READY...

I think the show is in the playing of it. The more you play the better it 
can become (one needs an audience!). I will still video tape my show once or 
twice a year to see if there are changes that are needed. (Oh - play the 
same show maybe 500 times per year). But the words "the same show" are a 
little mis-leading, the performance given this morning at 9:30 will be 
different then the one  given at 11 and again different from the one at 
2:45. What changes is the audience and its needs.

As to coming into a location  being "together" I think is important. I use 
plastic - (black) Contico trunks (and have for years) for my puppets and 
sound equipment... Looked them up on the web and don't think they still have 
the ones without wheels...(they also look a lot more expensive then they 
were); also have two black bags one of which I made. Everything travels in 
on a multi-cart...here is the website to see a picture - 
http://www.multicart.com/

By the way even though I don't do it (at least not since 1991) everything 
can fly...

My set -up is 10 minutes (for the every day stage) - basically just a 
barrier - to turn it into a scrim stage (for other types of work) requires 
maybe another 10-20 minutes but that is because -  basically only use that 
form a few times in the year....

There are no sets just situations . ( That is not to say there can't be) - 
( I use hand puppets - in the KF&O way) well not as good but that style of 
performance.

So if you want to get ready  - to quote a corporate ad - "Just do it".

Mark Segal

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