File puptcrit/puptcrit.0807, message 285


From: "Puppet People" <puppetpeople-AT-nycap.rr.com>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:14:22 -0400
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Muppets


Hey Robert;
    Thanks for the fresh perspective. Though I will have to disagree on a 
few things. In my travels I have found that it is "Muppet style" Puppets 
that appeal to the younger K& Pre K crowds.
    In my company we use all type of puppets, usually in the same show, and 
the overwhelming consensus is that Marionettes, rod puppet, &  Parade 
puppets work well with 2nd graders on up to high schoolers, hell even 
adults. We are even in the middle of redesigning a show because the style I 
chose, Muppetish, made the older kids think the show was to "little Kiddie".
    I do agree you can make more $ if you are a mouth puppeteer than a 
Marionettist, but both have their own appeal. Though to be honest I could 
use that union dough right now.
    Also I have found that Hand puppets need more upkeep than my other 
puppets, foam is great but doesn't last. Good luck with your auditions

Mark
The Puppet People
www.thepuppetpeople.org

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Puppetry Arts Theatre" <info-AT-puppetryarts.org>
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 10:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Muppets


> Oh good.. Finally something I can respond to!! It's been too long! Yeah 
> me!
>
> I'm on the flip side of that. I really really really don't like string
> puppets. In fact, in all of my grants etc I write- "no strings attached" 
> in
> my project descriptions. Pupcrit seems to huddle strings n punches on 
> here-
> I rarely see any hand puppeteers. I think its bc we don't have time to
> reply- we are working. (Hahaha I made a funny)!
>
> Muppets have a wonderful design and style of hand puppets, but it's their
> structure- not design- that influences other hand puppets--- Why? b/c it
> works! What's that? I said IT WORKS!
>
> I think that the lure if you will of the muppet structure is bc its REAL
> -its tangible, the audience can relate to it, cuddle with it, its alive 
> and
> creates a better relationship with an audience...with no strings attached.
>
> I find that its very easy to design and perform strings or punch n  judy
> stuff when muppet style hand puppets are a bit more involved providing 
> more
> animation and interaction-and THAT my puppet friends creates the whole
> relationship with audience thing I mentioned already.
>
> I am sure someone hovering over a stage of that play ---where the puppets
> are all little people and a human actor walks in their town n they tie him
> down, oh whats the name of that play everyone uses too much (Starts with a
> "G" right?) --and is barking mad about what I said, I know...
> But don't get your strings tied in a not.
>
> You gota also consider- today- for the most part-strings usually mean kids
> birthday parties and little darkrooms where kindergarteners visit on
> weekdays for $5 tickets. When hand puppetry pays a union actor $875 a day
> and making a hand puppet offers a min of $1600 on up up up up.
>
> I think I'll stick with the green guy. ( now that was a play on words 
> about
> kermit- a hand puppet and well, money, for those of you who didn't get it)
>
> Good times and will look for you all at the Emmet auditions! (that's a No
> String performance!)
>
>
> On 7/30/08 9:29 PM, "robertrogers-AT-robertrogerspuppets.com"
> <robertrogers-AT-robertrogerspuppets.com> wrote:
>
>> I have to be honest - and please don't be angry with me - I'm not a big
>> fan of the Muppets.  In the early days, I loved seeing them on the Ed
>> Sullivan Show and the Jimmie Dean Show.  I think that they were much more
>> inventive and daring back then.  And I never bought into the Kermit/Miss
>> Piggy romance.  It just didn't strike me as funny.
>>
>> Now, when I look at a site like Puppethub.com, I am frankly distressed by
>> all the Muppet clones that appear in the posted videos.  It's as if there
>> is a large population of people who aspire to draw comic strips, and then
>> work in the exact style as Charles Shultz.
>>
>> There's more to puppetry than foam and ping pong balls.
>>
>> Robert Rogers
>>
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>
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