From: Widerman-AT-aol.com
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:59:38 EDT
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Muppets


I would normally not respond to this thread, but since my name was  mentioned 
. . .
 
In any art form, when a major artist like Henson comes along, it is  
impossible to ignore the influence. Brahms, understandably, had great  difficulty in 
the wake of Beethoven, but sets a good example for  perseverance.
 
At first I did not understand it when my mentor said he could never limit  
himself to one form or style of Puppetry, but exploring all forms has proven  
most gratifying for me, and I now appreciate what he meant. Every artist is a  
prism through which art is seen a little differently. I believe one must copy  
with awareness, either for learning, satirizing or re imagining, Most  
importantly, be creative and enjoy the experience.
 
     -Steven->
 
 
 
In a message dated 7/31/2008 8:31:13 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
puppetpro-AT-aol.com writes:
 
I'm not  quite sure how this strand began...
I think it was because Steve Widerman,  a wonderful marionettist, posted 
something about the Muppet come back on You  tube, is that right? 




Why do we argue about puppetual  preferences when most of the world spends 
most of its time arguing about  sports? 




Rolande





-----Original  Message-----
From: The Puppetry Arts Theatre  <info-AT-puppetryarts.org>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Sent: Wed, 30  Jul 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 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  mo
re
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.

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  li
ke 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
>  
> _______________________________________________
> List address:  puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
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