Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:26:31 -0400
To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] actors vs. puppeteers


No I got it right on the nose!

You cant assume the actor had a ego number one- that makes you look bad.

And again in legitimate theatre a casting call is a casting call. Everyone
goes to a casting call no matter. That's the nature of the business.

The point I made- which is how all legitimate theatre works- is that you get
some one who is talented and you teach them puppetry. Puppeteers are not
always the best actors or singers- and talented puppeteers are not in large
numbers. If puppetry is your focus, great, just make sure that talented
fabric and fur manipulator can hold a note. You can teach an actor lip sync
but you cant teach a puppeteer to sing (at least in legitimate theatre).
Just like they do for lion king and ave q.

Unless its big money, you gotta work with who you have. And I simply said it
was a bit snotty for that lady to repeat on puppetcrit what she did to the
actor. She came across as full of herself.

She has a point, however, that in the best of circumstances you want both- a
talented puppeteer that can act and/or sing.

But for many ma and pa kettle puppet shows, the funding isnt there to lure
that target talent.

That's my point and Im sticking to it.



On 9/27/08 1:57 PM, "Alan Cook" <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com> wrote:

> I think Tim misses a point--the actor auditioning for a puppeteering job was
> on the wrong wavelength- his ego was obviously in the way. Just like the actor
> I mentioned some time ago on a puptcrit post. He was on the set, surrounded
> with little kid actors (his audience) and he was closed to any puppeteering
> hints, did not even practice walking the puppets---basically he just held the
> puppets, then let them droop, and did his actor spiel. The result, two
> catering trucks, a large crew, and a lot of effort went down the drain, and
> the results were never seen on any TV screen. Big waste of other people's
> time, work and money. In this case, an egotistic actor messed up the whole
> thing He had no clue and did not want a clue.
> 
> Gretchen trusted her instincts. Another actor could have worked out. And she
> has worked with other actors.
> 
> Give her the credit for common sense.
> 
> ALAN COOK
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Puppetry Arts Theatre
> Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2008 10:11 AM
> To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
> Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] actors vs. puppeteers
> 
> That's kinda snotty... Why did you audition an actor if you didn't want one?
> Its kinda presumptuous and pretentious to assume he knows a bout puppets-
> he's an actor. When it comes to legitimate theatre, the actors are trained
> in puppetry- the goal of a legitimate theatric production - like say Ave Q
> for exp- is the make sure the actors can sing and act. Puppetry is third on
> the list. That's how it is. So if that actor was talented enuff and you said
> "ahem, id be in touch" just bc he's not familiar with puppetry you could
> have just cut your nose off to spite your face don't ya think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/27/08 12:15 PM, "Gretchen Van Lente" <gretchen-AT-dramaofworks.com> wrote:
> 
>> I once had an actor audition for me and he actually asked, "So wait, the
>> puppet is going to be in front of me the whole time?" I politely told him
>> I'd,
>> ahem, "be in touch."
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