From: Widerman-AT-aol.com
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 00:27:38 -0500
Subject: Re: Double Bridge Stages


In a message dated 96-12-10 06:29:07 EST, David Adams wrote:

<< I would be fascinated to know about your "wonder stage" and it does sound
like a
 wonder.  Why don't you render the plans and sell them through the Puppetry
 Store, for example ? >>

I would not be interested in selling plans, but it is made from readily
available scaffolding. It is heavy steel and requires a truck to move around.
There is a clever safety latch mechanism that allows the pieces to hook
together without tools. The bridges are made of aluminum and plywood and are
quite lightweight for their size. I use a pair of seven foot bridges. Three
puppeteers maximum at a time on the bridge.

Nick Swindin used a double bridge, and we had a little discussion at the last
P of A National Festival at Bryn Mawr about the gap between the bridges. He
implied that he was using the 31 inch gap that Baird used, and I told him I
had opted to close it up a bit to 26 inches. Somehow, this seems to be more
than five inches less scary. I am sure I could still step across 31 inches
with my eyes closed.  Nick appeared to be healthy and in good spirits, and,
like many others, I was quite shocked when he passed away from cancer.

Additionally, I have heard from Rudy Linke who informed me of The Puppet
Parlor Theater in Chicago using a double bridge. This had rails on the gap
side which prevents the puppeteer from crossing or straddling. Still it
retained the main benefit of allowing two marionettes to cross onstage
without having to pass the control around a puppeteer or to another
puppeteer.

I might add that Peter Baird is an amazingly agile bridge puppeteer.
Thankfully, he has taken to wearing sneakers on the bridge instead of cowboy
boots.

Any others? Bob Kramer? Bob Brown? Tony Urbano? David Syrotiak? Anyone know?

     -Steven->


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