Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 09:57:45 -0400
From: "David A. Syrotiak" <nmt-AT-sover.net>
Subject: Re: PUPT: Toy Theater Construction Material Question


Dear Elissa:

I assume that you are looking for a fabric that is hung between the puppet and
the puppeteer, that is transparent enough for the puppeteers to see what they are
doing but 'dense' enough to hide the puppeteers from the audience.  Use black
scrim.  If you are going to paint it then get white scrim.  Stretch the scrim on
a frame, prepare the surface with some sort of commercial sizing so the paint
will 'sit on top' of the fabric instead of being absorbed by the fabric or, like
us, use good old fashioned boiled starch.   Put the paint on very thin - don't
want to clog up the scrim - be sure to use a good quality scenery paint -
acrylics work but not as well as set paint.  Scrim can be purchased at Rosebrand
in NYC - they will ship promptly via phone orders - or at most other theatrical
fabric supply houses.

For successful use of scrim:  Scrim is a theatrical 'effect' fabric.  When lit
from the front it looks solid.  When lit from the back the scrim disappears and
you can see everything behind it.  Good for appearances and disappearances.
(Might also be an interesting way to do a 'curtain call' by showing the
puppeteers at the end of the show.)  There cannot be any lights on backstage
unless you want the puppeteers to be seen..  If your performance sites are
'iff'y' (sometimes there is light back stage/sometimes a blackout) then you might
consider hanging some sort of back cloth behind the puppeteers.  If this is a
touring show that gets a daily pack/unpack then be sure to put a chain weight on
the bottom of the scrim so that it hangs out quickly and always looks good for
performances.

Good luck.

David Syrotiak

Good luck.



VeenaCava-AT-aol.com wrote:

> As a new member I send good tidings to all on the list!
>
> I have a question I hope someone will be able to answer. I am in the midst of
> constructing an originally designed toy theater. I trying to find out what
> kind of black fabric can be used to hide the puppeteer at the back of the
> stage. Buckram (sp?) doesn't take paint well, and black chiffon doesn't seem
> to do the trick either. Your suggestions would be most welcome.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Elissa Bromberg
>
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