Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 12:31:33 -0400
Subject: Re: PUPT: Funny flashpot story


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--Boundary_(ID_V3AXbT6TixC1BUDjvQpv6Q)

Here's another one. Our first stage had fuzzy tassles hanging from the proscenium curtain. We also had a chicken puppet that had real feathers.  As the show reached its climax, the chicken shed a feather into the flashpot.  When the flashpot went off, the feather ignited and set the tassels on fire. Being professional puppeteers, we had our eyes on the puppets and didn't notice until there was quite a blaze.  The chicken looked up and said, "Good heavens, Pigsley, the sky is on fire!  What shall we do?"
    "I don't know about you, Clucketta," said Pigsley," but I'm outta here." All puppets exited as one of the teachers arrived with a bucket of water. She threw it on the fire, dousing the puppeteers (us). She went back for more.
    My partner wanted to stamp out the raining tassels with the puppets, but I practically arm-wrestled her to the floor to save the puppets; curtains can be replaced, but not my creations! The teacher arrived with another bucket of water and doused my partner as I went out to calm the 250 hearing impaired students.  The signer was signing madly away.
    "Now, boys and girls, as we get the fire out, let me tell you about the kind of puppets we use.  This is a rod puppet..." The signer signed away, and all you could hear from behind the stage was, "More water!"--which the signer signed. After the fire was extinguished to a smouldering glow, we took questions and answers.  The first question was, "How did you get that fire effect?"
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: GAzPuppets-AT-aol.com 
  To: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu 
  Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 11:31 PM
  Subject: Re: PUPT: Funny flashpot story


  And then there was the time we were doing the show about fire safety and the history of the Phoenix fire department.  Back in the old days they would signal fire with 3 quick shots on a revolver to round up the volunteers.  So we had a starter pistol backstage.  Unfortunately, it was a cheap starter pistol and would not always fire.  So the frustrated puppeteer trying to fire it uttered a word into his wireless mic that begins with f and ends with k.  Twice.  Then realizing what he said, admonished himself with another word that begins with Sh and ends with t.  We weren't sure if anyone in the packed school cafeteria noticed.  But it didn't matter.  Because when we came to the climactic scene - the burning rooming house - our smoke machine set off the smoke detectors and the entire school was evacuated.  They gave us our check anyway.  

  We don't do that show anymore.  

  Nancy Smith

  In a message dated 10/21/2002 6:59:48 PM US Mountain Standard Time, heyhoot-AT-mindspring.com writes:


    on 10/18/02 11:55 AM, Mary Robinette Kowal at mary-AT-otherhandproductions.com
    wrote:

    >I housemanaged a marionette production of "Jungle Book" for the Center
    >for Puppetry Arts.  During a rehearsal (thank heavens) Mowgli came on
    >stage with his "red flower" to scare off Sher Khan.  There were three
    >flashpots on the stage were he was supposed to light the grass on fire.
    >Two small things happened on that day.  The tech put a little too much
    >powder in the pots, and Mowgli's puppeteer got the puppet a little
    >closer to the pots than usual.
    >
    >Picture this.  
    >
    >Mowgli says, "I've got the red flower! Take that Shere Khan."  He
    >dramatically thrusts his torch to the ground, flame leaps into the air
    >and smoke fills the stage.  When the smoke clears a small crumpled heap
    >lies lifeless on the ground- Mowgli with all of his strings burned off.

    Ohhh, the flash backs, if you'll pardon the pun. I recall many stories like
    yours (like the safety lid being blown of the flash pot, things going off at
    the wrong time, etc.) with a few injuries along the way, fortunately most
    minor and very few of them to me. As the registered Pyro Tech on Ringling
    for several years I have had a few close calls and stories to tell.

    Christopher






--Boundary_(ID_V3AXbT6TixC1BUDjvQpv6Q)

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----- Original Message -----

From: GAzPuppets-AT-aol.com

To: puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu

Sent: Monday, October 21, 2002 11:31 PM

Subject: Re: PUPT: Funny flashpot story

And then there was the time we were doing the show about fire safety and the history of the Phoenix fire department.  Back in the old days they would signal fire with 3 quick shots on a revolver to round up the volunteers.  So we had a starter pistol backstage.  Unfortunately, it was a cheap starter pistol and would not always fire.  So the frustrated puppeteer trying to fire it uttered a word into his wireless mic that begins with f and ends with k.  Twice.  Then realizing what he said, admonished himself with another word that begins with Sh and ends with t.  We weren't sure if anyone in the packed school cafeteria noticed.  But it didn't matter.  Because when we came to the climactic scene - the burning rooming house - our smoke machine set off the smoke detectors and the entire school was evacuated.  They gave us our check anyway. 

We don't do that show anymore. 

Nancy Smith

In a message dated 10/21/2002 6:59:48 PM US Mountain Standard Time, heyhoot-AT-mindspring.com writes:

on 10/18/02 11:55 AM, Mary Robinette Kowal at mary-AT-otherhandproductions.com
wrote:

>I housemanaged a marionette production of "Jungle Book" for the Center
>for Puppetry Arts.  During a rehearsal (thank heavens) Mowgli came on
>stage with his "red flower" to scare off Sher Khan.  There were three
>flashpots on the stage were he was supposed to light the grass on fire.
>Two small things happened on that day.  The tech put a little too much
>powder in the pots, and Mowgli's puppeteer got the puppet a little
>closer to the pots than usual.
>
>Picture this. 
>
>Mowgli says, "I've got the red flower! Take that Shere Khan."  He
>dramatically thrusts his torch to the ground, flame leaps into the air
>and smoke fills the stage.  When the smoke clears a small crumpled heap
>lies lifeless on the ground- Mowgli with all of his strings burned off.

Ohhh, the flash backs, if you'll pardon the pun. I recall many stories like
yours (like the safety lid being blown of the flash pot, things going off at
the wrong time, etc.) with a few injuries along the way, fortunately most
minor and very few of them to me. As the registered Pyro Tech on Ringling
for several years I have had a few close calls and stories to tell.

Christopher