Subject: PUPT: Original Carnival Puppets
Date: Sat, 08 Feb 2003 20:13:40 -0500


Had the good fortune to see the original Carnival production pre-Broadway om 
Philly and to get a peek behind the scenes.  The relative crudeness of the 
puppets fit the production which was darker at that time. The opening on a 
bare stage with only the sound of Piere Olaf's concertina playing the theme 
signaled that this wasn't going to be just another musical.  The arrival of 
the shoddy Cirque, the vigorous opening number setting it up, and Jerry 
Ohrbach limping in as Paul are still memorable.  He and Olaf did  all the 
puppetry as far as I could tell ( with the help of a dresser to get the 
dolls on and off).  Director Gower Champion handled the changes of scale 
from the circus ring to the puppet booth with a sense of magic which made 
Marco's illusions seen even more tawdry.  The show remains a worthy 
challenge.










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