File spoon-archives/puptcrit.archive/puptcrit_2003/puptcrit.0308, message 316


From: "Preston Foerder" <preston-AT-pfpuppetry.com>
Subject: PUPT: Re: Hey Preston
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 19:11:30 -0400


The puppet you are referring to is Paulina from The Story of Paulina and the Matches from my show "Slovenly Peter".   In the story a little girl plays with matches, sets herself on fire and winds up as a pile of ashes.  The puppet is a rod puppet, and yes, indeed, I actually set it on fire.  The body of the puppet is based on a juggler's torch.  The torch section is in the middle of the body, and is doused in bar-b-q lighter fluid.  The puppet is redressed before each show in a costume made of flash paper, which is glued together using Zap-A-Gap (a glue similar to Krazy Glue but with a little more body).  Nothing can be attached to the costume because then it won't flash up, but burn and drop down.  A bad thing.  In the piece the puppet lights an actual match, touches it to her costume which goes up in a flash (hence the name), lighting the torch.  At the same moment, I whip off the head, (don't really want to make a new one of those for each show).  No one sees the head removal what with all the flash and flame.  I then manipulate the flaming puppet, as the little girl is running around on fire.  Finally, I throw the torch in a bucket of water backstage.  I've yet to burn down any theaters.

There are no salable videos of the show.

OK, so here's some shameful self-promotion.  The next performance of Slovenly Peter (along with Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimy) will be at the Performing Arts Center of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, October 10 and 11.  If you don't live too far away and have nothing better to do at the time, it would be really, really, nice for you to come and see the show, that is if it's not too difficult and you wouldn't be too put out, or you could just stay home.  I wouldn't want to impose.

Preston

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rocky" <howler-AT-obscure.org>
To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 9:56 AM
Subject: PUPT: Hey Preston


> Preston, from reading a bit of a review on your website:
> http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2ccpn/profile.htm
> 
> Do you use real fire or do you simulate it somehow?
> 
> Do you have any of your shows on video for sale?
> 
> (I ask on-list rather than off; I figure Shameless Promotion need not always
> be *self* promotion)
> 
> Rocky
> 
> 
> 
> 
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