Summer 2011 - "Puppet Show Plans"

The Puppet Show has been down for a few week due to weather. I hopefully plan to make a strong comeback this summer with an all new Puppet Show. The characters will include 4 men from Japan who have gotten an All-New wardrobe.

And while the eggheads were a big hit well I got an even better puppet making plan for the youngsters. If God will only reveal it to me soon. The best days have yet to be seen.

05.26.2011

06..2011

Wait Until It's Time - Short Story Skit

My Skit Idea - Turning Nightmare into Live Stage show

The scene involves two actors and a chair.

We see the back of chair where a mother rabbit is sitting knitting. A child rabbit hops in from behind tapping her on the shoulder, asking if it is time to go to the park. The mother keeps turning her head shaking her head back and forth telling the child, "No, not until later. You will have to Wait!"

The little child then turns around and leaves the room where her mother goes back to work on her knitting. The child was to wait until after the mother is done knitting.

This happens this time the mother's eyes peer over the chair looking away from her work shaking her head and singing the short song.

"No 'little child, it's still not time, you need to wait! you need to wait!"

Again the little child turns around and leaves the room where her mother goes back to work on her knitting. The child was to wait until after the mother is done knitting.

Not nearly one minute later, sure enough the child came back into the room

The mother stood up when she heard her, this time a little angrier.

"No 'little child, you need to Wait! You need to Wait! You need to Wait!"

And again the little girl turned and left the room. She had to wait until her mother had completed her knitting.

But sure enough the child grew tired of waiting and thought I am going ask at least one more time, to see if it was time.

She reached over the chair to tap her mother on the shoulder. And again her mother turned with a arresting look on her face saying. Why yes, it is time to go child, let me get the car keys. The mother put down her knitting and took the child's hand as they both left the room together heading towards the door . . .

Moral

When knitting with a five year old . . .

make an exact time . . .

then when you tell them . . .

they will know what time rather than keep guessing and bothering you.

Fabric Farm

05.05.2011

"FABRIC FARM" a dream of ERIC STEFANI's

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I was visiting a Farm with my parents at this place where they had these fabricated animals. Someone had made them but get this, they were alive. My Dad said someone had discovered how to do it somewhere back east. They had all sorts, and I was suppose to pick something out to buy.

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They moved like real animals and were friendly as the came up to you. There was a yellow duck with feathers that were made out of fuzzy vertical strands and google eyes. Also a male duck, (mallard,one with the green head). There was a blue donkey. I remember wondering which animal would get along with my dog. I think the blue was a donkey. There was also baby chickens, all were very distinct, not bland like your everyday stuffed animal, but special in everyway.

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There was a room full of large items that were manufactured large unique toys. Like the 'four - cornered

blue framed shelve' or something with a hanging down beam (stick) on the right. They were all broken. I asked, "Were they just broken or were they supposed to be really broken?"

The owner was silent, he didn't answer and I think this made him mad.

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FOOTBALL SECTION

In the middle of the story or dream there was a football part. All I know was there was a large jock-type guy and he was friends with the Farm Family. I remember them talking about shortening the names of things and this how they would develop in jokes between themselves. I was walking with the football guy and he was . . . doing something . . . can't remember but it was a contrast to being at the farm. Had to do with being tough and not fabricated, unlike the Real "Brought To Life" toy animals.

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At this time when everyone left but me and my Dad and two men, the owners and head of the Farm Family. This part was scary because they were locking up but one guy started breathing fire! His eyes were red and he had long black hair. He blew fire at the coat tail of my Dad. As we were running I stopped and looked at the Pyromaniac. I told him to his face, "I know the power of the wholly spirit and that I was NOT afraid". He said that did not work on him but then he shrunk back because it did.

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Right Before the Piano Room

Before the piano room there were people working on some large weird artwork. I mean while I walking around there was this huge black fabric someone had cover in marker. Then they were using a glue gun to paste 3D objects that were patterns of macaroni and yarn and more. I remember saying I used the glue gun to rap together my entire Christmas packaged.

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Near the end of the dream I remember wanting to play their piano and I went looking. This place was weird and I was curious. I was heading back through the rooms I had gone past before but another way. It was like a maze.

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PIANO ROOM

At the end there was a piano room. I went around a corner revealing all these pianos. And I identified the Piano that was in the shape of a boat. I asked if it was a prop from 1960's movie? The pianos in this part of the home I must have miss we traveled to the front but some how missed this room.

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Later at the end, some lady asked what it was that I wanted, after show me everything. She was very old like a Grandmother. I remember that there was so many to choose from. I had decided that whatever it was it was just going to be only one.

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This took one hour to write and remember.

Genuine Ventriloquist Dolls

Just because I have four genuine ventriloquist dolls, does't make me a racist.

Easter Show (Egghead Springsters)

I had been trying to get the "Chicken Laying Eggs to Pre-Recorded Soundtrack" gag worked out all week.

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MONDAY - search internet for sounds of chicken.

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TUESDAY - find music that sounded like a clock sound with instruments and combine the two.

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WEDNESDAY - Cleaned 30 golfballs

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THURSDAY - Clean milk crate, nightmare work.

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FRIDAY - Converting a box including a swiveling door to hold all the eggs (golf balls) and allow to exit. Disaster! It didn't work. But simply placed the ball on 17 inch "Conveyor Belt" by hand. It was perfect to allow the balls to roll on and swoop down into a connected funnel and shoot out and be caught into a milk crate.

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Although I totally forgot to introduce it as Peter Rabbits main supplier, it turned out fine. The gag goes on got a minute and a half and I am wiped out after doing it. The kids kept requesting I have the chicken lay more eggs afterwards which made me glad.

CROWD CONTROL

Too many kids on stage but I told them only two at a time and that they needed to get in line. The kids are too short to kneel but too tall to stand. I kept telling them to duck down!

EGGHEAD SPINGSTERS

The hand-made eggs puppets were my favorite to operate. Just because they were the easiest to perform. Their heads can spin, mouths can open. Don't have to worry about eyes or hands.

JAPAN PUPPET

The Ventriloquist Japanese Puppet was also something I had worked on all week. I brought one and explained how I got him resurrected. The mouth and eye work independently with switches that I made on the handle. I found the real expression come from the arms, at least with the music.

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Garfield Park

South Pasadena

California 91105

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Thursdays - MUSIC DAY

Times

(4:00 - 7:00)

Fridays - PUPPET SHOW

Times

(Show One 3:30 - 4:00)

( Show Two 5:30 - 6:00)

"The Egghead Springster"

Daisy Bowie

Chloe the Clown

Electric Richard (Mouth Open)

Electric Richard (Mouth Closed)

I completed making eight puppets yesterday. The heads were from a hollow plastic easter egg with a stick going thru it allowing the puppeteer to operate the mouth and rotate the head.

There is actually a straw that is slightly bigger that fits around the 6 mm stick. The straw fits up inside the lower half of the shell through a hole I drilled with a drill bit.

Puppy

You use a small amount of hot glue from a glue gun to fasten together the straw (to the lower shell) and the stick to the upper shell. (The straw must have been split allowing for 4 flaps.

After you glued your items you have to find a safe place to allow it to dry. Make sure the upper egg shell is straight.

(Spring and Rubber Band)

After the hard part is done then you can simply choose the eyes, nose, hair etcetera to decorate your character. I found it's best to imagine what you want first and then match it's personality visually.

Lastly you can add arms by gluing thinner straws. Use the straws that bend for elbows and add wire to the hands to make them move.

I found the simple cardboard/foam core display from Office Max works excellent as a stage to allow the performer to be hidden. You just have to add a wooden stick on each corner to keep it from falling over. Tape the stick to the ground or put something heavy to hold it down and your really to go!

Characters name left to right: 1)Electric Richard - 2)Melvin - 3)Puppy - 4)Bob - 5)Clarence the Clown - 6)Chloe the Bowie- 7)Green Steve - 8)Wood Chop

Engineer Eric's Experimental Puppet Show 2o11!

Wow today's puppet show was much better than Wednesday or Thursday. I really enjoyed planning to "Make Original Puppets" and getting together all the things needed to prepare. There were about 14 girls that participated. I could not find the drill bit to drill holes to make the mouth work but just gluing the straws to the egg worked fine.

I really enjoyed sharing how to make my mini puppets on a straw using plastic eggs with hinge to make the mouth work. Next time it will be easier if I get the correct two-sided tape. The tape was really a problem, everyone was complaining then someone said to fold the tape. This made it easier but the eyes didn't really lay flat.

Someone made off with mine with the spring at the base of the "double-straw" that made the mouth actually close.

I welcomed to kids to come up at a time to perform a song with me. People seemed to enjoy watching and there was applause after ever child. I remember Wednesday not having a iPod and having to play accordion most of the time.

Later I performed the "Peter Cottontail" story with Farmer McGregor and it seems to go over pretty well. I remember getting a big laugh from one kid showing him the baby chick pop out of the egg. Later Chris H. came by, we worked on a sketch with the Japanese guys. He came up with the mongoose and having get to loose. He mentioned having the animal on a string which I thought was great.

The chicken laying the golf balls was funny bit I had want to do for months but I missed Peter Cottontails basket, write down what will happen so I don't forget to blow the feathers, better yet get a muchkin to help!

I need to come up with more short sketches with bubbles, I got the sound effects just no story.

1) The spider trying to eat the eggs was a good idea.

Chris had some good ideas.

Story ONE: (Jordan)

One of the EGG 's is missing from the group... of course, all the puppets

blame the weasel, BUT ... actually , the weasel is innocent !

The spider (Bad Guy) had the egg in it's web... ooohhh, busted !

Then the puppets all kick the spider out of the BARN.

Story TWO: (Jordan /Chris)

The Cheer leading dog is frenzied over Peter Cotton Tail, who is stuck in the Tree.

4 Rabbit Puppets come to the rescue and team work their way up the tree... by

hopping up on each other... but when they get up to the tree, Peter jumps into

the Arms of the Cheer leader ! See ya Pals !! he shouts. All the other rabbits

are now stuck in the tree.

Story THREE: (Chris)

4 baby ducks follow Mickey Mouse, who says, "Hey, stop Following me... I'm not

your mother... wait a minute, where is your mother ??? " Mickey then meets

Kermit... and they go together to find the ducks' mother. The Rooster adopts

them and tries to learn how to speak to them using the "Quack Quack" sound,

but it always comes out ... " Quack a Doodle Doo ! " All the duck babies learn

how to speak "Quack a Doodle Doo !"