Puppets

Easter Show (Egghead Springsters)

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

MONDAY - search internet for sounds of chicken.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

WEDNESDAY - Cleaned 30 golfballs

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THURSDAY - Clean milk crate, nightmare work.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Garfield Park

South Pasadena

California 91105

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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