Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 12:27:33 EST
Subject: PUPT: Re: [Marionettes] Where'd everybody go?


>From  Jim Gamble..I am posting this on the Marionette and Puptcrit boards in 
response to the question..."where'd everyone go?:  

    Ever since I returned from my annual gig in Honolulu on Jan. 15, we've 
been working on "Myths of the Aztecs."  I first made the 9-year old boy (who 
meets an archaeologist (initally played by live puppeteer) at the 
Tenochtitlan Temple in Mexico City...as a 36 inch tall marionette.  But it 
just didn't work. I was not a good enuf actor, and with much of the dialog 
and information being passes with conversation, it just didn't have the spark 
of a puppetry production...SOOOOOO..
    We backed up and I spent a lot of time creating life sized puppet 
figures..part marionette, part ventriloquil figure, part rod puppet for the 
boy and archaeologist character, putting the sound effects and dialogs on 
tape, and added a song and music...and the whole production is finally 
working!   We have a 4-ft diameter round shadow stage, covered by Temple 
traveling set pieces.  In Addition there are the rod puppet gods that are 
also performed as colorful shadow puppets.  The audiences and teachers have 
been most enthusiatic about all aspects of the show...the educational value, 
the color, the sounds, the songs, the puppets and the effects.  I will 
probably shoot a video of the show after we've finalized it in schools.
    Hope you have a chance to see it someday....meanwhile I've posted some 
photos on my web site:  www.jimgamble.com       Thanks for listening, Jim 
Gamble


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