Are you a budding puppeteer?
Can you do entertaining voices and accents?
Can you hold a tune?
Could you design and paint colourful sets?
Are you a technical clever clogs?
Do you have writing skills?
Could you produce/direct a production of mainly puppets?

MAYBE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A GO AT THE LOT!

Then if you are 18+ and have a fair amount of spare time at your disposal AND are willing to put in a huge amount of serious work in return for bucket loads of fun, then this project might just be what you are looking for. 

This really could be a great opportunity to get involved - right from the start - with a brand new local theatre project. 
Interested? Please read on.

THE AIM

To start a locally based, puppet theatre company initially staging small shows e.g. street theatre, festivals and anywhere else suitable. Over time and with some considerable development the plan would hopefully be to produce large-scale touring theatre shows for the entertainment of children and adults alike.

Ultimately the shows will feature exciting and amusing storylines backed by full lighting, sound, musical pieces and of course a full cast of extremely colourful and fun puppet characters.

In the beginning, in order to get going as quickly as possible, a small cast of ready-made puppet characters will be provided. Later, as things develop, more puppets will be produced based on the requirements of scripts or storylines. It is hoped that, by this time, the group will be up and running and that the building of high quality, performance standard puppets will be undertaken by members of the company.

The following is a description of things needed in order to get the show on the road. Basically a “to do” or “to get” list, as more input comes through we can expect the following to be expanded on. 

GETTING IT TOGETHER

We can approach local newspapers / drama groups / colleges etc. to help us get in touch with people who are interested in forming a new theatre company and performing with puppetry. The likelihood is that we will hold ‘auditions’ for the puppeteers. There will be a number of skills we will be looking for, see list of people needed and abilities. 

PREMISES 

For the purposes of auditions and rehearsals we will need to source a reasonably large room or hall. The intention is to approach the Arts Development Officer at Basildon Council to ask for help in this area. There is a possibility that the Council might be able to give the group a home for free, if just in the initial stages. It would be nice if the facility could be as central to the Town as is possible. There are a number of community centres, which may be able to assist, however the cost of hiring rooms in these places has yet to be ascertained. There may be a need for potential members of the company to agree to pay something in the way of ‘subs’. If this were the case then obviously we would wish to keep these to a minimum. 

FUNDING 

At the earliest possible opportunity we will need to start fund raising for the group. There are a number of avenues that can be explored for funding including, but certainly not limited to, the local Council and the various Art funding sources such as the Art Council. As soon as the group is up and running and has something to offer in the way of a performance, there might even be an opportunity to look forward to donations from the public at such events as street performances, fetes, festivals etc. 

LOOKING FOR CREW – Roles and Abilities 

Ideally multi-tasking puppeteers would cover ALL of the activities listed here – the idea being that, as far as is possible, ‘everybody knows how to do everything’. 

PUPPETEERS 

Puppets will be constructed mainly from foam and/or fabric covered foam. In addition to this, a host of different materials will be used in the build process including paper mache, latex, several other different fabrics and some small amounts of metal/wood work. There is no end to the things that can be found useful in the production of puppets. Lots of things can be ‘found’ for free and also through boot sales, charity shops and jumble sales. It is inevitable that a large amount of the materials used in production will need to be purchased as new and ultimately funding and revenue would make this possible.

Basically, the puppets will be the centerpiece of the show and so there will be a need to audition for the best people we can possibly find to operate the puppets. Puppeteers will need to be willing to develop their skills both individually and as part of the group. Some of the skills required will be:-

Voices

Projection - Style - Appeal - Variety Of Voices - Stamina - Script Learning Ability and Delivery - Singing ability. 

Operation

Ability to adapt to method including dual operation
Movement and Fluidity – (Mouth Vs Voice etc)
Interaction With Script (Stage Activity)
Stamina

General

Care Of Puppet
Character Development – Making Puppet Own
Commitment to Rehearsal/Workshop/Project 

PUPPET BUILDERS

Interested in learning to build to the company ‘style’. Emphasis on developing and maintaining the style and method for the company.

TECHNICIANS

We will need to find a person/s to manage the shows lighting and sound requirements. This would preferably be a joint job between the puppeteers with a ‘specialist’ taking overall control.

SCENERY & STAGE

We will need scenery designers and painters as well as person/s capable of building makeshift stages for street theatre etc. 

WRITERS 

Good script writers with an understanding of the regular characters and the type of show required. 

DIRECTOR

To over see and guide the puppeteers ‘acting’. 

PRODUCER

If you are genuinely interested in getting involved with a project like this and would like to have a chat then please email with some brief details, including your telephone number, and I will call you right back.

stephen_waters@tiscali.co.uk

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