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4th Wall Dramaturgy
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The Face Behind the Puppet (Part 2)

January 28, 2015 12:00 AM
Eric Stroud

by Eric Stroud, dramaturg Welcome back! On this post we will continue delving into the opinions, lives and feelings of our puppeteers. Pay attention to what each says about the effects of the puppets on the production and after you’ve seen it, let us know if you agree, disagree or just your opinion in general. We would love to hear your feedback! (And if you missed the first half of our cast, check them out here.) [caption id="attachment_3430" align="alignright" width="225"]

Aaron Fisher

Aaron Fisher[/caption] This is Aaron Fisher. Playing the part of Lysander the lover seems to have come so naturally to him. However, it has been no different for his operation of the puppet Snout (who we will meet next week). Eric: What made you want to do a TYA show? Aaron : I think it was just the opportunity to be able to continue acting. It seemed like a fun project to be apart of, and that’s why I decided to audition. In the end, I just wanted to keep on acting. Eric: How has it been, working with puppets? What’s been your favorite part? What’s been the most challenging part? Aaron: It’s been great working with the puppets. I actually had no idea that I would be working with a puppet when I auditioned, but I have to say that I really enjoyed it. My favorite part is seeing the puppets develop their personalities and character as time progressed. With his physical development, I was able to create a character for Snout, and it was a lot fun trying to figure out who he was. The hardest part would be trying to make the puppets come to life. As the mechanicals, we had to channel our acting into our puppets. Through movement and breathing, it’s our job to make them come to life onstage. And despite the difficulties, I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve spent with my puppet. Eric: What do you think the puppets add to the show? Aaron: I think they add great comic personalities to the show. Through their actions we’re able to illustrate their strong characters onstage, and in doing so, we’re able to enhance the quality of the production. [caption id="attachment_3429" align="alignleft" width="225"]

Lindsey Houseman

Lindsey Houseman[/caption] This is Lindsey Houseman. She plays the part of Helena the lover and Flute the puppet (who we will meet next week). She has some amazing enthusiasm for this show and brings so much energy to the stage. Eric: What made you want to do a TYA show? Lindsey: I love working with kids because I basically am one. How they think fascinates me and I wanted to have the chance to show them how wonderful and important theatre is. Eric: How has it been, working with puppets? What’s been your favorite part? What’s been the most challenging part? Lindsey: Working with the puppets is really a “love-hate” relationship. It’s exciting to work with them and bring them to life but it’s complicated! As an actor, you don’t think about how every part of your body is moving when you’re on stage. But as a puppeteer you have to think about their movement, their breathing, their voice, and also the lines of Shakespeare you’re performing. It’s tough. Eric: What do you think the puppets add to the show? Lindsey: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a fantastic show already but puppets make it so whimsical! It becomes appealing to not only people familiar with Shakespeare but also those who don’t understand a word he’s written. I think that’s why this show is so good for kids. Shakespeare’s not scary for them anymore. [caption id="attachment_3431" align="alignright" width="300"]

Bryce Revelli

Bryce Revelli[/caption] This is Bryce Revelli. He is no stranger to Shakespeare (having won a Larry Lott award), however this is his first TYA show. It has been a pleasure to watch his skills as an actor, translate over to the work with his puppet. Bryce will be playing Demetrius the lover and Peter Quince the puppet. Eric: What made you want to do a TYA show?

Bryce: I wanted to get back into performing, and I thought that this would be a great way to start.  I’m also interested in being a theater education major and thought that this would be a really good experience to see what it is like. 

Eric: How has it been, working with puppets? What’s been your favorite part? What’s been the most challenging part?

Bryce: It has been so fun!  I have never worked with puppets before, and I love the experience of thinking what I would do as an actor and then have that conveyed through my puppet.  The most difficult part is just focusing on my puppet and not looking at the other actors or puppets.

Eric: What do you think the puppets add to the show?

Bryce: They add a new level imagination and creativity to the show.

Well, thats it for this week folks. Thanks for visiting the blog. Look for our next post, "The Puppet Behind the Face." In this post I will give a look inside the head of the star puppets of this show; each unique and each believable.

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