Puppet theater stages are structures designed specifically for puppetry performances. These may be permanent structures or portable frameworks that can be disassembled.
Stand-up theater is an easy and engaging project for younger students to create on their own, perfect for keeping hands busy while having fun! Simply sew two fabric panels together before pinning them back. When completed, tie-back "curtains" can add extra touches of decor that dress up the stage.
1. Design
Many who work with puppets in schools, libraries, and church children's ministries find themselves looking for a permanent stage solution. Puppet theater stages come in all sizes and shapes; some can be difficult to move or disassemble while others can be assembled quickly and disassembled quickly.
Professional puppet theater stages come in all sorts of designs, from the intricate woodcarvings of Jean-Luc Penso's Taiwanese glove puppets to simple platforms or "walkways", such as those used by French puppeteer "Wallade." Others provide more basic solutions, like providing puppeteers a comfortable height relative to their rods and strings; platforms may even come equipped with curtains that hide and reveal scenes at specific points; often these platforms also come fitted with flats which enable multiple entry/exit points on each platform or "walkway".
Some puppet stages feature prosceniums to divide the playing area from spectators watching inside the theatre, creating an enclosure. Here, a curtain may be painted to act as a backdrop and include a raised platform where puppets are situated. Furthermore, side curtains allow for side entrances (reminder: entrances via "the cellar French: cave" and exits via "fond French: fond" are considered inadmissible unless expressly desired by the player).
Past generations of puppeteers were often required to bring their shows on the road - from school and church assemblies to fairs, fairgrounds, and meetings - relying on portable stages that could quickly be set up or taken down. Conversely, other performers may remain in one location, creating permanent theatre spaces for public performances.
2. Materials
Puppet theaters come in all forms, from simple to complex. A home puppet theater provides children with an environment in which they can safely play with dolls statuettes marionettes or hand puppets without worrying that they might endanger themselves or those around them. Furthermore, it's an ideal present for anyone with an active imagination and a collection of toys!
As with any project, gathering the necessary materials for making a homemade puppet theater begins by gathering all necessary items. A cardboard box that folds flat makes an excellent starting point as it is often easier to locate than larger boxes, taking up less storage space in your home while creating an adjustable stage capable of accommodating props while opening and closing curtains at will.
Begin by measuring and marking where to cut your side panel using an X-Acto knife. Aim for an opening lower than the tops of the wings that support your box on either side so that a curtain can easily fit across it.
Once your puppet theater's sides are complete, cover them with fabric to cover any visible supports that you made slits for, and then sew along its top edge to form a casing for easy hanging.
If you don't own a sewing machine, an industrial staple gun will do. Before using this method to attach the fabric to the sides of your puppet theater, however, be sure to paint its sides first; once dry use wood filler to fill any holes that were caused when nailing in trim pieces.
3. Assembly
A puppet theater is a theatre structure specially designed to host puppet performances. Puppet stages may be permanent structures or portable frameworks that can be disassembled for storage; grand or humble performance stages alike. They may feature stand-up or sit-down types; temporary structures like booths; or permanent and fixed castellets.
To give your DIY puppet stage a professional appearance, paint and let dry the trim and onlays first before nailing them to the front of the frame. This will prevent glue sticking to the trim from ruining its paint job upon installation; also be sure to fill any nail holes left by nailing with wood filler before sanding after it has dried completely.
Once your frame has been painted, the next step in building your theater should be assembly. Start by screwing in a top support piece made from 2x4, 12 inches down from its peak. This will create an opening 20" tall by 29" wide for puppets to move freely through. Next nail rope trim around this opening; place this alongside any existing rope trim at its base support 2x4. Finally, install egg and dart trim all around this area - next to each existing egg/dart trim piece as well as underneath them down onto its base support 2x4, framing this opening nicely!
4. Lighting
Puppet play can help kids develop literacy and motor skills through storytelling and manipulation of puppets while expanding their imagination muscles. Puppets require a backdrop and lighting that conveys another world for them to truly come to life!
One way of creating a backdrop is with curtains. While plain ones should remain unshaded so as not to overpower the characters on stage, colorful or textured curtains may also add visual interest and texture. Some classes have posted pictures and biographies of puppets on these curtains for an authentic theater feel, while others simply make computer banners listing the production name that spans the stage.
If space is an issue in your room, consider creating a tabletop theater that stands on its own rather than being supported by walls. A cardboard box or foam presentation board are great materials to use; start by marking where to cut an opening for the stage; make sure it falls below the tops of the "wings" that support it so you can use a rope or dowel through them to hold curtains across it.
Professional puppetry takes many forms, from Broadway-scale commercially-supported productions to socially engaged groups like Bread and Puppet Theatre (using giant puppets to communicate a political or idealistic message). Theatre staff are constantly on the lookout for innovative new creative and technical trends as well as ways to make performances more effective; recently Aistenok Puppet Theatre in Siberia upgraded from their 750W profile arc-source fixtures with 12 WW Profile HP LED ellipsoidals to improve color rendering while decreasing heat output.
5. Sound
As any professional puppeteer knows, sound effects are an integral component of the theater experience. Puppeteers spend hours honing sound effects such as wind, thunder, rain, and footsteps that bring their scenes alive - just a few elements needed to create an enchanted world for audiences to enjoy!
Puppet theatre's integration of music and images is far more structured than actor's theatre, making it easier for musicians to use music to create illusions. Music's invisible nature allows it to blend more seamlessly into space alongside moving forms, intensifying their expression. Furthermore, its emotional depth makes conveying emotions easier while creating tension.
Puppets in many traditions are often accompanied by musicians. This can be found in Japanese bunraku (ningyo joruri), Chinese and Indian puppetry as well as Indonesian wayang performance; wherein the dalang, who controls the puppeteers in this latter tradition, plays his gamelan orchestra that forms a horseshoe shape on one side of the stage that faces where his puppets reside.
Music serves not only as an authoritative voice and method of conveying information, but it can also enhance character development while adding drama and heightening emotional intensity. When creating musical works for puppet performances, special consideration must be made in accordance with young audiences' needs, understanding, and perceptions.
Alexander Mansurov, best known as a composer of music for Republican Puppet Theatre productions of "Hit, Bludgeon, Hit!," is well-regarded in his field as an accomplished composer of symphonies, operas, chamber and instrumental music pieces (chamber music specifically), songs (popular, children's and quires), radio shows and cinema soundtracks as well as puppet music composition. But his preferred artistic pursuit lies within this field of creativity - his specialty lies within writing music specifically composed for puppetry productions!