A Simple Puppet Stage
|
Posted by Jo Murphy Nov 18, 2006 |
- Furniture from a bulk warehouse is ideal for the creation of a puppet arena!
- Shelving is sold ready to assemble.
- The stage designer only needs readily accessible tools such as a spanner and electric screw driver with a reverse cycle. For bolts a spanner head will be a necessary accessory for the screw driver.
- The cost is affordable. Use simple, cheap but bulky shelving purchased from a ready to assemble warehouse.
- Perhaps you may need to bolt it to the floor to provide stability and safety.
- If the stage is for finger puppets you will only need one set of shelves. Larger puppets will require a more creative approach. Be versatile and think outside the box!
- Combined sets of shelves to provide sufficient performance space. it will be possible to combine shelves to create spaces located at different heights. This could even allow for puppets to walk up stairs or inclines.
- Erect the shelves and paint them black or a simple colour. Don't allow the stage to become the focus. It is the puppets rather than the stage you wish to feature.
- Measure sufficient matching or contrasting cloth to fit from the back.
- Drape it around the entire shelving system.
- Split the fabric from the floor to an appropriate place at the top of the shelving and remove from the shelves.
- Hem the entire piece of fabric on a sewing machine and return it to the shelves.
- Use a staple gun and tack the fabric to the shelves if you are in a hurry.
- If you would like to be able to collapse the stage later create tapes and tack those to the stage.
- Create a backdrop and tack this to the shelves at the back of the performance space. Do not tack the bottom edge as hands will need to be able to operate the puppets in front of the back drop.
- Furniture purchased from this kind of bulk warehouse is readily collapsible. Simply put the screw driver on reverse cycle and undo the bolts.
- The stage can then be stored between performances. The furniture is quite stable and bulky. This is important when there will be considerable movement in and around the stage.
- For another play renew background by taking off the backdrop and replacing.
- Props can be made by carving polystyrene and painting.
- Lights can be hung from the shelf above
- Endless combinations of shelving allow heights to change during the performance