Starting a Puppet Team

[CaptCrouton]

I'm excited to announce that I'm starting a puppet team this fall among some of the folks in my church. We are "Armed and Dangerous."

Does anyone else here belong to such a team, or lead one?

If anyone has any wisdom and advice, who have been down this road before, I'm happy to take it. This isn't a 9-11 call, but I'm glad to know you're all out here.

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

I'm sorry Cap'n, I don't have any words o' wisdom for ya, but I'm excited and happy for ya! Congratulations! :)

[fluffmuppet]

Well, I attend a puppet club every month, and hopefully I'll somehow be able to get into a show sometime!

Good luck in your puppet show, and remember: have fun!
And ditto, like Capt'Crouton said: Congrats!
::makes a cheesy grin::

[DirthNader]

I'm new here, Cap. I also live in Michigan, and while I have no knowledge, no puppets, and my religious affiliations are...questionable, I am happy for you and would like to know more about your "team".

I wasn't aware that there were clubs of any kind in the area.

Please feel free to pm me with more.

Thanks and good luck :)

[CaptCrouton]

Okay, I'm gonna feel dumb for this... But what does pm mean?

I know p.m. means evening.

I can also think of post mark and post-mortem.

I even know what AIM means (AOL Instant Messanger... see?) Wait... private message? Is that it? I can do that I think.

Random alternatives
Print Master? Postman? Pre Made? Peach Marmalade? Pistol Pete Maravich? Pregnant mouse?

[CaptCrouton]

Okay here's what the deal is.

I've got nine people signed up. I'm in the midst of planning a 15 week semester.

I'm not a complete novice, but Armed and Dangerous evolved into a drama group and I'm returning to my roots. I've been to several Puppet Festivals sponsored by One Way Street (http://www.onewaystreet.com) and I'm planning to attend the one in Grand Rapids, Michigan in November. They offer song and skit competitions, training workshops, etc. not to mention teams similar and more experienced than mine.

Ultimately I want to produce some videos, though I've never done anything like it before. This seems like the natural first step to making my dream a reality, to create a team of capable puppeteers. I guess I'll also need alot of money, but I haven't solved that yet.

My oldest puppeteer is 33, and my youngest is in the 5th grade. While I love kids, I chose 5th grade as the lower limit because of motor development, hand sizes, and so I don't, out of niceness, become somebody's babysitting service.

We'll meet two hours every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 from now til like Christmas time, then hopefully pick it up again after the holidays in January.

We'll begin with the puppet ministry in our local childrens ministry and occassionally in Big Church (as I call the adult service). Then do community stuff when we're good enough, (nursing homes, company picnics) I've already got someone who wants us to do a birthday party. I don't know if we'll be ready but hey, it's something to shoot for.

[CaptCrouton]

Okay here's what the deal is.

I've got nine people signed up. I'm in the midst of planning a 15 week semester.

I'm not a complete novice, but the first generation of Armed and Dangerous evolved into a drama group and I'm returning to my roots. We now have a new drama group as well. I've been to several Puppet Festivals sponsored by One Way Street (http://www.onewaystreet.com) and I'm planning to attend the one in Grand Rapids, Michigan in November. They offer song and skit competitions, training workshops, etc. not to mention teams similar and more experienced than mine. This is not really a commercial for One Way Street but it occurred to me that f you're a local MCer it'd be a great excuse for me to meet you!

Ultimately I want to produce some videos, though I've never done anything like it before. This seems like the natural first step to making my dream a reality, by creating a team of capable puppeteers. I guess I'll also need alot of money eventually, but I haven't solved that yet.

My oldest puppeteer is 33, and my youngest is in the 5th grade. While I love kids, I chose 5th grade as the lower limit because of motor development, hand sizes, and so I don't, out of over- developed niceness, become somebody's babysitting service.

We'll meet two hours every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 from now til like Christmas time, then hopefully pick it up again after the holidays in January.

We'll begin with the puppet ministry in our local childrens ministry and occassionally in Big Church (as I call the adult service). Then do community stuff when we're good enough, (nursing homes, company picnics) I've already got someone who wants us to do a birthday party. I don't know if we'll be ready but hey, it's something to shoot for.

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

LOL, "Big Church", I love it!

*used to call it that, too*

;)

[Buck-Beaver]

Hey CaptCrouton,

You might want to check out Chrtistpup (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christpup) which is an online group devoted to Christian puppet ministry. Also, Axtell Expressions (http://www.axtell.com) probably has links to more resources on their website.

I hope this helps!

[DirthNader]

Hey there Cap. *lol* Yeah, pm means Personal Message. I didn't know that they can't be sent in this forum. Actually, this place seems pretty restrictive. I replied to a board yesterday and wanted to recant some of what I said so I wrote another reply. I went to send it but was told that each person may send a reply only every 180 seconds?!?

Anyway. Grand Rapids is only a short jaunt from here. I live in Kalamazoo.....yes there really is a Kalamazoo.

However, I guess that it would be too hard for me to attend your classes. My wife and I are expecting our first baby next month and I, being completely filled with aprehension about my ability as a father (I'm more like a second child), will more than likely have my hands full. No room for puppets *hahahaha*

Let me know if you happen to be showing anything here, though. It would be nice to see the results.

[CaptCrouton]

Congratulations Dirth! How exciting. Though I'm not a dad myself, I think it would be the coolest thing in the world. But I have yet to find a wife and there's a really good order for that sort of thing... I'm actually in a little city called Bridgman down on exit 16 on I-94. K-zoo was part of my stomping grounds for awhile. I have many friends there, and once rescued a white rat from the Psych Lab at WMU.


Buck, thanks for the christpup link. It looks like a great source for people of the same bent. Though the interface looks kind of impersonal. I'll have to check it out. As for Axtell, I just can't recommend his stuff enough. I have a lion puppet and a buzzard from his arm illusion line. Though with my beginning puppeteers, I'll be using some of my cheaper puppets and keep my cooler expensive stuff at home.

[DirthNader]

Bridgman? Thant must be pretty close to the border...huh?

Thank for the congrats. I'm a little weirded by the whole idea of giving up my childhood to be a dad, but my wife assures me that the transition will go smoothly. Actually, I think She was telling me this while she was chopping vegetables with a rather large butcher knife, but I didn't let that influence me :rolleyes:

A white rat, huh? I once worked in a photo lab in Lansing and a ferret (white as snow) came meandering in off the streets. I tried rescueing it from drinking the chemicals from the drainage system we had, but would have none of that. When I went to pick him up, he skrieched and bit me. I don't like ferrets anymore :(

[Beauregard]

Capt Crouton,

I am trying to start a puppet group at my church at the moment. I am hoping to do a nativity Pantomime with puppets for Christmass.

How can I get people to join my group?

Beauregard

[CaptCrouton]

I posted on your thread Beauregard. Hopefully I gave you some good ways to start.

[CaptCrouton]

Beauregard,

I was just wondering how your puppet project was coming. Haven't seen anything posted about it. Is it still a go?

Markus

[Beauregard]

Hevens he remembered me!!!

Hi Cap'n I spose I should have kept you posted really. Yes it is still going on. I shall be performing on the 22 December.

I have had no little truble getting volunteers and getting those who voulenteer to turn up at the practices but it is still OK.

I am one puppeteer short though!!!

I will keep you posted.

Bye,
Beauregard

[Beauregard]

Funnily I can't find my thread. It seems to have dissapearded. I'll probably find it as soon as I have posted this, but yes, my show is going, OK!

Not good, but OK!

[CaptCrouton]

Armed and Dangerous is performing on the 22nd too. We're doing a version of Little Drummer boy that'd done in a Beach Boy Surfer style.

In the spirit of the Muppets, on our back tier, we've got a skateboarding penguin. When in doubt...

[CaptCrouton]

Oops, I meant "surf-boarding penguin." Doh!