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Puppet Musicals

Here are Some Ideas for Puppet Musicals

So far, I have done 3 puppet musicals. I made puppets to look like the characters on the tape, e.g. Psalty the Songbook, a mouse, a rat, kids etc. That's probably what took the most time.
Then, for about 2 months before the show, we had puppet practices, once a week. I typed the words to all the songs on the tape, and the talking parts inbetween. This becomes the script. I played the tape, and the kids move the puppet mouths to the songs. Each puppeteer is assigned a part. Any extra puppeteers are used as extra singing puppets. Some people are props people, and not puppeteers. It usally takes about 20 bodies to make the thing run smoothly.
Two weeks before the show, I begin to assemble the stage. For Psalty's Salvation Celebration, the story takes place on a train. So, I built a 40 foot long train on the platform of the church. I used 8 X 4 sheets of styrophome, which can be purchased at a building supplies store. It's pretty inexpensive. I think I used 1 1/2 in. or 1 3/4 in. thinkness. Anyways, it's a rather lengthy process to write down, but if you are interested in more details, I'll be happy to share my ideas with you. Just e-mail me.
A few days before the show, lighting is put in place. We used black lights for some songs, and spot lights for others. The best spotlights to use are overhead projectors. Cut out a circle on a paper, put it on the overhead, and instant spot light! We had 2 spot lights for our shows. We also used pot lights, but that's just because we happened to have them at the church from previous productions.
Then two dress rehursals take place, a few days before the show, and after the lighting is in place. Up until this point, the puppeteers have been practicing without the set!
Eventually show time begins, and it's all over before you know it.

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