Making Up A Play, Rainy Day Stages
Making Up a Play
By now you must have enough puppets to put together a little
play of your own. You only need two or three. What if we find Gordo the Wicked Wizard in
his laboratory making a mechanical man? - Robert Robot, of course! Cackling horribly,
Gordo presses the button of his infernal machine and brings Robert to life. "Go get me a
fair maiden, I command you!" cries the wizard and scampers into his study. Robert looks
hopefully about. No fair maidens in sight. But who should wander in just at that moment
but Raggedy Ruthy, a maiden anyhow, and fair enough. Robert jumps at her. She screams.
They run in circles. A heroic barking is heard. Perky Pup to the rescue! You take it from
there. No need to write it down. Just go through it in your mind or talk it over with your
partner. Make the story as simple as possible with lots of action, and whatever you do,
have fun. That's what puppets are made for.
Rainy Day Stages
A tray stage can be made out of the bottom part of a dress box
as shown, A. The table stage, B, is made from a pasteboard box, and fixed to the table so
that part of the open bottom juts out to admit the puppets. The larger box stage, C, can
be made out of a big pasteboard box or out of cardboard tacked to a wooden frame. The
operator kneels inside the open back of the box. Backgrounds can be painted on cards that
fit into the back of the stage and can be quickly changed. Scenery and props, such as
trees and furniture, can be attached to the sides of the stage or even placed on the table
in front of the stage. Don't worry about a curtain. Everybody knows that when the puppets
pop up, the play has begun, and when they pop down, it is over. However, a bow and a thank
you at the end do help your audience to know when to applaud.