• Wearable Puppet Stage
Can you help me? I have this idea…
Kathy Vincent, aka the Scripture Lady, who is one of my Graduate Coaching students was working on a new Preschool Program asked me if I could help her make a Wearable Puppet Stage. She found this example on the Internet and wanted to add it her show. So I downloaded the idea and noticed that it illustrated making it from a cardboard box. http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/kidscraftsactivitiesblog/2012/07/how-to-make-a-wearable-puppet-stage
So I promptly said, “Yes, I can do that for you!”
So I began calculating what it would take and how the design could work for a quick construction project. However, we talked again, and she wondered if I could make it out of balsa wood, instead of a cardboard box? “Well, sure!” I said. That caused me to rethink the idea. I just had bought a 4’ x 8’ sheet of Luan Plywood (sometimes called door skin or utility board). Luan is a thin plywood (1/8 inch thick). It is strong and lightweight. Perfect, I thought.
However, my wood working tools were not quite fine enough to cut this wood, so I went to my woodworking neighbor. He was happy to help me with my project. He was able to cut and glue the thin plywood sides.
So a couple of afternoons, we worked together and cut, assembled and primed and painted a wearable puppet stage.
This Wearable Puppet Stage is supported by this white nylon rope, which is threaded through the box and tied around the puppeteer’s neck. Notice the rope is threaded through box and the background scenery board too.
Both hands are free to work through the holes in the top and underside of the box. The back of the box is open. We finished it in a couple of afternoons. When I delivered it to my student, the paint still curing. Then she and her husband went to work on the scenery and signage which was made out of banner material.
The Preschooler’s loved the debut of Marvelous Marvin, the Inch Worm Puppet, who was properly displayed in his new home!
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