1. Introduction to Acting with Puppets
by Jacek Zuzański
The workshop introduces to acting with chosen or all following styles of puppets: hand, rod, table top, toy, figure puppets and object puppets.
Participants learn about puppets' construction and the ways actor, puppeteer brings it to life. Exercises and activities illustrate principles of puppet manipulation and expression, and relationship between
a puppeteer and his puppet. Activities and tasks which are carried out by all participants solo or in pairs are intertwined with presentations by soloists, pairs or small groups for rest of the group. Workshop teaches improvisation, scenes and character's building, text interpretation, principles of cooperation and stage presence, all in gentle, friendly and enjoyable format employing games and supportive guidance.
This project could be organized as one 2-3 hours long meeting or series of 2-4 sessions. Number of participants: up to 12. The workshop would be of interest to the groups of participants of varied age and interests: children 7-12 years old, teens, young adults, or teachers. Format, teaching pace and type of activities always match group's ability and interest.
2. Acting with Puppets and
Puppet Construction for Teachers
by Jacek Zuzański
This workshop and demonstration acquaints teachers with techniques for- building and acting with hand, rod, tabletop, toy, figure and object puppets. Teachers ate introduced to varied construction options from those used in professional theatre to ones appropriate for work with children of various ages. They learn about a variety of materials,· procedures -and tools, from using recycled materials, cardboard, socks, fabric and duck tape through clay molding, plaster casting, making use of wire armature, plaster band and papier-mâché to foam carving and employing thermoplastic. Similarly, in a format of demonstration with some hand-on exercises and activities, participants learn techniques of manipulating and acting with a variety of puppets, as well as teaching procedures and approaches to introduce the techniques to children efficiently, to use them in classrooms or at after-school programs.
This project is 2 to 6 hours long and is organized in one or two sessions.
3. Adventures With Alice
Art and Theatre Production
for Children
by Jacek Zuzański
In this workshop children explore and enjoy creating art and theatre. An original adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice stories s ready for the exciting production of a play in which a group of children follows Alice in her fantastic journey.
A chosen chapters; motives and personalities from the tales serve as an inspiration for creating small and big fantastic characters, sets and for developing scenes. Part of the class is dedicated to acting games, developing expressive skills and a sense of working as a team. Children hone skills in creative tasks, explore the ways actors use imagination and give life to character, and learn how to enjoy supporting each other. We mix life theatre with pupeptry; masks and visual theatre, and we employ laws of daydreaming and fantasy play as inspirations for developing the theatrical style of our adventure. Participants create simple rod, figure/tabletop cardboard cutout puppets, marionettes and one giant puppet to animate as a group. We use foam, paper, cardboard, fabric, wool, rope, wire, tape, wood, and other simple and safe building materials. We tie, attach, paste, tape and staple, reinforce using more glue and tape and than paint. At the end we present our full of wonders production to families and friends. Children take their creations home, together with a huge sense of achievement and many new creative skills.
Age of participants: 8- 12 years old
Size of the group: up to 12.
4. Art and Theatre
Production for Children
by Jacek Zuzański
This workshop is based on folk fairy tales or masterpieces of children's literature. It combines the joy of developing acting skills with the satisfaction of mastering artistic talents by designing and building puppets, sets and visual elements of theatrical production.
Students play acting games, exercise physical and vocal expression and articulation. They explore ways that actors use imagination and give life to character, both by using their own bodies and by giving life to the puppet. They study principles of expressiveness, and learn how to enjoy supporting each other. Initially, children exercise and practice with puppets provided by the teacher. After they read the play and know their parts, they start designing and building their own either rod or tabletop puppets. As the adventure unfolds, participants progress with rehearsing, creating scenes and visual dimension of the production. The project concludes with a grand performance for family and friends.
Age of participants: 8 - 12 years old.
The project could be adapted for an older group.
Size of the group: up to 10
5. Dream Tale Puppets'
Acting Techniques
by Jacek Zuzański
This workshop introduces acting techniques most often used in Dream Tale Puppets' productions. Participant are instructed in acting with table top puppets, in performing in Story and Puppet Time style, in physical acting, and acting where the relationship between an actor and a puppet is a significant part of performing language and style. In Story and Puppet Time performing style, one performer operates a puppet while another one gives voice to the puppet character. There are presently 3 shows in this format in the Dream Tale Puppets' repertoire. "Jack and the Beanstalk" is the most recent and exemplary production. The theatre is planning its next productions in this style. Another feature of Dream Tale Puppet's projects is mixing life acting with visual theatre and puppetry. This style of acting is based on physical theatre techniques, elements of mime and techniques similar to these which govern the expression of dancers.
Participants: The workshop is primally addressed to actors and people with some experience in either acting or dance and are potentially interested in joining Dream Tale Puppets projects.
6. Joseph's Boat-a Theatre and
Puppetry Production
by Jacek Zuzański
Thi.s workshop invites children to participate in a production of the play "The Joseph's Boat" an original adaptation of a Cape Cod folktale from Elizabeth Reynard's book: "The Narrow Land: Folk Chronicles of Old Cape Cod." The protagonist is Joseph Metcalf, the second minister of Falmouth, Massachusetts. Much of the detail in this funny and touching tale can be traced to historic facts from the lives of some of Falmouth's first settlers.
For this project Mr. Zuzański designed and built eight rod-.type puppets, called "kukiełki" after a popular tradition of Polish folk theatre. Children build the characters from the play, create the scenes, and produce the show, learning along the way how to cooperate and enjoy teamwork, acquiring acting skills and developing creative talents. The project could be arranged as a residency with Dream Tale Puppets' director cooperating with local teacher-director who can keep the project moving between rehearsals.
Participants - The workshop is addressed to children ages 9 upward, including adults.
Size of the group - The script calls for 4 actors and 8 actor puppeteers, aged 8 to adult, and it can be adapted for different configurations.
Time - The production requires 10 3-hour rehearsals.
7. The Ravens - Big Cast Theatre
& Puppetry Production
by Jacek Zuzański
This project is inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairy tale: "The Seven Ravens." ln this tale, a young girl searches for her seven brothers, who have been changed into ravens through a curse cast by her father.
The story discribes her heroic journey, which is filled with dangers, challenges and meetings with fantastic creatures. Each encounter tries the girl's character and the power of her love and dedication to her brothers.
Production is carried on in 3 to 5 groups of participants. Each group works on chosen scenes. One or two groups either work on both the scenes and on creating puppets, sets and other visual elements or they may focus exclusively on the latter. Some scenes are created by life acting. In others, actors use puppets, among the big ones operated by two and more puppeteers, and masks. Scenes developed by groups are incorporated into a single piece during the workshop's final sessions. The final show is
addressed to the families and friends of workshop participants, and patrons of the hosting organization.
The format of this workshop consisting of several groups of varied ages and creative abilities working in parallel, could be used for productions based on other literary material.
Age of participants: children 7 years-old and up, including teens. The project is open to adult participation.
Size of the group: 30 - 40 participants.
Time-: 6 - 8 sessions1 each about 2 hours long for each group.
8. Short Introduction to Puppetry
by Jacek Zuzański
This workshop of forty-five minutes to one hour often follows a Dream Tale Puppets' show. It is best for groups of up to 50 participants, 6 years old and older. Children learn about three puppetry styles: hand, rod and tabletop puppets. The teacher explains puppet construction and ways the actor/puppeteer brings it to life. Hands-on exercises and activities by all participants further illustrate principles of puppet manipulation and expression. Voice exercises and simple improvised monologs and dialogs follow
In the second part of the workshop, children respond one by one in pairs and in small groups to varied tasks and instructions -and improvise short scenes on stage for their peers to see.
9. Toy Theatre-Puppets Building
for Children
by Jacek Zuzański
This workshop is designed to follow one of the the Dream Tale Puppets' shows. The instructor introduces the toy theatre style and shows the participants how to build a theatre stage toy. Children build toy theatre puppets out of provided materials. This is a very, creatively and manually engaging project and could be an attractive addition to the presentation at the library or in school.
Age of participants: 6 and up.
Size of the group: Up to 10 with no additional teacher helper, up to 25 in classroom situation with helping teacher present.
Time: One hour. Possible additional one hour for building a toy.