Theatre Festivals and Conferences I have Loved

Big learning in puppet manipulation today!  We did little scenes with the neutral puppets reacting to an object.  We were put in pairs so that we could have an outside eye make suggestions.  My partner was so helpful and creative in helping me make it clear that there was an unseen character that my puppet was talking to!  Then our teacher checked in and got me to divide up each moment in my scene so that each movement was distinct and specific.  For example:
See the rope.    Kneel.    Pick up the rope.   Shoulder the rope.    Struggle to your feet.   Huff.    Lean back in preparation.    Pull forward with effort.   Huff.
Just as I struggled with getting my students to make their beats distinct this year, I was bleeding one moment into the next, so the puppet's inner monologue was lost.
Breathe.  See.  React. Make each moment distinct.
A puppeteer is not an island.  Everyone needs an outside eye. Videography might help, but a living adviser is such a delight.

We made various kinds of joints today in our building class.  I chose to do simple joints that I knew my students would be able to try too.  Lots of great ideas.