Where's the Puppet Stage?

“Mom, I don’t see a puppet stage!” That’s what the boy said when I started one of my shows at a rural library in Nevada a few years back. It seems the librarian had billed the multicultural storytelling program as a puppet show. When I booked the program, I mentioned that I might bring along a puppet to add a bit of interest for the audience, and it seems the librarian surmised that if I brought a puppet, I would be doing a puppet show. Oops.

My heart sank when I saw the boy’s disappointment. I knew I would probably not be able to completely satisfy his expectations.There I was with basket in hand ready to tell a few stories and this little boy felt short changed before the show started because he did not see a puppet stage. Things didn’t settle down for him until my puppet, Clyde, came out of the basket to charm the socks off him and everyone else.

It was a hard lesson for me to learn. From that day on, I have been very careful to let my customers know they are booking a storytelling program, and that I might include a puppet during the performance, but I will not be bringing a puppet stage for this show.
LESSON: It is extremely important to be very clear about what it is that you do as an artist.

Performing with a puppet without the benefit of a stage is known as the lap puppet technique. This is a delightful and easy option for a storyteller to add something a little extra to a program. When done well, the show moves along quickly and a high level of interest is maintained.

As a rule, the puppets I use in these shows are seldom seen at the start of a performance. They are usually hidden inside an interesting container – sort of like waiting in the “wings” (inside a basket, small suitcase, lunch box, colorful bag or decorated box), until it is time to come out and meet everyone. When the puppet has finished a brief appearance, he tells the audience he has to do something (like find a book, take a nap, practice a story), and he tells the audience “good bye for now.” As I put him back into the basket (or other holding place) I reassure everyone he will come back at the end of the show, and he always does!

To pull this off and to be convincing I think of each of puppet as a real personality: I believe in every puppet I work with, and my belief translates to an acceptance of each character by the audience.

If my puppet is a talker, I provide the puppet’s voice as well as my own. I am, in fact, talking to myself in two distinct voices. Since I am not a ventriloquist and I do not pretend to be one, my mouth moves as the puppet speaks. Believe it or not, this works and is not the distraction one might assume.

Sometimes the puppet I use does not talk directly to the audience. Instead, he communicates by whispering into my ear and I repeat out loud what he says to me. This whispering puppet is a trickster, reacting in a positive way if I get things right, and in a negative way if I don’t “get it.” This puppetry “bit” is a crowd-pleaser. Everyone has a grand time when the puppet’s foolishness works and I am caught off-guard by his tricks. His behavior usually creates a bond with the audience, and everyone wants to know how the puppet will fool me next. 

If you intend to work with a lap puppet, be sure to practice a lot and take time to create a unique character, attitude and “voice” for each of your puppet partners. Always remember to respond to everything your puppet does and says.

To create an earnestness and believability in what takes place between the two of you, look directly at the puppet when he speaks and make certain that he looks at you when you talk. Eye contact is also important when a puppet talks to the audience. So pay close attention to where your puppet looks when things are going on during a show.

A lap puppet is convenient and easy for a storyteller to use and is not necessary to take, set up and tear down a puppet stage to add a little puppet fun to a show. Using a lap puppet is a great way to add interest and energy to almost any storytelling event. Just remember to make certain your program is not billed as a puppet show, or you may find yourself working harder to win over an audience with an expectation you are not prepared to meet.

Storytelling and Puppets (Can They Really Work Together?)

 

I realize that many storytellers may feel that adding a puppet to a storytelling performance is just plain wrong. After all, can’t a well-told story or program of stories stand alone? Why depend on an attention-getting device like a puppet to keep the interest of an audience? Isn’t it bad enough that most people think storytelling is just for tiny tots and elementary kids - why add fuel to this notion by adding a puppet to the mix?  

An excellent storyteller certainly does not need anything except a great story (or stories) to enthrall an audience, but if every storyteller did this, I believe fewer performers would stand out from the crowd. Like a good actor, a storyteller is first a performer with a duty to entertain, inform and delight in a memorable way. I firmly believe that if you have a talent, interest or skill to distinguish your storytelling style from others, you should think about including it when it seems appropriate during performances.  

I do not wish to dismiss nor discourage you if you want to develop storytelling programs without including extra skills.  My point here is to encourage anyone who has thought about including a special talent in a storytelling show, but has lacked the courage to do so. You may be surprised and delighted by the positive response. I have learned that audiences are impressed by and more easily remember performers who mix things up by including another art form in their shows.

So, what works for me, might not work for you. Puppetry has been one of my lifelong interests, so I have developed a sense about how a puppet relates to different ages in an audience. I am also aware that a puppet has the potential to overshadow a performance or performer, so I have developed my storytelling programs to help me maintain control of any puppet I use in a show and still keep my audience with me and engaged in the stories I tell. 

 

How to Learn and Remember a Story

Every storyteller has a favorite approach to the process of learning and remembering a story to tell. Some storytellers use a combination of steps that work well for them. The one thing every storyteller I know seems to agree about is that learning and remembering a story does not mean memorizing it.

A good storyteller understands that a story is always a creation in progress. In an ideal world, a story is re-created by the audience and the storyteller every time it is told. This is why a story is usually different with each telling, and why memorizing does not properly serve the story, the audience or the storyteller. 

Following are five basic steps you need to consider when approaching a tale you want to tell. (In this article, I am focusing on how to learn and tell a folktale. While most of these steps apply to learning and telling other kinds of stories, there are a few minor differences when it comes to creating an original or a family story. This will be a topic for another time.)
 

(1)   RESEARCH THE STORY YOU WANT TO TELL 

Read and re-read a folktale you want to tell to make certain it is a good one for you - one you like, and one you believe your audience will enjoy.

Look for other examples of the story for different renditions. You may discover a variety of cultures where a similar story has been adapted to reflect a different time and place, yet the “bones” are really the same.  

(2)   RECALL THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN THE STORY 

As you think about the folktale, picture the different scenes in your minds-eye. Do the sequences seem logical and easy to follow? 

Think the story through as if you were telling it. Will you tell it in first, second or third person?

Decide where and when you want to place the story.  

Consider the characters in the tale, and take time to become acquainted with each one just as you do when first meeting someone new. 

Try out a few memory techniques that appeal most to your learning style. 

o   Write an outline of the story

o   Create a story map or draw the story sequence in comic book form

o   Think about the story and talk it through to yourself 

o   Make a rough audio of the tale as you recall it

o   Tell someone you trust about the story

o   Ask yourself and trusted listener(s) if there are questions that need to be addressed the next time the story is told

o   Make a rough draft of how you want to tell the story

(3)   RE-TELL THE STORY IN A WAY THAT PLEASES YOU 

Without using notes, a story map or outline of the story, tell the story to a peer group and obtain appreciations and suggestions about your telling so you can consider their remarks. Do this step as many times as needed.

(4)   REHEARSE WHAT YOU REMEMBER  

Review what you know about the story in private, with a small group of trusted friends, or make an audio or video of the story for your ears and eyes only.  Review and consider what is working and what is not working in the story as you rehearse. Be sure to stay open to changes as they become known to you.   

(5)   REPEAT AND SHARE THE STORY 

Do these steps as many times as necessary until the story is “yours,” and you know it is time to tell the story to an audience. 

Pay attention to how an audience reacts and participates as you tell the tale. These cues will help you refine the story until it becomes more “set” in your mind, and it can be considered a solid addition to your growing repertoire. 

 

I hope these steps are helpful to you. If you have questions or run into problems learning and remembering a story, please let me know ( glenda@storyworksgroup.com ). It will be my pleasure to help you overcome any roadblock you might encounter as you develop your story list and your unique storytelling style.    

How to Plan a Storytelling Program

If you are just starting out as a storyteller - volunteer or otherwise - and have agreed to a date for the storytelling, it's time to start thinking about what to include in the show. Talk to the presenter and make sure you are clear about the following aspects of the show. 

• performance time(s)
• average age of the audience(s) 
• expected number of people in the audience(s)
• what is expected of you
• where will the program will be held  

Presenters determine the amount of time a storyteller is expected to fill. I suggest you review your repertoire and note the approximate time it takes to tell each story. It is often the case that a storyteller favors stories of an average length because of preference and style. For example, I prefer shorter stories so most of my tales clock out at around five minutes or so. With this information in mind you can start to prepare for a program of stories to fill a thirty, forty or sixty-minute show.

 

Before going any further with program planning, be sure to find out about the average age of the anticipated audience. Tiny tots might wander away if a story does not allow for audience participation or takes longer than ten minutes to tell. In contrast, adults might want to hear a long story with more characters and several levels of thought and meaning. 
 

The number of people in an audience is also an important consideration. A story that is perfect for a small group is not always successful when told to audiences of one hundred or more. The size of your audience may also require the use of a sound system, and if none is available from the venue, it is a good idea to have one of your own ready to use if need be. 

It is also prudent to determine what stories the presenter expects to hear. Be sure to take the time to ask this question, as it is the most direct way to make certain you have stories in your repertoire to meet expectations.

When thinking about the stories to include in a program, find out as much as possible about the physical set-up of the venue. Will children be on the floor in front of you in the library, or will they be around lunch tables in the multi-purpose room? Will you be working on a flat floor, or will a riser be provided? If there is anything about the physical set-up that might create a problem for you, do not hesitate to ask for changes. For example, I prefer not to be separated from my audience by barriers such as lunch tables, and I always ask if they can be removed before I arrive and that the students be allowed to sit close to where I will be telling. 

Once you have obtained details about the points mentioned above, formatting your show is next. The theater rule of “start strong and leave ’em wanting more,” is a good one to remember. When a story program begins with a tale or activity that grabs the audience and makes them want to follow where you take them, the tone will be set for the entire show and your job as the storyteller will be easier. The last tale is just as important as the first, since this story represents the final part of the story journey. Think of these two selections as program bookends, and then place the other stories you want to tell within this framework.

                                                                   

Next, evaluate your list of selected stories and think about how to bring them together in a way that makes sense and provides variety. By this, I mean to look for continuity and find logical ways to segue between stories so there is a “flow” or feeling of connection for your listeners. This flow helps to maintain the attention of your audience and holds the program together.

 

I always prepare a contingency list of stories to use in case my plan does not seem a perfect fit after I arrive at the venue and look around. Storytelling is always a flexible experience, and the audience can turn out to be quite different than what you expected. Having a contingency plan is really helpful. I cannot tell you how many times my alternate list has come in handy. It only takes a few minutes to do this, and even if you don’t have to use the list you will be more relaxed for having prepared for possible surprises.

 

If you have a special talent you think might enhance the performance, by all means use it. A graphic artist might want to use markers, a large easel and an art pad to draw a character as a story unfolds. A dancer might want to demonstrate how the fox pranced with joy when he got a fish. A singer might want to add a song of sorrow for the hero. This is the personal touch we are able to bring to our shows, and it is a quality that contributes greatly to what is often called a “signature style.” Use your talent but use it with care; a little is great, but a lot might seem like too much. Each storyteller has to find the right combination, and this can only be achieved through experience.

Finally, be sure to keep a record of each show and the stories you shared. As your customer list grows, you may be invited back. Your program notes will help you recall the venue and plan for a new and exciting show.

 



Library Summer Reading Programs

Thoughts About Developing a Theme-Related Show

Years ago, as a mother with five young children, I became a volunteer storyteller

for a small community in New Jersey, and I loved it! I didn’t realize it at the time, but those years with the library helped me learn other skills that eventually made it possible for me to spend 16 years as a part-time magician, puppeteer and clown for children’s parties.

 By 1996 I reviewed my various talents and experiences and decided to launch a new business as a professional storyteller. Because I had so loved telling stories as a volunteer for a library, I explored the idea of joining the ranks of paid performers for summer reading programs. 

I discovered that many library systems conduct group auditions for potential performers to ensure quality and good value for their patrons. These auditions often take place a year or more before the season begins. The trick is to find out how to get on the list for auditions in your area, and the best way to learn about the local system is to talk with your neighborhood librarian. 

Many libraries across the country subscribe to the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), a professional, cost-saving approach for libraries wishing to present a comprehensive theme for print and program promotion. A visit to the CSLP website http://www.cslpreads.org/ provides information about the current theme for different audiences (pre-school, children, teens, and seniors). Performers who prepare shows to complement a specific theme and audience are in a good position to be hired by libraries subscribing to CSLP.  

It is not unusual for libraries to start plans for reading programs as early as a year before school is out for summer vacation. It is vital for library performers to be thinking about a summer show well in advance, particularly if you want to develop a program with a CSLP theme. Most library summer reading program schedules are firm no later than March each year. This is why I consider what I might do next summer even before the current reading program season is over.  

Some librarians elect to do what they have done for years by providing a mixed bag of reading programs. In many cases, a CSLP show will still work for these libraries, but if you have several other programs ready to go, you might be asked to present one of these shows instead. 

From my point of view, the best part of the CSLP collaborative is the opportunity to take a program to different communities. If you like to travel, an audience-tested  CSLP show can make it possible for you to go on tour in your own state or to other areas around the country. It’s a bit tricky, but by securing block bookings it is possible for a performer to keep expenses down, charge reasonable, competitive rates and still stay within library budgets.

Over the years, I have created and successfully presented theme-related shows about dragons, pirates, creativity, bugs, pets, water, and healthy choices. This year, the reading theme is “Dig into Reading,” so I have prepared a new program, “Squirrely Shirley Digs Up a Treasure Chest of Trouble,” a storytelling/puppet show for children and families. 

I am in currently the midst of getting ready to start my third summer storytelling tour. As I look back on how I began traveling from state to state during the summer months, I realize that my touring with a show happened more by accident than by intent. All it took was a call from a CSLP librarian in an area where I wanted to visit. I feel particularly grateful to have enjoyed this opportunity for so long. 

This summer I will be on tour from Tucson, Arizona to Washington State, and from there I hope to go to Kalispell, Montana. The final part of this tour has not yet been confirmed, but I am an optimist. I’m looking at the possibility of performing at summer camps and other venues to help make this part of the tour happen. I will keep you posted. 

Storytelling, Reading and Math - Oh My!

I was recently asked to provide a storytelling program for Family Reading and Math Night at a Title One Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona. The evening celebration proved to be a surprising and wonderful time for everyone involved. I hope other schools will seriously consider doing an interactive evening like this.  

Students and parents brought blankets to sit on and enjoy an informal, light picnic dinner in the school courtyard. My story program to complement the love of reading and the joy of problem solving through math was next. The schedule for the evening concluded with some creative, hands-on workshops.  

Prior to the event, I provided the teachers with a resource list and an outline of the stories I planned to tell. I also gave them some suggested workshop activities to consider.    

I encouraged the school librarian to set aside some books with stories similar to the tales I would be telling. By providing easy access to a variety of books, interested students could read these stories from different authors and see how folktales are creatively rewritten today. 

My story session started with an introduction to the Tangram, the ancient Chinese puzzle using seven geometric shapes to create recognizable figures and objects. I made a dog and a cat from these shapes as the audience watched. The students participated by identifying the seven shapes that make up a Tangram.

With the dog and cat shapes in place, I shared a traditional pourquoi tale, "Why Dogs and Cats Are No Longer Friends."

The next story was “Counting the Donkeys,” a humorous middle eastern Nasrudin tale about the need to remember to count every donkey, even your own.   

I then told the story of “The Mice and the Elephants.” This one of my favorite tales from India because it reminds listeners about other stories featuring unlikely animals helping one another. For students who have had an introduction to world literature, the Aesop tale of the “Mouse and the Lion” is frequently mentioned as being similar to the mice and elephant story. 

I usually bring a puppet with me to storytelling sessions. For this event, I brought Scratcher the Mouse. Scratcher’s personality is child-like, and children usually love it when he appears. He told a short story from Mexico that he calls, “Grandma Mouse.” It is a tale about a mouse who barks like a dog to scare away a cat. The story ends with Grandma telling the little mice, “Sometimes it is a good idea if you know a second language.” Scratcher’s tale about the barking mouse is a great way to reinforce the value of being bilingual. 

I ended the set with a prop story I call “Sara.” My “Sara” story is really the well-known tailor story first recorded as a Jewish folksong from Russia. My rendition of the tale is from the point of view of the tailor's daughter, and students seem to identify nicely with this approach.   

As the storytelling concluded, I reminded the audience to be sure to attend the family workshops before going home.  Following are the sessions the teachers developed that related to two of the stories I told.

 

(1) Making Tangram Puzzles and Shapes

 

(2) Making a Sequential Prop (to illustrate an original story) 

 

The positive feed-back I received after this school Family Reading and Math Night has been energizing for me. While I firmly believe stories and storytelling are essential to the learning process throughout life, it is not often I am able to experience first-hand such enthusiastic, intergenerational participation during and immediately following a show.  

If you are involved with organizing a family celebration at a school, I encourage you to try a Family Reading and Math Night. You will be well rewarded.

 

 

Chautauqua Storytelling: "The Back Story" - Part II

It was exciting for me to be named in a grant application to teach the performance art of Chautauqua as resident artist at Ash Creek Elementary in rural Arizona. I felt fairly confident about meeting the lofty goals of this particular grant, since I’ve worked in many schools and successfully taught storytelling and puppetry to students all around the country. 

But this project was different than others I had delivered in the past – it would be my first time teaching students how to tell a story Chautauqua style. I reviewed how I had come to this point as a storyteller:  

(1)  I began my studies about this art form by taking a class from a well-known and respected Chautauqua performer in Colorado, Susan Marie Frontczak (www.storysmith.org).  

(2)  For years I made a point to watch other Chautauqua artists. 

(3)  I spent time researching the rich history of this performance art. 

(4)  I developed and successfully performed a Chautauqua as Dusty Vail, a woman recalling her experiences growing up on an Arizona cattle ranch in the early 1900s.  

As I started to outline my lesson plans for the residency, I made a point to keep the project overview in mind:  

“The Ash Creek Living History Project is collaboration between Ash Creek School, the local rural community, and storytelling resident artist Glenda Bonin. Students will investigate local history and bring it to life through storytelling. They will survey historical resources to gather stories, learn and practice theater skills directly related to the Arts Standards, and develop a culminating theatrical production open to the local Sunizona community, as well as surrounding rural communities in the Sulphur Springs Valley.” 

One of the best things about this residency was that the principal and teachers were actively interested in the success of the project. The only other time I had encountered so much support for the arts was at a large and well-funded private school in Las Vegas. It was refreshing to be at a rural school where the value of the arts in education was integrated into every area of learning.  

Before I arrived, the students had started learning about the history of Sulphur Springs, and some had made appointments to interview elders in the community and gather memories of early days in the valley. 

Once I saw what had already been accomplished, I started to work with the core group of students in grades 3-8 to create a script for a program that would be the showcase for their Chautauqua performances. 

When I met with each class, my lesson plans included: 

• physical warm up exercise
• a theater game to help the kids work on becoming a character
• appreciations and suggestions
• skill exercises to polish Chautauqua performances
• a review of accomplishments to date
• homework to prepare for the next meeting 

The students wrote the outline of the show which I typed it out (with intentional errors) for the class to correct and approve. At the same time, students began work on individual Chautauqua pieces to include in the final performance. 

It should come as no surprise that the story line they came up with included a Paleontologist, a time machine, dinosaurs, ancient people, Conquistadors, Apache warriors, homesteaders, miners and the early ranchers with current ties to the area. 

The younger students K-2 had several supporting parts: some had walk-ons as small dinosaurs or Spanish Conquistador guards, and others gave voice to desert animals (puppets) to introduce the show and bring the play to a satisfying conclusion.  

Since this is such a small student body some kids had several different parts in the show, and they seemed to relish the challenge. The community performance was very well attended and the play was proclaimed a success. An after-show dinner and celebration proved to be a good way for the community to show support and give the kids a chance to bask the achievement of a job well done with family, friends and neighbors.   

If given the opportunity to teach the art of the Chautauqua in a school setting again, I would take more time to help students develop stronger performance voices. In this residency, many wonderful things were accomplished, but to my dismay individual vocal projection fell short for some of the young performers.

Chautauqua Storytelling: The "Back Story" - Part I

In 2001 I interviewed Dusty Vail, a remarkable woman who grew up in the early 1900s on the Empire Ranch in Sonoita, Arizona, once one of the largest cattle operations in the Southwest.  Although she was 86 when I interviewed her, her memory was razor sharp, and the stories she shared with me were full of adventures we can only imagine today.  

 

Dusty lived on the Empire Ranch from 1914 to 1927 when the property was sold. She told me she never forgot the lessons she learned during those formidable years when she was able to grow up as a tomboy at a time when little girls were supposed to be quiet and demure.

In 1988 Dusty’s childhood home and what remained of the ranch property was acquired by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Empire Ranch was designated an Arizona landmark in 2000. Since then, the BLM manages the property in partnership with the Empire Ranch Foundation The BLM and the Foundation have been working to restore the ranch buildings for future generations to learn about what life was like more than 100 years ago on a working cattle ranch. Each year an annual public “Roundup” is held on the property to showcase restoration progress. It was an honor for me when Dusty gave me permission to present her stories during these annual celebrations. 

Before Dusty’s death in 2003, I made a CD of her stories to share with her family and the public. Although I did not plan to do so, a few years ago I was asked to perform Dusty’s stories as a Chautauqua. I had been considering this story performance style for a while, so it was gratifying for me to have an opportunity to explore this art form. This type of storytelling involves becoming the person whose stories are being told. At the end of the show, the performer answers questions in “character,” and then time is given for the audience to ask questions of the storyteller. The Chautauqua is a wonderful experience for everyone involved. It is a memorable way to bring history to life.

Last year after I presented Dusty Vail in Chautauqua to celebrate Arizona’s Centennial, a teacher from Ash Creek Elementary, a rural area in the southeastern part of the state, applied for storytelling/history grant naming me as the selected artist-in-residence for the project. I was excited about the idea of teaching students how to bring history to life through Chautauqua performance. The grant application was accepted for funding through the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and I started to think about lesson plans.  

It may seem like a stretch to be able to include every student in a K-8 school in a Chautauqua performance for the public, but my previous residency work has taught me to expect nothing short of success when working with students. When the grant was written, there were just 21 students in the school, so I knew I would have plenty of time to work with each child and fulfill the goals of the grant. The grant application listed the following student goals to be met. 

(1)  Use acting to effectively represent a character and tell a story in the character’s voice. 

(2)  Develop a script for a narrative performance (grades 3-8). 

(3)  Design support for a performance using theater technology concepts and readily available materials. 

(4)  Collaborate to develop a culminating theater performance.

It should be noted that Ash Creek Elementary is an arts integration school. Each year, the school brings in artists from different disciplines to give students opportunities to experience art first-hand. The school’s arts based philosophy provided me with students familiar with a variety of performance styles, so teaching the kids about the art of Chautauqua was an extension of what they already knew. The students at Ash Creek were eager to embrace what I had to teach, and to my delight the teachers provided their wholehearted support by helping make the program a meaningful one.