Puppets on Parade 2005 Wrap-Up
by Wendy Jackson Hall
What a perfect day! From the smiles on the faces of the audience, and the smiles of the puppeteers, I know everyone thoroughly enjoyed the Puppets on Parade: Awesome Aquatics. We even won a trophy for "Most Unusual Entry" in the parade!
Overall participation in was more than doubled from last year. We had about 30 people marching in our group, carrying puppets and wearing costumes made by the collaborative efforts of 175 people in our 2-week workshop. In all, we made 47 puppets, not including the 50+ mini-turtles and mini-jellyfish that went home with kids during the workshop!
The final cast of sea creatures in the parade included 18 fish puppets, 8 jellyfish, 4 frogs, 2 seahorses, 3 sea anenomes, 2 shorebirds, 2 sharks, 1 starfish, 1 alligator, 1 stingray, 1 Orca whale car, 1 stiltwalking heron, 1 giant interactive piece of coral, 1 pink hermit crab and 1 yellow submarine (our very first inflatable puppet). What a sight to see! After the parade, as I waited with the pile of puppets to get a ride back to the store, many people who watched the parade complemented our group.
People are already suggesting ideas for next year's theme; bugs, birds, robots. Please join the Puppets on Parade committee in early 2006 to help plan our next adventure. To get on the mailing list please send an email to
wendy@animatedadventures.com with the subject "Puppets on Parade."
Your comments as both participants and viewers are very helpful in obtaining support for the project and shaping future Puppets on Parade events. I'd love to receive comments via email from anyone who participated or watched the puppets. Please send them to me via email--the sooner the better, so that I can include them in my final report to our sponsors.
And don't miss the frogs making an appearance at the high school this weekend during the Bainbridge in Bloom garden tour.
BIAHC, the organization that puts on the tour is also responsible for funding Puppets on Parade, so show your support and go to the garden tour!
Thanks again to all of our sponsors, Animated Adventures, BIAHC, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts and Oil and Water Art Supply, and thanks as well to our generous supporters, Ace Hardware, Costco, Counterbalance Pottery, Esther's Fabrics, Gallery Fraga, Paper Products, Sound Reprographics and Winslow Paint. Please let these businesses know how much you appreciate their community involvement!
Well we did it! After a fun and busy last day of the workshop, the mess is (almost) all cleaned-up, and all of the puppets are ready, and will be on display tonight at Oil & Water. There are still a few roles left so come on down, 5-7 p.m. tonight to reserve your costume. Or just show up at 11:30 Monday morning and join us in walking up to the parade start point.
Way to go everyone! We had double the participation this year, and we have many more puppets than we did last year. I expect that audiences will really enjoy our colorful creations.
-Wendy
Saturday and the weather is iffy but the Puppet Projects is still a major happening!
The glue gun is fired, the sewing machine is whirring and the shouts and laughter of everyone fills the air! it's just FUN.
Yesterday was so endearing and so cute..this tiny little kid with a paper plate "jellyfish" on his head, whirling 'round saying, "sting! sting!!" In the most fun and gentle and teasing way...
Today was WILD! I hope Wendy posts the shot of her in her amazing Yellow Sub costume...Virginia aka Dominique helped make it happen...WOW!
Lizzie and Susan S. were so much fun...somehow we'll make this pink hermit crab shell come to life!!!
-Kathe Fraga
Hello citiziens of Bainbridge Island! Lizzie Sivitz here, reporting from Puppets on Parade in the back of Oil and Water. This has been a very difficult process. I have been working with artistic genius Kathe Fraga, and we have been trying to figure out how to transport an enormous shell down the road in the parade. Originally we planned on a driver and a trailer, but we couldn't find a truck with a tote thing on the back, then we needed a driver. So the logical thing, abandon all previous concepts and push me around in a shopping cart. We are trying to assemble the thing that carries me, and do it with out any of us getting seriously injured! Come by and join the fun. To see our finished product come to the parade! Uh oh, I just heard a large crash and laughter, better get back!
Wish us luck,
-Lizzie Sivitz
