Give Your Puppets Personality
Some puppet shows make you laugh. The puppets are so funny. They even seem to be alive, and you just can’t stop watching. When it’s over, you still want more! Other puppet shows are boring. The puppets flop around, or stand there, talking, and you know they’re just being moved by the people behind the curtain. So, good puppet show, bad puppet show—what makes the difference?
Lots of things go into making a good puppet show. Let’s look at the puppets themselves. Do they have that special something that makes them fun and funny? Do they have personality? Here are five things to think about as you take your puppet from ho-hum to ha ha ha!
- How does your puppet look? Check out your puppet’s eyes, nose, mouth, if they have those things. Does the puppet have a unique look? A look your audience will remember? And once you’re happy with the look, definitely come up with a special name.
- How does your puppet walk? People walk in different ways. Some people walk slowly, some quickly, some run, some (like babies) can only crawl. Put personality into how your puppet walks, and moves, and does things. Movement can be funny!
- How does your puppet talk? Not all puppets need to talk. Some puppets just move in ways that help you understand that they are happy, or sad, or sleepy, or mad. But when puppets do talk, give them a voice that fits their personality.
- Does your puppet have a gimmick? A gimmick is a trick or a funny thing your puppet likes to do. In my skit, “Don’t Touch the Vacuum Cleaner,” a furry monster is vacuumed up by a funny, flexible hose. It’s a gimmick that really makes people laugh!
- What is your puppet’s laugh? And speaking of laughter, what does it sound like when your puppet laughs? Or sneezes? Or blows his nose? These are the little things that make puppets so enjoyable, and these things help to make puppet shows unforgettable.
Be sure to go to YouTube.com/RodThePuppetGuy and check out the video “Give Your Puppets Personality.” You’ll see how a store-bought toy puppet improves his personality and even gets his name, Qwackers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T6ZZ7Ld88M&list=PLpTYQg9y1bKXAz7iUjVICXcOxR3nP-x_3&index=8