The Secret Life of Puppets

Workshop Presenter:

Chris Griffith

Description:

Learn the tips, tricks and techniques that you can apply to any type of puppet. You'll use everything from your hands to our specially-designed workshop rod puppets in individual and group puppet improvisation and movement exercises. We'll focus on the keys of bringing characters to life: breath, gesture, action and reaction. These principles can be applied to any type of puppet. Through observation and hands-on giving-it-a-go, each participant will experiment with the formula: imagination + technique= magic.

Materials fee: None
Time/Date: Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Max. # Participants: 30

Bio of Workshop Presenter:

One half of the puppet duo Circus Minimus Puppetry, Chris Griffith has designed, built and performed puppets of all shapes and sizes, from giant parade puppets to classic hand puppets to shadow puppets, rod puppets, and whatcha-ma-call-it contraptions. His work in puppetry has received recent awards from the Puppeteers of America (2007), the Jim Henson Foundation (2008), and the Minnesota State Arts Board (2007). As a teaching artist, he has a hands-on approach that has earned awards from the National Endowment for the Arts (2004), COMPAS/United Arts (2000 - 2004) and the Minnesota State Arts Board (2000 - 2003). With In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Chris also compiled and edited the original "Puppet Cookbook," a manual for teachers and artists to use in building puppets.