Characters in your show can come and go, but settling on a main character is important. First the puppet must fit your style. If it’s a struggle to perform with the character or if you find it difficult to find what you consider to be the “proper voice”, you may well want to retire this puppet. When you pick up a puppet that’s a mainstay, it should feel like you are in touch with an old friend, someone whom you’ve talked to for some time.
You may have to audition or try out a few characters until it feels right to you. I know this hard to explain, but you WILL know when it feels right. No amount of forcing or fibbing to yourself will make an unsuitable puppet work. It has to be an instant connection.
Also keep in mind your venue, what type audiences you will be performing for most of the time. Kidshow puppets are very different then those you may use for the adults. You don’t want to scare the youngsters in your audience or bore them with a vague character. Work in front of a mirror..try adlibbing with the character. Talk about anything and everything and see if the puppet works for you. There is no shame in experimenting, as long as you keep trying to improve and find the right puppet fit for your efforts. Good luck and happy hunting!
To reach Mark Wade- kidshowvent@gmail.com
