By Marjorie Woods
Contributing Writer
FEW people might con-
sider puppetry as a
career option yet there
is a minefield of oppor-
tunities to be explored.
These include writers; pup-
pet, prop, set and special
effects designers; lighting and
sound technicians; and, of
course, puppet manipulators
many of whom have now
moved into the area of high
tech; which means that a pup-

~ “pet can be manipulated by a

device operated from .as far

away as 30 fect (9.14 m). .
One such device is called a

Waldo.

’ -The late Jim Henson was

 - one of the first puppetcers to
". use it for filmed entertainment,

where it is now widely used.
Previously, Waldos primari-
ly referred to mechanical arms
and anthropomorphic gad-
gery. aboard the NASA space
leet. The name, Waldo, origi-

. mated in a 1940 novella by

RA. Heinlein in which Waldo,
a disabled scientist, built a

&

robot to amplify his limited
abilities.

In the Puppeteers of
America Puppetry journal
(Winter 1992) puppeteer Rick
Lazzarini, a pioneer in the field
of the Waldo technique, is
quoted as saying the Waldo
will do to puppetry what the
word processor did to the
typewriter.

This method of puppet
manipulation has been used in
productions such as
Ghostbusters Uz; Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles and
TV's Dinosaurs.

Like other technologies
today puppetry is constantly
evolving and who knows
where it will go from here.
Whatever direction it does
take, one thing remains con-
stant: the basic art of manipu-
lation. The puppeteer is still
the one who creates the illu-
sion of life and characterization
in an inanimate object — a
craft, like any other, to be
learned and worked at.

It is with this in mind that
the Talking Hands Puppetry
Theatre is offering a course in

constructing, and learning to

manipulate a marionette at a
reasonable cost, made possible
with grants from the North
Shore municipalities, through
the North Shore Arts
Commission, and the Hamber
Foundation of Vancouver.
Dirk Oecrtel of Dirk's
Marionettes will be teaching
the construction part of the
course. :
After four classes the stu-
dents will have their own mar-
ionettes ready to perform.
North Vancouver’s Luman
Coad of Coad Canada Puppets
will be teaching the following

Wednesday, March 5, 1997 — North Shore News — 27

g Lessons in the art of puppetry

four — classes:
Manipulation Skills;
Movement and Mime;
Movement and
Characterization and Adding
Sound.

These master puppetcers
have toured many countries
with their companies. Locally,
Oertel is well known to
Presentation House audiences
for his magical performances
of classic fairy tales. Coad is
recognized for his flawless per-
formances for which he has
won national and international
acclaim for manipulation skills

Developing

and artistic excellence.

The course will run for
eight Saturdays from April 12
to May 31 at Anne
MacDonald Hall, © North
Vancouver. The sessions run 2
to 5 p.m. and are open to stu-
dents aged 13 and up. The
class size will be limited to 15,
with a few spaces reserved for
adults.

The Talking Hands
Puppetry Theatre will have
puppets oan display at the
North Vancouver District

municipal hall during the

month of April.
For more information call
987-3725 or 255-9946.
Marjorie Woods is president
of Talking Hands Puppetry
Theatre.

That’s because since 1954 Swiss Chalet has been perfecting the art
of flame-roasting chicken in its own juices. Using a recipe from
Switzerland, we start with fresh chickens - never frozen - and cook
them slowly over an open flame until they're tender and juicy,
then serve them with our own unique dipping sauce.

rd

- TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS.

Scott Paper extends a
Heartfelt Thank You
_ «to all the Volunteers at
“The 1997 Scott
“Tournament of Hearts.
Of course, the same careful preparation and quality ingredients go
into everything we serve - from our tangy barbecued ribs to our’ -
garden fresh salads. Combine that with our famous chicken _
and you'll see why Swiss Chalet’s the rotisserie
others can’t hold a flame to.

— "The Beat Goes On... |
‘Regina, Feb. 21 - Mar. 1, 1998

9 SCOTT PAPER LIMITED

SuzuKi

Cn ee
Ali you have to do is drive one.

801 Marine Drive
Capilano Village, Nosth Vancouver

© VICTORIA © BURNABY (2) © NORTH VANCOUVER
e SURREY © CLEARBROOK e¢ KELOWNA

fe Upetanuans Limite