Hi, Stephen--how wonderful of you to ask this question at this point in your process! That already assures that Audrey II will be integrated well your production and be "respected" in the same way as the other characters. THANK YOU on behalf of "puppet people" everywhere!
My thoughts:
1) It's most important to have the puppeteer(s) and VOP (voice of plant) together from the very first rehearsal, even if the puppets aren't yet present. This allows them to establish a relationship and synchronicity that's crucial to the success of the show--and allows the puppeteer(s) to be accepted as equal, important cast members, too. I know that may seem obvious (if so , YAY!) but you might be surprised at how many productions simply add the puppeteers when the plants arrive.
2) the puppeteers(s) should be incorporated into the blocking rehearsals--again, even if the plants aren't in rehearsal yet. I'd not add the final puppets into the blocking rehearsals too early, actually--though stand-ins would be a good idea (e.g. one of those "grabber" trigger toys for GROW FOR ME plant if you'll have a rod and trigger puppet for that one, puppet eyeballs or "Peepers" for the Seymour arm plant if you'll be using the traditional style for that one)--and at least a chair or large circle to stand in for the bigger two.
3) make sure to not integrate the puppets into the rehearsals/runs without first having puppetry training and private rehearsals for the puppets/puppeteers (with just your puppet coach, you, and the puppeteers--not even VOP in those couple rehearsals). If you introduce them before the puppeteers are confident, then the rest of the cast won't be able to react to them as characters, but simply as objects--and relationship is important to establish form day one.
4) make sure to empower your puppeteer or one of your puppeteers as Puppet Captain AS SOON AS the plants arrive and come into use. An announcement to the cast/crew, introducing the puppet captain as the only person who can handle, move, "play with" the puppets is key! It takes great care of your puppets and of your puppeteers.
So, in a nutshell, here's what's been successful in the many productions of this amazing show on which I have had the pleasure to work:
-puppeteer(s) in read and sing-thrus w/ VOP from the beginning
-blocking w/ stand in puppets and all puppeteers
-Puppet Captain assigning and announcing when show puppets arrive
-several private puppetry sessions for skill-building during blocking
-integrate puppets into scenework one at a time so they can all be looked at as 4 stages of the character (work scenes with GROW FOR ME puppets, then work scenes with Seymour arm puppets, then work scenes with pot puppet, then scenes with final puppet, e.g.)
My thoughts--hope they are helpful!
Best,
Aretta
puppeteer / director / puppet coach
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Aretta Baumgartner
Education Director
Center for Puppetry Arts
Atlanta GA
www.puppet.org------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 11-01-2017 13:55
From: Stephen Ingle
Subject: Advice on working with Audrey II plants
I am preparing to do Little Shop of Horrors in April 2018 and was wondering how early I should start working with the various forms of the plants? We come back from our holiday break in early January so when should I get the plants to my theatre to start rehearsing with them?
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Stephen Ingle
Drama Teacher
Jefferson High School
Jefferson, GA
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