Chase Woolner
  • Home
  • About
    • Gallery
  • Shop
    • Online Classes
    • Private Online Classes
    • Puppet Shop
  • Contact
  • Busy Hands Studio

Teaching with Bright Futures through EMU

6/5/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
During the last four months, I have had the pleasure of teaching with Eastern Michigan University Bright Futures 21st Century Community Learning Centers. 

I have been teaching puppetry classes at a handful of the program's sites, ranging from 2nd grade to 8th grade students.

My class was titled "Puppetry 101." 

The class was essentially a survey of many different puppetry styles, learning about and designing/performing a new technique every-other week. While we created many, many puppets throughout the four months and were very creative - we focused mainly on developing teamwork and collaborating together in order to bring a puppet character to life and develop performances.    


The Puppetry techniques we covered were;
• Table-Top/Bunraku
• Paper Bag Puppets
• Hand Puppets
• Rod Puppets
• Marionettes

From the Bright Futures Website;
"EMU’s 21CCLC Bright Futures are high quality after school programs.

The focus of Bright Futures is to improve academic achievement, develop self-efficacy, and prepare elementary, middle, and high school students to transition to the next level of schooling.


The main goals of the Program are:
• Increase academic achievement
• Increase student academic learning
• Increase student learning in non-academic areas
• Increase student knowledge of career options and how to achieve them
• Increase the experience of students transitioning to the next level (elementary to middle, middle to high school, high school to post-secondary)
• Increase the literacy of parents in the skills that will help their children in English, Language Arts, and Math.
• Increase student self-efficacy through leadership experiences and service-learning"

0 Comments

Video Puppet Class

3/15/2014

0 Comments

 
The weekend before Muppets Most Wanted was released in theaters, I held a drop-in video puppetry class at the Plymouth Community Arts Council. Participants would build their own 'Muppet Style' puppet and then learn basic monitor-performance technique. It was loads of fun - all ages were welcome and many new characters were created and skill learned.

For expediency I pre-cut and pre-sewed pattern pieces in four colors of fur (blue, pink, grey & purple) as well as pre-cut the mouth plate elements. Participants would then assemble the basic puppet, stuff arms and then decorate their puppet with eyes, hair and feathers. 


Performance wise, we started learning lip-synch and eye focus with practice eyes (ping-pong balls glued to an elastic band) learning right & left on the monitor (everything is backwards) and then once we had our characters we lip-synched and danced to 30 second snippets of songs.
0 Comments

Puppetry in the Paper

9/10/2013

0 Comments

 
From the Plymouth Observer &  Eccentric   09/04/2013
Written by Matt Jachman 
Observer Website: http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20130905/NEWS15/309050096/Arts-movement-Campers-show-off-summer-projects-Plymouth

Read More
0 Comments

Fall 2013 Puppetry Workshops @ Plymouth Arts Council, MI

8/31/2013

0 Comments

 
More Info - www.PlymouthArts.com
Sign-up via phone or in person 
Office Hours:  Monday - Thursday 9 AM - 4 PM  •  (734) 416-4278

Puppetry 101
Ages 10 and up
4 Saturday's  9/21 - 10/12     10 AM - 12
How can an inanimate object come to life before your very eyes? This class offers students experimentation in the many styles of puppetry with an emphasis on how each technique translates into effective characters and story lines. Puppetry is a great medium for the live theatre artist because it combines all aspects of the craft - design, construction, performance and technical arts. It has been a part of theatre since theatre began. No previous puppetry experience necessary 

Stop-Motion Animation
Ages 10 and up
4 Saturday's  10/19 - 11/9    10 AM - 12
In this class we will animate drawings, paper cut outs, clay, wire frame characters and anything else we can get our hands onto. Bringing the inanimate object to life via frame by frame animation.  Stop-motion is the animation technique used in such films as; “Wallace & Gromit,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and “ParaNorman.” A Great way to amaze your family and create fantastic films! No previous puppetry or animation experience necessary.

Shadow Puppetry
Ages 10 and up
4 Saturday's  11/16 - 12/14      10 AM - 12
Utilizing the familiar overhead projectors from classrooms and other light sources, this class will create worlds and images of spectacle in a puppetry technique that has not changed for over 2,000 years, but has still amazed and excited audiences. This class in an exploration and experimentation in storytelling through shadow manipulation. No previous puppetry experience necessary.

Tabletop Puppetry
Ages 10 and up
4 Saturday's 1/11 - 2/1          10 AM - 12
This class covers performance techniques when manipulating large, multi-puppeteer puppets. Known as "Bunraku," students will learn how to manipulate every aspect of their characters as well as gaining leadership and team working  skills. Each puppet usually has three or more performers manipulating a section of the character. No previous puppetry experience necessary.



0 Comments

Summer 2013 Classes @ Plymouth Arts Council, MI

6/16/2013

0 Comments

 
This summer I'm teaching two Puppetry classes at the Plymouth Arts Council in Plymouth, Michigan.
Intended for ages 10 and up - students can register over the phone or in person at the arts council.

Puppetry 101
June 24 - 28  //  9 am - 12 pm
How can an inanimate object come to life before your very eyes? This class offers students experimentation in the many styles of puppetry with an emphasis on how technique translates to effective characters and storylines. Puppetry is a great medium for the live theatre artist because it combines all aspects of the craft, - design, construction, performance and technical arts – it has been a part of theatre since theatre began. Class is limited to 10 students. No previous puppetry experience necessary.


Tabletop Puppetry
August 12 - 18  //  9 am - 12 pm
This workshop will cover performance techniques when manipulating tabletop puppets – which are articulated 20” figures performed by up to three performers on a single puppet. This technique is also known as “Bunraku” and “Czech Black” style. Students will learn how to manipulate every aspect of their characters in this exciting puppetry technique. Class is limited to 10 students. No previous puppetry experience necessary.


If you're interested in hosting a class or workshop like these, feel free to contact me.
0 Comments

Thank-You Cards From Students

4/7/2013

0 Comments

 
A few weeks ago I received a lovely package from a group of students to whom I gave a puppetry presentation to. Loads of hand made cards with messages of Thanks and interest as well as drawings of characters I brought with me and their own puppet designs. The presentation that I gave was about the many different styles of puppetry starting with simple shadow puppets, progressing to hand puppets, then animatronics and finally digital puppetry. Video examples of work as well as hands on demonstrations with student volunteers. So much fun. Below are just a few of the many, many cards that I received and that I am immensely Thankful for in return.
0 Comments

National Puppetry Conference At The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, June 2012

6/18/2012

0 Comments

 
The National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is a very important place where new works of puppetry is created. The conference is for everyone, from seasoned professionals to beginners, both looking to explore and learn. 

This year (2012) I was on staff, assisting Martin P. Robinson teach a class in "Puppet Exploration."

** Description of the class from the Martin P. Robinson/the O'Neill website;

The Puppeteers Touch... The Objects Profundity
We Puppeteers know the magic that happens when a performer picks up or puts on a puppet of some kind and starts moving it in space before an audience.   Too often, I feel, we rely on this novelty aspect of puppetry to carry the day.   We don't buckle down to do our homework, to know our instrument in an intimate way so as to let the character and story shine through.  Would any musician with only a passing knowledge of their instrument (or even a fairly good knowledge) attempt a concert for a paid audience?   ...Puppeteers do this ALL the time.
 
I propose a week of experimentation in many styles of puppetry with an emphasis on exactly how well-thought-out technique translates to effective characters and storylines... a respect for the objects and a respect for the audience.  I would like participants with some performing experience...applications will be reviewed with this in mind.  Mostly, of course...all admonishing and profundity aside; I just want to have a blast with some cool people for a week...
  - Martin P. Robinson


** Below is a video with Artistic Director Pam Arciero
In the video at the 0:11 mark, is footage of my project "s'Muther," which I workshopped as a participant project at the O'Neill in 2010.
0 Comments

    News / Updates

    .

    Archives

    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    October 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Calarts
    Classes
    Commercials
    Henson
    Muppets
    O'Neill Conference
    Performance
    Puppet Building
    Puppet Design
    Puppeteer
    Puppetry
    Sesame Street
    Students
    Teaching

    RSS Feed

© Chase Woolner 2021
* Pictures, Video, Audio and Other Media used on this website are for reference only.
Other Copyrights are held by their respective owners.
  • Home
  • About
    • Gallery
  • Shop
    • Online Classes
    • Private Online Classes
    • Puppet Shop
  • Contact
  • Busy Hands Studio