Next show!

I practiced with my new table and the conclusion I came to is that it is SWEET. I am looking forward to using it this weekend in my show.
I am also working on a new puppet routine with a mind reading bear. I have a few bits that are kind of funny but it pretty clearly needs work. But it’s starting to get there. I have several questions about how kids are going to react to things, though – just because MY kids laugh at something doesn’t mean other kids will. So I’m going to try a short version of that routine this weekend too, and see how it goes. For me there comes a point when I need to bounce a routine off an audience to see how things flow before I can keep building the routine, and I think I’m fairly close to that point with the bear.

New table is built!

I built a new performance table! I’m pretty pleased with it. My old one was fantastic, but just too heavy. So this one is in two pieces, so while it’s two trips to the car instead of one, they are much easier trips.

The top just sits on the bottom. My last version of this table tried several ways of attaching it, and what I found is that friction was all that was needed. And this one being covered in fabric has friction to spare – the top just doesn’t move once it’s on.

I built in holders to keep things in place while driving to shows. In the picture of the inside you can see where my side table and the legs for it are stowed – then once at the show I can just pull them out and set up (one less trip to the car for that!)

The other thing you can’t quite see is the built in sound system. I’ve been reading a lot about sound systems but didn’t want more stuff to carry. Plus controllers, which one do you get, etc. This isn’t a perfect solution but it serves me very well (perfect would be one I can control without people being able to see me control it). I realized I’m carrying around a touchscreen computer system (also known as a “cell phone”). So this has a small but powerful bluetooth speaker in it. My phone has music – so all I have to do is tap a button on my phone and music will play. Nothing to set up, no wires – just turn on the speaker, connect my phone to it, and hopefully it’ll all work. If I’m not happy with it I can use the kindle fire with a wire to the speaker, or some variation on this.

I should mention I was shooting for a sound system for a birthday party, not a theater show - so this really fits my requirements nicely.

The table seems sturdy, though I learned some lessons when trying to cover it in fabric which was a PAIN. That was more work than making the table!