Celebrating the creative process, Jim Henson style.

This Halloween I wanted to keep things fun and appropriate for youngsters aged 5-12.  After watching a Jim Henson video about his Muppet-making process and the antics of Jeff Dunham and his puppets, I created the “Pinata Muppet.”  How do you develop a character from a sock?   It starts with the right colored sock and a rolled piece of cardboard to expand the nose area.  Two ping-pong eyes with a sharpie marker for Kermit style pupils.  Hot glue gun to set the eyes.  Then you sit with your sock puppet and think about what the alter-ego in you wants to talk about.  Since I had a sombrero and some cheap candy, I became “the one who sells the Pinata candy”.  Sort of a shady character with a uni-brow.  The dialogue goes like this:

Sock-puppet Pinata:   “You got some Candy for me.”

Candy-seller:  “yeah…shhhhh…I got some candy for you.”

Sock-puppet Pinata:  “I’m gonna get hit and need some more candy, you got me covered?”

Candy-seller:  “yeah my little Senora, you know I’m your candy girl.”

Sock-puppet Pinata:  “I need Candy, I need Candy.”

(This is how it goes in the world of an overactive imagination.)

The rendition of Count Von Count was a tribute to his now-gone voice.  He was my favorite character for learning basics with math.  Generally math is not funny for me.

28. October 2012 by Jean Drayovitch
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