How to make kids part of the show is a question that has been with us since day one.
A rainstorm during a transatlantic voyage? Yeah, we tried that. Squirting the audience with Mr. Meeney’s hose? We tried that, too. Only the first few rows feel the spray.
Torn up letters thrown into the audience by a frustrated puppet has kids rushing forward to piece them together. Jack’s mother throws his magic beans over the proscenium. After the show the kids love the challenge of seeing who can collect the most.
When Anne, the barmaid at the Dagger & Pistol, throws her bouquet into the audience, everyone tries to catch it. In The Greatest Being the mouse catcher tosses a mouse into the crowd. We performed the show in a darkened room during the kick-off Friday of an annual meeting. I can’t discount the role alcohol played in audience hilarity, but it was the mouse that brought the house down.
All these examples are reactions to our plays. We want interactions.
The opportunity comes when Elroy mentors Sherwood at the Drummond School of Wizardry. Unknown to Elroy, his protégé needs glasses. Sherwood misreads the ingredients for a magic potion causing balls to be launched from the caldron into the audience. Ringers (Mom and Dad) are equipped with balls and instructions. At the launching of the first ball Mom and Dad return fire. Naturally the kids join in.
I saw this done in a theater production of Treasure Island. Israel Hand, on the center aisle steps, lobbed a ball onto the stage over the fort wall. Suddenly, a mêlée started – balls flying every which way. The kids went wild! I never had so much fun at the theater as I did that day.
Robin and Susan Tafel, 215-441-4154, https://www.Youtube.com/user/PennsWoodsPuppets.
PHOTO CAP: Watch out, Elroy! Duck!