A Chensational puppet on stage!

I just finished getting an update from Edmonton actor Andrew MacDonald-Smith about the puppet that he had ordered from me over a year ago. Initially Andrew said that he was inspired by Muppet type puppets that he had seen in the smash stage show called Avenue Q. After I explained to him that I would not be willing to build any of the characters from the show for him, he understood and hired me to build a style of puppet that had a similar cartoon look.



I was given a great amount of flexibility in terms of design, although Andrew did want the skin to be blue and the nose to be green. I sent him a very rough sketch and he approved it. I started to build the puppet and before long he had his very own stage puppet.



Andrew reports that his puppet has been named "Maurice" and that they have both done quite a bit of acting over the past year. Andrew has used Maurice in a variety of improve shows including something called the "After Intermission Special". Andrew describes the show as being "like and after school special, but for an 11pm crowd. It still has the spirit of an after school special but with a slight adult edge. He (Maurice) learns a lesson, but it's somehow twisted."



It is always personally satisfying to hear about any of my puppets getting used the way they were intended. It is even more gratifying to hear that the puppet is holding up very well. As a builder it is important to have a product that can stand up to the challenges of day-to-day use. It seems that our dear friend Maurice has done smashingly well.



If you are ever in Edmonton be sure to stop by Oh Susanna! to get a little taste of the unique entertainment you are sure to find. Who knows if you are lucky enough you might get a chance to see Andrew and Maurice doing their "After Intermission Special" on every month.