Welcome Marionettes

Happy New Year

2012-01-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

The puppets are waking up and shaking out their strings for the new year!

We are happy to be scheduling shows for 2012. We will be playing "Popeye's Picnic" at the VanZandt hall March 25 at 4pm. (We may also be playing this show at the new Jansen Art Center in Lynden on March 31.)

And it looks like a show at Deming Library is firming up for June 9 to start off the summer reading program (probably "Dorothy Meets her Friends")

As the performance bug gets the puppets excited, we'll be looking forward to posting more interviews with cast members. ... So, stay tuned!

Peter and the Wolf

2011-06-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

After an embarrassingly long absence, Puppet Pals are back! All we can say is that life seems to get in the way of it's self sometimes. but, there you go. And here we are.

Today, we are talking to Grampa and Peter of "Peter and the Wolf" fame. The classic story of boy meets wolf.

Hello, how are you two today?
G.: Oh, not bad considering the weather and rheumatism and all.
P.: Ah gee, Grampa, it's not so bad. I'm just great, thanks. I'm really excited about our next show!

Tell us. When and where will it be?
P.: At Lynden Library! June 18th at 10:30am. It's gonna be great! The whole gang will be there. You know, Gramps and I, and Bird, Cat, Duck, the hunter and of coarse Wolf.

So, what's it like being on stage with a wild animal like Wolf?
G.: Wild animals can be really dangerous, you know. Peter aught to stay behind the gate in the garden. But, will he ever listen?!
P.: Ah, gee, Grampa. Wolf isn't really all that wild. He's an actor like the rest of us. He's a good actor. He seems really scarey.
G.: That's because he is scarey. Have you seen those teeth?

How does the rest of the cast get along with Wolf?
P.: We all get along just great!
G.: Humph!
P.: Well, most of us do.

OK. Tell us a bit more about this program. It's a classical piece with a full orchestra. So, how is that managed?
G.: It's amazing how they get all that orchestra into a little box like they do. I don't know how they do it.
P.: Ah, gee, Grampa. The orchestra is recorded. It starts out with our Master of Ceremonies introducing the characters, and then the music is recorded.

Oh, who is your master of ceremonies?
P.: We just call him M.C. Funny though, he looks a lot like our puppeteer Mike.
G.: Hmm, and stranger yet, he sounds a lot like Sean Connery... Hmm, something is a bit fishy here. I wonder what he's up to.
P.: Ah, Gee, Grampa! It must be time for his nap. He's getting a little edgy.

Well, that's a wrap for today. Hope to see you at the show at Lynden Library. That's June 18th 10:30am.

G.: I tell you there are scarey and suspicious things going on out there... Edgy my foot.... Even in Lynden! Where's my pipe? Peter, did you do something with my pipe?
P.: Ah Gees, Grampa! Come on. Let's go.

Ernie Wilbur and Oscar

2009-05-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

Ernie (Rt) Wilbur (center) and Oscar (with gun) are three of the original cast members of Welcome Marionettes. In this interview they will introduce you to some of the background of the shows.

Hi Guys, how are you today?
E.: Oh, Pretty good.
W.: Yah, Hangin' in there.
O.: Uh Huh

The three of you seem to be regular sportsman kind of guys. So tell us, how did you all get involved in theater?
E.: Well, you see, we were coming home from a hunting trip one day and we saw a poster inviting folks to auditions for Welcome Marionette Theater. They were looking for hunters to cast in "Peter and the Wolf".
W.: We figured us bein' hunters already...
O.: Uh huh. And huntin' hadn't been so good.
W.: We thought it might be sorta like joinin' a circus.
E.: We did?
O.: Uh huh.

It seems like such a departure from your usual lives. Did you find it a scary thing to do?
E.: Oh, no. Mr. and Mrs. Carroll are really nice people and they really put us at ease.
W.: And as it turned out there weren't a lot of other guys tryin' out for the parts.
O.: Yup, nobody else really.
E.: Well, that's beside the point! they wouldn't have hired us if they didn't think we could handle it.
W.: 'spoes not.
O.: Huh.

So, just like that, you were all hired to play three hunters in "Peter and the Wolf"?
E.: Yes, but as it turned out, with the staging and all, they could only use one of us for that show. It seems that all three of us on stage with Peter and Grandpa and the wolf...
W.: Not to mention the bird, cat and duck...
O.: Too much. Just too much.
E.: So, they decided one hunter would have to do.
W.: And Oscar is, well really, the only actual hunter among us.
O.: Uh huh. They always miss 'em.
W.: Oscar has the best gun.
E.: I don't even really like guns.
O.: Yup, it shows.

To get back to the Shows... You two, Ernie and Wilbur, were out of work then. How did you deal with that?
E.: Well, we did consider joining the circus.
W.: Yah, but we couldn't find one right away.
O.: Uh huh
E.: And then, Mr. and Mrs. Carroll said they could find something for us with the show.
W.: They needed all kinds of help when they thought about it.
O.: Still do.
E.: Anyway, they said I could be the stage manager. And if I needed a helper Wilbur could be my stagehand!
W.: It's worked out pretty well all and all.

I seem to remember seeing the two of you on stage in some of the shows. How did that come about?
E.: Mr. Carroll, you see, needs a little break sometimes when he's singing a lot.
W.: So, Ernie and I tell some jokes and stuff.
E.: It gives Mr. Carroll a chance to catch his breath.
W.: And now Ernie has a real part in an upcoming show!

Really?! What show is that?
E.: It's with our new cast members Popeye and Olive Oil. They're really fun to work with. And it's a very exciting show.
W.: Ernie gets to play Wimpy. He does a good job.
E.: It's real acting 'cause I don't even like hamburgers.
O.: Nope, but I do.
W.: Maybe Ernie could get some of the hamburgers for you, Oscar.
O.: Yup. Maybe. Uh huh.

It's been really great talking with you guys. You'll have to come back and tell us about some of the other shows. OK?
O.: Yup. See Ya.
W.: Sure thing! Bye everybody!
E.: I'll see what I can schedule. It's pretty tough you know managing AND acting and all.

W.: Oh, Ernie, you can Handle it.
E.: I don't know...
W.: Ah, Gees....
O.: Yup, Uh huh...

Introduction/History

2009-03-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

History

Welcome Marionettes is heir to its parent show, "The Scott Marionettes" performed from 1929 to 1949 by Walter and Le Scott, the parents of Laura Scott-Carroll, our troupes' founder. The Scott Marionettes traveled throughout the western United States entertaining at schools and theaters. With a magical blend of engineering and artistry the Scotts brought the hand carved marionette puppets to life. Tragically the popular Scott Marionette show was destroyed by fire in 1949 and was never reconstructed. Working to reinstate the family puppetry tradition, Laura Scott-Carroll has been building marionettes for over 15 years.

Performances

Our aim is to reintroduce this miniature live theater art form.

Welcome Marionettes shows are appropriate for and loved by audiences of all ages. We work with fully strung marionette puppets. Each is hand crafted for its own part in the performance. We perform on our traditional marionette stage (pictured above) or our new mobile trailer stage, specially designed for out door events. (pictured below).

Many of our performances are accompanied by live music.
All performances come from familiar or classical lore.
Most of our shows run for 30 minutes with a 10 to 15 minute question and answer period following.

Puppets and puppeteers discuss the show with the audience

Teddy and Christopher in "Us Two" (above)
The King, Queen, Dairymaid, and Cow in "The King's Breakfast" (below)

Please follow this address to Lydia McCauley's review of last summer's Puppet Picnic at Canyon Creek:

http://lydiamccauley-quieting.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html