PUPPETRY
PURPOSE: Many people are captivated by puppetry performances. This event challenges
young people to skillfully present Biblical themes and stories through the use of puppetry.
PROCESS:
Each participating group will:
1. Select, modify or write an appropriate Bible based puppet script that incorporates this year’s LTC theme. It is not required that the puppet play be from the Bible.
2. Ensure that participants not perform in more than one puppet play or event in any given time slot.
3. Provide puppets, costumes and props as needed.
4. Provide for storage of puppets, costumes and props at the convention.
NOTE:
No storage will be provided in the puppet performance room. Leave puppets or props unattended at your own risk.
5. If possible, submit the name of one puppetry judge. Judges MUST be familiar with various puppetry techniques. These will be briefly reviewed with the judges at the beginning of each session.
6. Register each team by grade category as determined by the oldest team member’s grade level.
7. Deliver a completed Team Event Registration form to the Event Director before the beginning of the performance period.
8. Although not a requirement, please note the title of the play on the form and who wrote it. This will not affect scoring but will allow us to honor any original works by participants.
The Event Director will:
1. Assign and post an order-of-performance for teams in each performance session. The schedule is flexible and can be modified as long as the Event Director is advised of any changes BEFORE they affect the performance of any team.
2. Ensure availability of a stage for each puppet performance room. Team Leaders are encouraged to bring their team and familiarize themselves with stage setup and configuration during idle times.
3. Advise teams that special lighting (other than standard room lights) are not provided.
4. Advise teams that a sound system with multiple mics will be available in the puppet stage.
5. Nominate teams to perform in the Saturday Night Celebration from participants in this event.
6. Select Judges and time keepers for this event.
7. Provide completed Team and Judging Forms to the Convention Events Coordinator.
RULES:
1. There will be two grade categories:
a. Grades 3-6
b. Grades 7-12
2. Adults and other non-participants may help in setup and takedown. All non-participants must be clear of the stage during performance. i.e., clear before team states ‘READY.’
3. Performance stage dimensions will be as described in the illustration later in this section. A STAGE FITTING THIS DESCRIPTION WILL BE PROVIDED. If a team chooses to use their own stage they must set it up, perform and take it down within the maximum time period. If you bring your own stage, the ‘dimension standard’ need not be adhered to.
4. Biblical Application & LTC Theme – The play must contain a Biblical theme or story and be scripturally accurate, while the main point of the play incorporates the current LTC theme.
5. Life-like Presentation – This item covers many of the skills at the core of hand puppetry. Judging should take into account the “well rounded” presentation by the team as a whole and not dwell on poor or great ‘individual’ presentation skills.
a. Lip Synchronization, Words are pronounced clearly and the puppet’s mouth action is realistic and in synchronization with the words being spoken
b. Mouth Action, The lower jaw of the puppet should drop away from the head when speaking. The mouth action may be sparingly exaggerated to emphasize emotion or loudness.
c. Eye Contact, Puppets should interact with (look at each other) and occasionally look at the audience to “involve and draw them into the story”
d. Posture, Unintentional swaying, sinking or leaning on the stage is not present.
e. Entrances and Exits, Except where otherwise needed by the play, the puppet should appear to “walk” up a ramp or stairway when entering and down a ramp or stairway when exiting.
f. Character Roles, Puppets fulfill the character roles they portray in the play.
6. Projection – Is the dialogue spoken clearly and do the voices project well? Adult voices may NOT be used (live or pre-recorded) and the dialog of the play must be performed live (no pre-recorded dialogue).
7. Puppets’ Appearance – Costumes should be appropriate for the roles being portrayed.
8. Special Effects – Attention given to stage props, sound effects, timing of effects, etc. Playing of pre-recorded special effects sound clips are allowed. Pre-recorded dialog/voice clips are not allowed.
9. Effect on Audience – Attention will be given to audience response. Did the play draw them in?
10. Teamwork – Team must display cooperative interaction with each other throughout the entrance, setup, performance, takedown and exit of the puppet play.
11. Total Time – Each team will have 9 minutes maximum to set up, perform, and exit the stage area. The performance must be a minimum of five (5) minutes.
12. Deductions (-2 points) will be taken for each 30 seconds under minimum performance time and for each 30 seconds over the maximum time. Each team will enter with props and puppets from a room door. A team participant will announce “Ready” at the beginning the play. After all props, puppets and team members are removed from the room and “stage clear” is announced by the last exiting participant of the team,
completion time will be recorded.
JUDGING:
1. Award rating will be assigned based on the point average between the three Judges, with the Event Director making the final decisions.
2. There will be three Judges and a Timekeeper assigned for each session.
3. Puppetry Judging is not an easy job, there are lots of details to watch for and you will have lots of writing to do.
4. It is imperative that a judge explain each deduction of points in language that is positive and non-punishing.
AWARDS:
1. Award ratings will be assigned to each team based upon the overall point total of the three Judges.
2. Gold = 95-100 points; Silver = 85-94 points; Bronze = 70-84 points; No Award = 0-69 points.
3. An appropriately colored engraved plate for the individual’s award plaque will be awarded to each of the members of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze rated teams. A team plate will be awarded to hang on the congregational plaque.