Growing/Wilting Plant "Puppets"?

[shtick]

I don't know if this qualifies as a puppet but since Its been done by puppeteers I assume this is considered as a puppet.

In the "Take the first step" scene in Elmo in Grouchland, there are these little plants in the background that grow and "ungrow" rhythmicly to the music. How does the mechanism work? What materials its made of? Anybody know?

 

[SesameKermie]

Other puppeteers might do this differently, but depending on the plant, I would make a rod puppet. The rod would be inside the stem of the plant and depending if you push or pull the plant grows taller or shorter. Another option would be to use a spring-type construction kind of like those old-fashioned toys where you push on the bottom and the figure collapses.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

There is a good system for wilting leaves described in "How To Audrey II" by Marty Robinson if you can get your hands on a copy.

 

[GabeFirestone]

yes... i'm actually in Little Shop right now, and I'm the PLANT MAN! after learning to opperate and build the plants, as well as seeing the show when it came to cleveland (there was a meet/greet with the puppeteers of the show), i think it is easily done!:

the actor was hidden under a hollow counter during the entire first scene (there are no marked blackouts)... in the top is a hole, cut just big enough for the puppeteer's arm. the plant is in a hollowed pot, with the stem being like a sleeve. When the actor puts the plant on the table, the bottom of the pot is velcroed onto the underside of the table by straps (this is all done without the audience seeing). the velcro is to secure the plant from wiggling around.

The "wilting mechanism" is actually a piece of heavy (yet clear) wire. The leaves, built with wire skeletons, are facing up, not wilting. The wire is pulled by the puppeteer to make the leaves "pul" down, making the appearance of a wilt.

hope this helped! my wording may be a bit confusing, so email me if you need help! gabriel.firestone@yahoo.com

 

[GabeFirestone]

yes... i'm actually in Little Shop right now, and I'm the PLANT MAN! after learning to opperate and build the plants, as well as seeing the show when it came to cleveland (there was a meet/greet with the puppeteers of the show), i think it is easily done!:

the actor was hidden under a hollow counter during the entire first scene (there are no marked blackouts)... in the top is a hole, cut just big enough for the puppeteer's arm. the plant is in a hollowed pot, with the stem being like a sleeve. When the actor puts the plant on the table, the bottom of the pot is velcroed onto the underside of the table by straps (this is all done without the audience seeing). the velcro is to secure the plant from wiggling around.

The "wilting mechanism" is actually a piece of heavy (yet clear) wire. The leaves, built with wire skeletons, are facing up, not wilting. The wire is pulled by the puppeteer to make the leaves "pul" down, making the appearance of a wilt.

hope this helped! my wording may be a bit confusing, so email me if you need help! gabriel.firestone@yahoo.com