Puppets for my Muppet Musical

[MuppetForChrist]

Hello, all!
I have been working on a musical version of "Muppets Take Manhatten" for some time now. I've wanted to someday put on a production of it with some friends in the style of Avenue Q (puppets with puppeteers visable...)
But, some of the puppets for the characters seem so hard to make. Could anyone give some tips on how to make a few replicas of the main characters, mainly and seem the hardest. Thank you greatly!
Also, any tips on musical numbers? It's kinda fun/hard watching the movie and thinking, "Now, could THIS moment be a song?" Thanks again!
And Merry Christmas!

 

[BEAR]

Hello, all!
I have been working on a musical version of "Muppets Take Manhatten" for some time now.

Hmm...Isn't The Muppets Take Manhattan already a musical?

 

[MuppetForChrist]

It's a stage musical with more songs. You know, how, say, "Beauty and the Beast" was a children's movie-musical turned stage production. Basically, it's a Broadway show that's not gonna be on Broadway. Get it?

 

[BEAR]

I see. Sounds like a fun concept. Good luck with it!

 

[Jinx]

I would stop to consider that the existing material is protected by copyright, and a fully staged version could not be legally produced without the express consent of the many, many parties involved.

You could put an awful lot of work into a project that would have no chance of being seen and would very likely get you sued . Beauty and the Beast was developed for the stage by the people who owned the property.

My suggestion to you is that it would be much better to develop your own story, characters and music into a stage show. By doing so you could readily sidestep many of the problems you mention at the outset.

 

[ravagefrackle]

i have to agree with Jinx on this one,

your other option would be to aproach Disney with your concept, (but i fear a idea for this was indevelopment at one point at Henson before the sale,

not trying to stifle your creativity, just wanting you to be aware of the realityies of the biz

 

[MGov]

Yeah, if you want to do it just for fun and the experience and never really perform it for money (though even performing it for free can be copyright infringement) then, well, go for it. It might be a good jumping off point for the future.

But the amount of time and creative effort that goes into building the puppets and writing the material could be spent creating your own original characters, story and songs.

I was browsing though the "Avenue Q" book the other day and Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx (who created the show) tell the story of how they met at BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. They wrote a spec Muppet movie, "Kermit, Prince of Denmark" that won the Kleban Award for lyrics. They met with the Henson people, hoping to sell it, and were turned down.

Then they realized that it was dumb to create something which had only one group that could even consider buying it. They decided to create something for themselves and that became "Avenue Q".

Again, if creatively it helps get you started by using the Muppet© characters, then go ahead. I just think in the long run, originality will always be better than trying to improve something that was done very well.

 

[MGov]

And yeah, I know I really haven't helped with the original question of your post.

Anyone with a more direct knowledge please correct me if I'm wrong here. Piggy and Gonzo were, I believe, carved from foam rubber originally. Eventually, they were built from molds using foam latex. So your best bet might be carving the heads from solid blocks of foam rubber.

 

[Jinx]

...(though even performing it for free can be copyright infringement)...

Actually it IS copyright infringement. Public performance is public performance whether admsission is charged or not.

Many, many people each year presume that they can perform a play without paying a royalty as long as they'e not charging admission, and many, many people each year get into legal trouble because of it.

It's simply not worth the risk.

 

[MuppetForChrist]

Thanks for the advice! I wasn't planning on making money from it, or taking it all the way to Broadway, but if it's at all illegal, I'd better not pet Beth the Bear!
And that's pretty interesting about "Kermit, Prince of Denmark"! I might just be interested in seeing that happen someday!