Final Day of the L.A. Build

Darius brushes glue onto to dutch hinge. Final act of the build. For now.

The table has a faux tablecloth draping over the edge facing the audience. Actually, it's made of lauan (wood), and hinged to the edge of the table so that it can lift up vertically and become a layer of the ocean swells. It'll be painted trompe l'oeil to look like folds of a table cloth on this side, and on the underside, like ocean waves.

Cindy Darby and Dan Hurlin apply the dutch hinge (muslin soaked in glue).

Twin TV sets, created by Zach, for shadow scenes.  In progress.

DanRae is working on clothing Sharon.

Chris Cahill, 1956-2011

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Chris Cahill, surfer, artist, surfboard maker, and original Z-Boy.  Chris is very special to us.  His story is one of the five that we will be portraying in "Who's Hungry - Santa Monica." Dan Froot and Dan Hurlin last saw him a few days ago, and today we heard he had passed. Chris called me (Dan Froot) after our recent visit to ask for feedback on his artwork. He said that he knew he didn't have much time left (his health was failing), but that he had met some wonderful people in his life, and that he was at peace.  Those were his words.  I will miss him terribly.  This project will be a tribute to his life and love of the ocean.

Agony of the Pull-Toy

Randall is working on a pull-toy that simulates ocean swells. This is a side view.  The paint can and glue bottle are to give it some weight so that the wheels have enough downward pressure to turn. But there are problems...

It's coming together!

The brave little car that could! Check this out. There is a magnet on the underside of the car. Underneath the table is a routed-out channel, in which is another magnet, attached to a string. As the puppeteer pulls the string, the magnet moves along the channel, pulling the car along with it. Pretty cool effect, eh? Um...until we get to the crack between the tables.

Randall Whittinghill, genius.  He made this little pull toy to simulate ocean swells.  Good thing Randall was a surfer in a former life.  Amazing, yes? 

Sharon's first walk! Baxley, Moira and Randall bring her to life. What a day!

Zach is sanding the TV cabinets. Shadow puppets will appear on the TV screens, enacting Mike's story a la The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Moira sculpting Sharon's shoulders. See below...Sharon walks!

Wooden Tablecloths and Pull-Toys

Randall is making a model of a giant pull-toy. The idea is that as the pull-toy makes its way along the table, ocean waves will rhythmically swell and break. This is so cool!

Baxley is putting legs on the tables.  It's all coming together!

Do you think it's going to work?  Dan Hurlin thinks so. Randall is not so sure.

more of our building team...

Scenes from week 3 with Dan, Moira, Baxley and Zach at work

It looks like I am distracting Randall from problem solving with Dan...

More progress by Moira on Sharon. Check out her little black shoes!

Anatomy of a Build

While these objects may seem mundane at first glance, they are the tools, means and methods of organization that are bringing "Who's Hungry - Santa Monica" into the world.

Behold!!

Of course, the toaster. We are using it to bake puppet hands out of a Sculpy-like substance.

Ideas on board. Analog creativity.

Sketches for the TV set

Chanel drives from Atlanta to New York (um...almost) on 9/11.  These model cars will be hurtling toward her goal.

Table parts wait to become whole tables.

Week 3 of Build in Los Angeles

We're into the final week of our Los Angeles build. After this, Dan Hurlin continues to build some of the smaller objects in his upstate New York studio, so that we can begin rehearsing during a residency at Vermont Performance Lab, July 15-28. In the little film clip on this post, Dan Hurlin is cutting out a trap door (shhhh...don't tell anyone) in our 24-foot dinner table that will act as the puppet stage. 

Dan Hurlin routs out a channel underneath the 24-foot dinner table that will comprise the puppet stage.

Moira is working on Sharon's shoulder. This puppet walks from the courthouse to a waiting van in the parking lot, while Sharon considers the implications of entering an enforced rehabilitation program. Sharon said this ten-yard walk was the longest she's ever taken.  (By the way, the real "Sharon" is still clean and sober!)

Randall is making a giant pull-toy for an ocean wave effect.  This is very cool.   Chris's story has him encountering 20-foot Hawaiian waves...at night! Ours will be just a little smaller than that. ;-)

Baxley is ready. 

Zach is making a 1960's era TV set. Actually, he's making two of them. They will house shadow puppets that will themselves be styled after the Dick Van Dyke Show.

Beginning the Build

We're into the second week of building puppet objects and sets.  Dan Hurlin is directing the build. Dan Froot is running in and out, writing the plays, fundraising, etc. We're joined by ace puppet artists Baxley Andresen, Moira McDonald, Randall Whittinghill, Zach Tolchinsky and Darius Mannino. We are ably assisted and facilitated administratively by Alexx Shilling.

Moira works on Sharon's torso

We're making an evening-length puppet play based on stories from the lives of five homeless and/or hungry residents of Santa Monica CA. The play will be staged on a 24-foot dinner table, and will be performed by Darius, Zach, Sheetal Gandhi, and Rachael Lincoln.

Baxley sands Sharon's head

Moria is thinking...