Right, I have made my dissicion, I am going to get a Willie The Kid puppet, its so hard to pick an Axtell puppet, at first I liked the Possum, then Vern, then Verna, then Laughing Louie, but I have chosen Willie, has anyone got anything to say about Willie, any photos or info please tell me!
Thanks,
Jack
Good choice! I love Willie the Kid's looks and versatility. I once wrote a skit for another vent where Willie was a boy whose hero was Peter Parker, rather than Spiderman. He wanted to be a scientist and a photographer just like Peter Parker. His adventure in trying to get good photographs became the skit. His heroes could be the ordinary people e.g. Clark Kent instead of Superman, Batman's butler, Bill Gates, etc.
I would recommend that you go to your library and check out a cassette of the old Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy show. Willie could also have that type of a character.
Here is a worksheet for developing personality in a puppet
1. Name _______________________________
2. Age _______
3. Visual Impression: ___ smart ___ not smart ___ young old ___ guilty ___ innocent
Other ___________________________________________________
(Note: What is the audience first impression of this boy? That does not mean that you have to go with that. It might be funny to do the opposite. Ex. Warthog is a vegetarian and likes to watch romantic comedies with his girlfriend. They make him cry. Or Bulldog's best friend is Kitty Calico. If you go for an opposite of what people expect it has to come through in the skit.)
6. Relationship to you, the ventriloquist: ______________
_________________________________________________________
7. If this puppet could only give ONE speech, but give it in hundreds of locations, what subject would he/she choose to talk about? (e.g. Bear= food, Diva = herself, Gramps = "Love for modern medicine" or is it "modern medicine for love?") _____________________________________
__________________________________________________________8. What can this puppet do physically that others I have cannot do? e.g. close eyes, scrunch face, play dead...
_________________________________________________________
9. What hobbies does the puppet have? __________________
10. If they were running for political office, what would their campaign be? ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________
11. What phrase will this puppet love to say? (e.g. John Denver' "Far Out!" "Cowabunga, Dude" Your audience will remember this phrase.) __________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Next: Find out the size outfit the puppet wears and go to your local thrift stores. See what jumps out at you.
I found a great astronaut outfit for one of my puppets that way.