The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 10, 2002, Page 5, Image 5
THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, April 10,2002 . 5
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V
—
BY LAUREN VAUGHN
THE GAMECOCK
On Huger Street, a friendly
green dragon sits on the side
of the road. Frequent passers
by wonder, and some people
never find out, what the sign
says. The answer is simple:
“CMT.”
The Columbia Marionette
Theatre is a nonprofit organi
zation that brings stories to life
using puppets. The puppets
have voices, of course, but the
productions incorporate no vis
ible human interaction.
These complex marionettes
absorb the life of each charac
ter because of the skillful work
of each puppet master—the tal
ented people precariously
placed on scaffolding who con
centrate diligently on the pup
pets below them.
Foundations
Allie Scollon, an Ohio na
tive, founded the theater in
1988. With her son, John, she
worked with a heightened re
gard of puppetry’s creative pos
sibilities. The two brought their
vision of a puppetry theater to
Columbia.
Since Allie Scollon’s retire
ment in 2000, her son has
served as director, and he re
mains involved in all aspects of
the theater’s growth and main
tenance.
“One of the things I think is
wonderful about this place is
that there are only 20 puppet the
aters in the nation who have
their own building,” John
Scollon said. “For a town the size
of Columbia, our success is just
wonderful. It says a lot about the
support the city gives us.”
Funding
The Columbia Marionette
Theatre relies heavily on out
side donations, sponsorships
and other cash gifts. To involve
the community, the theater cre
ated The Puppet Society, in
which members who con
tribute at least $15 receive ad
mission to five productions.
Able to seat close to 300, the
theater is a prime scene for
birthday gatherings or other so
cial functions. The theater is
handicapped-accessible and wel
comes everyone to explore the
innovative world of puppetry.
Full-time work
Theater staff and crew do the
in-house work, including pup
pet clothing, script writing and
scene decor, for each produc
tion. The puppeteers record
each show’s soundtrack, how
ever, in a local studio.
Five full-time and five part
time employees work months to
prepare one show for produc
tion. Two full-time artists work
solely on making the puppets.
Backdrop scenery must be
easy to manipulate and appro
priate for different shows. With
a change in style or the re
moval of one piece, puppets can
be used for multiple shows.
“We have used a few puppets
for different shows, but it
makes it hard when we bring
that show back and have to
reuse the character,” said Toni
Turbeville, the theater’s busi
ness manager. “It makes for
more work in the long run.”
Festivals and events
The theater’s lobby houses a
puppet store where merchan
dise includes hand puppets and
marionettes priced from $3 to
$30. Guests can also purchase
candy in the lobby store spon
sored by Palmetto Candy
Company.
The theater extends its walls
by taking its Traveling Troupe
to schools, festivals and events.
Thirty-minute shows performed
outside the theater by two pup
peteers include “Hansel and
Gretel,” “Rumpelstiltskin,” and
“Rockin’ Through the Ages.”
“We tour all over the state,
and in a given school year,
we’ve done in the neighborhood
of 300-400 traveling shows,”
Turbeville said. “We do ‘Just
Say No’ shows and a litter show
that Palmetto Pride pays for.”
Palmetto Pride is Gov. Hodges’
task force on litter. I
Visitors can see the current
production, “Pinocchio,” until
June 29. Productions run on
Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.,
excluding major holidays.
Tickets cost $4, and reserva
tions aren’t required.
Fall series
Coming in the fall,
Columbia Marionette Theatre
plans to start an adult evening
series in addition to the tradi
tional performance lineup.
“Frankenstein” will take the
stage first, with other titles to
follow that are focused more
on the older crowds.
The theater wants to expand
the audience to include people
who might feel too old to watch
the fairy tale productions.
“Using something like pup
pets, which many people tradi
tionally think of for children,
in a different light certainly
opens up new possibilities for
both the audience and the pup
peteers,” Turbeville said. “It
will give us an opportunity to
try new things, expand and ex
plore the art of puppetry fur
ther. At the moment, we
haven’t really discussed shows
to follow ‘Frankenstein.’ ”
Those who want to try their
hand at the theater might have
to travel only a few blocks. “We
occasionally look for part-time
puppeteers, and we have people
walk in the door who want to
learn how to do it,” John Scollon
said. “They can typically start
to work rather soon.”
Features
Other shows for 2002 include
“Alice in Wonderland” (July 6
27), “Beauty and the Beast”
(Aug. 3-Nov. 9) and “Jack Frost”
(Nov. 16-Dec. 28).
For more information on the
theater and how to become a part
of the crowd, visit the theater’s
Web site at www.columbiamari
onette.com.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com
Above:
Lyon Hill,
left, and
Rob Padley
practice
their
marionette
scales.
Below:
Marionettes
on display.
PHOTO BY
CANDI
HAUGLUM/THE
_ GAMECOCK
TOP 10
These were the most requested
songs on USC’s student radio
station from March 31-April 6.
1. “LOVE APPLE”
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2. “FREEBIRD"
Built to Spill
3. “Dom BE AFRAID TO LOVE”
__ Lo Fidelity All-Stars
4. “ABOUT A BOY” SOUNDTRACK
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5. “SOUUACKER”
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FORTHCOMING ALBUM”
Trey Anastasio
CP brings Better Than Ezra to^yssell House
BY ASHLEY VAUGHAN
THE (i'AMECOCK
They’ve had their ups and their downs,
and they could fill a VH1 “Behind the Music”
segment with ease, but no one will find the
members of Better Than Ezra complaining.
Instead, they’re making a comeback.
For those of you who were living under a
rock during the ’90s, Better Than Ezra is
responsible for such hits as “Desperately
Wanting” and “Good” — the latter of which
is played on the radio more than half a
decade after it was released. The trio from
New Orleans — Kevin Griffin (lead vocals),
Tom Drummond (bass) and Travis
McNabb (drums) — create Better Than
Ezra’s pop/rock sound, described by mu
sic critics as “infectious” and “funky.”
While the band will be playing some of
those old hits during its 90-minute set
tonight in the Russell House Ballroom,
Better Than Ezra’s longtime fans should
prepare for some new, less alternative,
more experimental tunes from its new al
bum. “Closer” is filled with electronica sup
plied by DJ Swamp, emotional lyrics de
scribed as “mystical” and “inspirational,”
and even some rapping and scratching.
Both music critics and the band agree it’s
the group’s best album yet.
Drummond said: “It’s new Ezra meets
old Ezra.... It’s a combination of the I
pop of “Deluxe” with the rock of I
“Friction Baby,” and the off-center per- I
spective of “How Does Your Garden I
Grow?” but with a maturity level that I
far surpasses our previous efforts. ”
Lead singer and songwriter Griffin jfl
talked about the band’s goals in craft- B
ing the new album and sound. “We set B
out to make an undeniable album for ™
everyone — existing fans and indiffer- 8
ent people alike,” he said. “This is
our best album, without a doubt.” B
Josh Terry, Carolina B
Productions’ concert commis- B
sioner, explained why CP chose B
Better Than Ezra to perform at B
USC. "We wanted to get back into a B
new direction,” he said. “We wanted B
a national band to increase student
interest, and Better Than Ezra has the Wk
potential to do just that.... They’ve ^^B
had five top 10 singles, and their ^k
new album is fantastic.”
The Minneapolis-based indie band I
Iffy will open for Better Than Ezra at 8 I
p.m. Iffy, also a trio, is Kirk Johnson I
(vocals), Dave Pederson (guitar, key- I
boards, programming) and Tom Merkle B
(bass, programming). Compared to the
♦ EZRA. SEE PAGE 6