It turns out that thinking of this as a callback wasn’t quite accurate. This was really for a different part within the same show, I think, since I was the only woman there who had also been tried on the big horse. The group was multi-ethnic which was really nice to see especially since the play is set in France and England in WWI.
The colt is significantly harder in many ways that the big horse. Though with fewer moving parts, the small size meant that I had to bend at the waist to reach the front legs, which is less comfortable than standing straight up. The legs also aren’t attached to the puppets body and rely on the puppeteer to make the connection. So you are working to keep things lined up and act with it as well. Doable, but it takes a bit more thought than the big horse who is built to move like a horse.
Once you get the hang of him though he is gorgeous. One of the other teams on the colt did this fabulous rearing thing with him. And his head is just… I mean these are really beautiful and very evocative puppets. I am a total geeky fan girl here and am pretty sure I had a ridiculous smile on my face the whole time I was there.
We also did some work with paper people, which were close to lifesize puppets made for the workshop. Those were fun three-person figures. I actually spent more time working those than on the colt. One of the teams I was on really clicked I thought and felt very much in sync.
After that, we were sent off to read in a more traditional audition format. As you might guess, I do mostly puppet auditions and had serious nerves going in. Fortunately, everyone is extraordinarily nice. It went mostly okay. I had one place where I thought I had jumped to the wrong part of the scene but hadn’t… sigh. Anyway, I asked if I could start again and the second try went better.
My one French line came out clean and with emotion, which was a relief. All things considered, I felt like I presented myself well and that everything else is stuff that is out of my control.
I’m skipping stuff since basically the report is: I had fun. The colt puppet is beautiful. I have no idea about anything beyond that.
eeeeeee! HORSE PUPPET! Ahem.
You have captured my feeling EXACTLY.
Ah okay. I was watching the videos and wondering what was supporting the body of the colt, since the legs weren’t appearing to be doing so. But hey, since it’s not as much as a callback, you get to play with more different kinds of puppets. Yay!