Grey Seal Stage Design

[gspuppets]

We've had several people ask about how our touring stage is designed, so I took some photos to show you how it works.

Here's our stage without the curtain attached:


The stage frame is made from squares of 1x2, with black canvas stapled in the middles.  This makes the stage very lightweight and easily portable.  The size of your stage depends on how tall you are and how wide you want it to be.  You can determine your appropriate dimensions from there.

Our stage comes apart in two sections and is joined in the middle by latches.  The front "squares" are joined by piano hinges on the outside.  The playboard is made of wood and slides down over the top of the stage frame.  The playboard has Velcro glued and stapled along the length for the stage curtain to attach to.

The side squares of the stage are also attached with piano hinges, but they are mounted from the inside.  More on that later.



Here's another angle of the stage frame.



Here's a close-up of the piano hinge that connects the top and bottom "squares."



Here's the center seam where the two halves of the stage frame join together.  You can see the latch that connects them.



Here's a close up of the end of the playboard.  You can see how it fits over the top of the stage frame.  The playboard is such an important part of a puppet stage.  I could write a whole post about playboards.  But I won't.



Here's Drew behind the puppet stage, working out a shadow sequence for one of our shows.  (Don't tell him I posted this picture.)  The inside of our stages are lined with hooks where we hang the puppets.  It's a great way to organize the backstage area.  See how the shadow screen is attached to the back of the playboard?  I told you that playboards are great!



Here's a close up of the hooks.  Each hook is marked with white tape, so that you can easily find it during the show (since it's dark backstage).  You can also see that the playboard is held together in the middle by a C-clamp.



Here you can see the hinges on the inside.  Again, they are piano hinges.  The wires along the insides keep the puppets from bumping up against the stage curtain in an unsightly way during a performance.



Here's the side of the stage.  The only two "squares" on each half of the stage frame that aren't connected by hinges are these two side squares.  The reason is that, when the stage comes apart, the sides fold all the way behind the front squares, and then the whole thing folds in half.  It works beautifully.



A closer view of the side.  The arm that's labeled here can swing up vertically and hold a backdrop.

And that's it!  I hope this is helpful.

[Puppets And Stuff]

Great detail on the images and explanation.  I like the use of a C-clamp for the playboard joining. Do you remember where this design comes from?  We used it in many different variations at StoneLion Puppets in KC. It is very versatile and if you really think outside the "box" you can use these squares to make quite a few different looks. The image that I have attached shows such a variation.  It is not the best picture but the front playboard that you see is made of a single lower level of these squares that has a canvas "drape" that was painted.  The back is a double stack layer that has another painted canvas covering. The canvas actually got changed during the show since there was more then one location for the show.  This show had both hand in mouth puppets and marionettes so their where three playing areas. Up above the back flats, down in front of that behind the lower flats and then for the marionettes in front of that played cabaret style.  If I can find better images I'll post them.

[gspuppets]

Our particular stage was designed by Donald Devet, years ago.  (Early 80's, maybe late 70's?)  We've been using it ever since.  I'd love to see more pictures of your stage if you can find them!