New-York tribune., 1912-11-03


muslin so that IL may be fastened win
tacks to the four sides of the box on the
outside. ..,.
Now that the theatre Is made, you
will have to make up your mind aDout
what kind Of play you will give IN II.
But while you are making up your inino
| about that, you might as wen be MAKING
the stage itself.
All the plays in this Shadow Theatre
are shadow plays, so that all the stage
lproperties as well as the actors VIII nave
| to he cut from cardboard These must
have a little stage ready for them just
inside the box or the frame ana next
| to the muslin.
| Measure the inside Of the box or frame
and cut a strip of cardboard the exact
length. IL must be about one inch wide.
Glue this inside the box, running along
the bottom length. Its upper part must
not be glued to the cloth but must leave
a shallow margin free so that the card
| board figures and furniture may be Mt
| ted into It and thus stand firmly in place.
Now. have you decided what play you
want to give? Take something snort;
something that is easily illustrated Ii
will be better to start out with this than
| TO attempt TO give too long q play. Sup
pose that you dramatize Mother Goose.
Take Little Miss Muffet," for instance.
For this YOU will need to cut out the
figure Of a little girl. This may be drawn
| In outline upon the cardboard or copied
from a pattern of a paper doll, but 1t
must i'm either case be cardboard ngure
| that will make good, clear shadow upon
the cotton cloth when the theatre Is turned
toward the bright light OF a lamp OF
| placed in the fun sunlight.
| For illustrating this little rhyme te"
stage properties need be made. stllp
| of cardboard may be cut uneVenly ana
frineed 10 represent the "tufet ConNeh-
tional trees or bushes may be cut also
and fitted into the groove OF cardboard
along the lower part Of the stage
Cut strip OF cardboard six inches long
and one inch wide Bend this over about
quarter OF an inch at one end and glue
1 this bent norton to the body Of the card
board doll that IL TO represent Miss Mut-
| fet. This serves as a handle. BY holdlhs
| f. YOU can easily make the little figure
move as YOU wish up OF down the stage
And now for the spider lie must he
about half the size Of Miss Muffet and
anybody who tries can cut spider out OF
! cardboard, so you won't need any pattern
| as long as you can make plenty or chrly
| legs and a little round body. Ana
handle must be cut for the spider also
7, must be fastened to the back or the
| bodv as the other was TO the back OF
the doll.
At first you will need 10 have re-
| hearsal before giving your play 10 the
,public. They always do that, you know
II Is TO make things 60 smoothly ana
without any hitch
| Hold Miss Muffet slightly below the
stage. Paste in one Of her hands small
piece Of cardboard TO represent her ooWi
| of "curds and whey" Turn your theatre
\ 80 that It's inside is flooded with strong
light. and then bend forward and see
now IL goes" from the other side that Is
| To be seen by your audience.
| When YOU are sure that you know how
| 70 hold your one actor right try the
spider. holding his handle in the other
hand. Make him approach Miss Munet
slowly and stealthily from the rear
! II will be fun 10 practise this until
] Won can make the spiders action quite
! funny. At his attempt to sit down beside
her" there is even more opportunity 10
make the action amusing. or course,
| Miss Nuffett is startled-who wouldn't
be, Make her show IL by jumping sud
| denly high up in the air and running
Of the stage as fast as she possibly
| can. And be sure TO make the spider run
| after her. Seen from the audiences this
is sure to bring applause.
Other Mother Goose rhymes may be
quite as easily illustrated. Try Little
| Bo-Peep" or Jack and JILL" or any OF
the other old favorItes.
! If you have any difficulty in drawing
the figures for the actors, try tracing a
| picture on piece OF transparent paper
| and cutting the pattern from your tracing
| upon the cardboard
| II may he fun 10 make a Mother Goose
series, asking your "audience" at the
presentation OF the entertainment TO
guess from the action what rhyme you
! illustrated.
Fairy stories may be used but they will
require more careful planning. Anybody
| WHO can cut out VI P@pUi Noh
give the fun story of The Ugly Duck
ling In shadow-play and most familiar
fairy tales such as Cinderella, Jack and
the Beanstalk" and Little Red Riding
Hood" are adapted 10 the setting OF your
Shadow Theatre.
The stage properties may include trees.
cut in easy conventional patterns, bushes,
cut half the height OF trees and cut with
irregular scollops to represent foliage. A
| property" house may be added 10 your
| out OF door equipment This should be
cut so ar 10 give good shadow In out
line Windows and door should be COM
! pletely cut out so as TO make clearly
/ defined outlines.
For indoors you should have chairs
| and a table. possibly cupboard or a
| bed. Al any rate, your story may be
| acted with very simple stage-settiDs and
the story itself Will tell you what you
will need to plan for in representing It's
| scenes.
| An old bicycle lantern will make a very
| good light for Illuminating the interior
| OF your Shadow Theatre for night time
| performances. but when YOU are making
| the plays by day you can always prac-
! tise the effect OF the action by placing
J your theatre where the strong light of
| the sun In IA window falls at the back Of
! Your actors to make q dark shadow
| upon the curtain of cloth nailed over the
frame OF the theatre. ...