by Kita
This week, I found myself in what is quickly becoming a familiar stomping ground- The Arts Hub by the Utah Arts Alliance. I was there for, of all things, a puppet show. Rather, I was there for their rehearsal. The Kipper Brothers’ Puppet Works is a Salt Lake local company, designing, building, and working with puppets. They are made up of Shelby, Eva, Bonnie, Madison, and Russell.
Perhaps one of the rarer art forms we’ve ever worked with here at Nomad Nouvelle, I had almost no concept of even how to begin an interview, and yet, as I sat and watched their rehearsal, I could see a vast range of art packed into one fantastic and funny show. Acting, writing, and sheer craftwork being amongst those skills included. A funny, intelligent, and charismatic group of people made stories come to life before me.
Their leader seems to be Shelby Rickart, a fearless amazon of a woman, tall and smiling, who tells me she’s only really been making puppets for about six years, excluding a few childhood projects. Still, six years seems to be all she’s needed, as the work is top brass. It’s a small field, and yet, she’s quickly taken her work into some of the strongest in the area.
Kita: So how long have you been doing all of this?
Shelby: This has been going on for about two years, the Kipper Brothers’ Puppet Works, but I started making puppets when I was a little girl. I grew up with Cecil and Lamb Chop. But I didn’t really get into them much, and then about six years ago, I started making marionettes. I wanted to figure out how they worked. Then I wanted to make this puppet and that puppet, and eventually I thought, “Well, it may be fun to try and have a company.” I found this space, and the suddenly I had all these puppeteers and it just seemed like it was meant to be.
Kita: How did you find your puppeteers? It seems like it would be a small pool to pull from.
Shelby: I just found one through an ad. The others just came to me through other things I was working on at the time. The universe said, “Yes, it needs to happen.”
Kita: How do you come up with your story lines?
Shelby: Most of what we do right now is for kids. We started out doing “No Bully” puppets. There’s three “No Bully” shows. We have Monster School, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, and then we have a Zoo After Dark. Those are the very first ones that we did. Then we wanted to do some Halloween shows, so we have Georgie the Ghost, which was a story book that I had when I was a little kid. There’s also the The Witch Who Wasn’t, which was also a story book. There’s been some songs and funny things. We have a Christmas one, too. There’s Home Is Where The Ice Is. Sometimes you get a show from just thinking about a puppet and what you want to make. You can create a story around them. We want to do some bigger shows, and a more adult show, too.
Kita: When you started getting into puppetry, did you want to perform with it, or did that just kind of happen?
Shelby: I thought I’d try it. There was a group that was together for a few shows about six years ago, and then it just kind of fell by the wayside. Then I retired from teaching, and I had the time to really put into it.
Kita: What have been your biggest struggles?
Shelby: Sometimes a puppet is a struggle. Trying to make one. I think getting the word out that we’re here is one. We do shows at the library, and we’re busy, but I think we could be a little busier. Finding the right length for a show is another. If it’s too short, then the librarians get upset, but if it’s too long, you’ve lost the kids. Learning what’s a good formula for a show, and what they like or don’t like.
Kita: What is your favorite part of all of this?
Shelby: Making them. I love making them. I like writing the scripts, but making the puppets is my favorite.
Kita: Do you find that you enjoy the arts scene here?
Shelby: Yes! I love being here. I just got hooked up with the Urban Arts Gallery to sell puppets, and it’s great. It’s really nice to be here, and the whole atmosphere of the Arts Hub is creative.
Kita: Do you find that your particular brand of art gets respected?
Shelby: Yes. People like puppets. I think sometimes they think puppets are for just kids, but there’s more to it than that. Last summer, I went to a puppet convention back in Philadelphia, and very few of the shows were kid oriented. They were more for adults, and the things they were doing were awesome. The lighting and the kinds of puppets they were using. It was just, “Wow!” I think you have to get away from the idea that this is just for little kids, but you really have to build an audience for it.
Kita: Do you ever get stage fright?
Shelby: Less than when I’m not behind the stage! I get nervous if we have not super well rehearsed. That’s happened, but a lot of it is improv. We have the script on a tablet, but then, if you get away from the script, it’s okay.
Kita: Is it hard to be in a scripted show?
Shelby: I don’t think so. I think the scripts work. Some of us are more dependant on the script than others, but that’s okay. Once we’ve done a show about three times, we can kind of do it away from the script more. It’s a little easier then.
Kita: From the beginning concept that you might have in your head, to the finished puppet, what goes into making it?
Shelby: It depends on the puppet. There’s ones that are basically just on a stick. That’s pretty easy. For something a little more complex, you have to start with the mouth and construct everything around that. I don’t always know what I’m going to end up with. So it really depends on the puppet. You have to think about how it’s going to be operated. It’s all logistics. Sometimes you’ve got a puppet in one hand and a prop on the other. It’s all about who’s doing what.
To get more info on this great company, check their website here: http://kipperpuppets.com/
Have anyone you’d like us to chat with? Send a suggestion in the comments below!
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