http://puppetimp.blogspot.com/2011/07/puppet-katamari-casting-call.html

The Puppet Improv Project (an Austin based puppet improv company) which I am a part of is casting for a show at the end of September, beginning of October.  Just wanted to share in case there's anyone in Austin Texas out there reading that wants to come audition.  We could use good puppeteers to join the cast.

Thanks for the thumbs up! hope you get a good response.

I live in the Dallas area which is about 240 miles away from Austin for me (about a 4 hr. drive)  If you can give me more information, I'll see if I can make the trip.  If not, I'll take some vacation time to make the trip next year if you will be auditioning then.  My wife wants us to vacation in Austin next year, anyways.

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure someone on here may be interested in checking this out

Please keep us posted. I would love to see the show when it is performed.  I am in the Houston area, to far to be involved (wish this had been available when I lived in Lockhart).

The show opened this past weekend.  First couple shows had some bumps due to all of the technical issues (we're doing live TV monitor puppetry and switching between that and blacklight puppetry).  However the Sunday show went really smoothly.  Seems like this coming weekend will go well.

Here's some photos of some of the fish I built for the show in action:

Congrats on the opening of your show! The fish look great.

They really do! But Austin is a bit out of the way for me... :-(

Of course I love black light!  Love the fish.  Hope this weekend goes well.

Where is this in Austin and will it be going on next week?  We will be in the Austin area the 5-8.

No, unfortunately.  It's just a two weekend run.  However, Trouble Puppet Company has a show at the Salvage Vanguard Theater if you're looking for something puppet related to do/see.  It's an adaptation of the science fiction novel Riddley Walker.  More info at their website: http://www.troublepuppet.com/Trouble_Puppet/Home.html

I don't know a lot about that particular production, but Trouble Puppet gets a lot of good reviews and is generally well received.  I plan to go see it in the next week or two.  Just as a heads up, it's not for kids.

I just got back from the show, I love how the school of fish seemed to swim together, how did you do that?  Did you have one person that the others followed?  The jelly fish was very cool. All the fish had good fishy movements. My favorite line was that little people are better for the environment.  I did a puppet show at the Texas Commission on Enviromental Quality, that would have been a good line there.  Look forward to seeing your next project.

Thanks for coming Snail!  Unfortunately, that show didn't feel to me like one of our stronger shows.  With it being improv, it's kind of hit and miss.  However, it's often hard for me to separate my own experience of an improv show from the show-as-a-whole.  And I'm often told and reminded to just say thank you when people say nice things.  Overall, we had some good shows, and some great shows.  At any rate, to answer your question, we just practiced moving together as a unit when using the school of fish.  There wasn't any one person in charge of it, the goal was just to be aware and if anyone makes a move, follow.  

Thanks for coming out and supporting the show, I appreciate it!  I'd love to come see any of your work, since we live in the same area.  Please keep me informed about your puppet activities in town and I'll continue to do the same.

The PIP will be doing another show in December called Fleeced.  It'll be an improvised holiday musical with the concept being that the producer has run off with all the money and there are no props, sets, scripts, etc. so the puppets are left to do the show on the fly.  

I could never do improv, I applaud your courage, it looked like you were having fun and the kids sure enjoyed it. I never realized how black light could use the whole depth of the stage and all height elevations.  You were free from the bondage of a flat stage, even going out into the audience, very cool. I was afraid of turning out the lights on my 2-4 yr old audience, but the kids were not scared of black light in your show.