by Kosie Smit

If you told me three years ago that I would be building puppets for AVENUE Q, I would not have believed you and would have laughed nervously.

I have an extensive Scenic and Lighting background, and have been producing theatre for almost two decades. On the odd occasion I would agree to build creative elements for productions, but my knowledge of building puppets was very limited.

As a kid I built some puppets with Papier-mâché and they became my little actors in puppet shows. They were very basic.

When the opportunity arose for me to build AVENUE Q’s puppets, I grabbed it with both hands and tackled the challenge head on. I had to build 18 puppets from scratch and they not only had to conform to the director’s needs, but also had to be moulded on the character descriptions and personalities described in the script.

I did an in-depth study on Puppet Mechanics at the University of YouTube, and then started building enthusiastically. Every puppet is unique and has a particular personality. Each one also has its own unique problems when it comes too physically building them – but you fall in love with each one because you work so intimately with them.

I did not realise how long each puppet would take to construct. The process is incredibly time-consuming. From start to finish it can take up to 5 days to complete a single puppet. I am sure that with some practise it will get faster.

I had to create and construct unique patterns for each puppet. The patterns have to be cut out of felt and then hand-stitched. Foam is sculpted to create the different body parts.

There are 12 different puppet characters in the production but we have realised that it is too time-consuming to undress them quickly because of the mechanics and their build, so we had to build multiple sets to assist with quicker costume changes.

The puppets are made up of a combination of foam, fur, felt and fleece. All details, such as the eyes are handcrafted and the hair is made of faux fur or synthetic wigs.

Creating these little people was a daunting but exhilarating task. It was a vast learning curve for me, but I truly loved the process. I often get asked which puppet is my favourite, but I am unfortunately not able to tell as they all feel a little bit like my own children.

Avenue Q

Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre from 10 May 2018

Wednesdays – 20:00

Thursdays – 20:00

Fridays – 20:00

Saturdays – 16:00 and 20:00

Sundays – 15:00

Tickets range from R100 – R350 and are available through Computicket. Discounts are available for block bookings – contact Geraldine on geraldine@montetheatre.co.za for block booking discounts.

Click here to read more about the Human Cast of Avenue Q!

[box type=”warning” align=”alignright” ] [dropcap]PG16[/dropcap]

Er, well, this is where it gets a bit fuzzy. If your teenager is mature enough to see a musical about issues such as sex, drinking, and surfing the web for porn, then they’ll probably love AVENUE Q too! Only you can judge. It’s hard to say what exact age is right to see AVENUE Q – parents should use their discretion based on the maturity level of their children. But we promise you this – if you do bring your teenagers to AVENUE Q – they’ll think you’re really cool![/box]

The post Avenue Q: Creating the Puppets with Kosie Smit appeared first on Stage and Screen.

In 2004, on Broadway, against all the odds, a little show called Avenue Q snatched 3 Tony Awards for Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical from a monster hit, Wicket. This year, VR Theatrical and Kosie Smit are proud to present that triple Tony Winner to Johannesburg Audiences.

The Broadway production was described as ‘equal parts puppetry, comedy and catchy tunes’. Avenue Q is a laugh-out-loud comedy musical that tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the residents seem nice, it is clear that this is not your ordinary neighbourhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

The South African premiere will be Directed and Choreographed by Timothy le Roux, with Musical Direction by Dawid Boverhoff. Kosie Smit is tasked with Puppet Creation as well as Scenic Design. Lighting Design is by Oliver Hauser.

Le Roux said: “The all South African cast were put through their paces at auditions late last year. In musical theatre jargon the term ‘triple threat’ is often used to describe a person who is good at acting, singing and dancing. What makes this piece of theatre unique is that it includes all that – plus puppetry skills, which requires intensive training for our actors.”

The cast features stellar performers: Ashleigh Harvey as Kate Monster/Lucy, Clive Gilson as Princeton/Rod, Daniel Geddes as Nicky/Trekkie Monster, Grant Towers as Brian, Yamikani Mahaka-Phiri as Gary Coleman, Rebecca Hartle as Christmas Eve, Nieke Lombard as Bad Idea Bear, Graeme Wicks as Bad Idea Bear and Songezo Khumalo will fulfill various Understudy Roles.

Avenue Q is special in that the actors operate the puppets in full view of the audience, using both their hands while singing, acting and dancing. AVENUE Q contains scenes which may be unsuitable for children under 16. Children under 5 will not be admitted.

Avenue Q

Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre from 10 May 2018

Wednesdays – 20:00

Thursdays – 20:00

Fridays – 20:00

Saturdays – 16:00 and 20:00

Sundays – 15:00

Tickets range from R100 – R350 and are available through Computicket. Discounts are available for block bookings – contact Geraldine on geraldine@montetheatre.co.za for block booking discounts.

[box type=”warning” align=”alignright” ] [dropcap]PG16[/dropcap]

Er, well, this is where it gets a bit fuzzy. If your teenager is mature enough to see a musical about issues such as sex, drinking, and surfing the web for porn, then they’ll probably love AVENUE Q too! Only you can judge. It’s hard to say what exact age is right to see AVENUE Q – parents should use their discretion based on the maturity level of their children. But we promise you this – if you do bring your teenagers to AVENUE Q – they’ll think you’re really cool![/box]

The post Avenue Q appeared first on Stage and Screen.

By Louw Mulder

Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of today’s life, it is just refreshingly entertaining to sit back, relax, and let the magic of a feel-good, almost panto-style musical take over. And that is a little understatement of how much I enjoyed Shrek, The Musical, which opened last night at the Lyric theatre in Gold Reef city.

Telling this very famous tale of Shrek, Donkey and Fiona on stage, on the back of a very successful and well known animation film, can seem to be a daunting task, but KickstArt Productions did very well doing just that. Normally I would start a review by praising the cast, but before doing so, I believe it will be most appropriate to lead this write-up with the amazing job the creative team did.

Lead by director Steven Stead, the South African production, based on the original Broadway show in New York was staged in just as a colourful and energetic fashion, as the overseas original. I must make special mention of the costumes, originally designed by Tim Hately, which was perfectly brought to life by South Africa’s Shanthi Naidoo. With freaks from all genres of different fairy tales, it was a perfected task, fitting all these roles into character.

Award-winning Choreographer, Janine Bennewith, stepped up to the party in a fabulous way. The dancing was simply spectacular, bearing in mind her work had to take into consideration the limitations in movements, brought on by the identifiable costumes and the prosthetics. The costumes and choreography, which never lost any of its energy, was without a doubt the winning combination that brought life into the story, played out on the Shrektacular Music, composed by Jeanine Tesori. The score is being conducted to the right sounds in this South African production by Naledi Winning MD, Rowan Bakker.

The reason why I referred to this musical in my introductory paragraph as almost panto-style, was by no means condescending, but in fact a crucial component of this experience. Even the farting-fight and burping-battle between Shrek and Fiona, got that beautiful sounds of children’s’ laughter to fill the auditorium. As Stead explained in his radio interview before the show; visually, it is for the kids, but if you as an adult let yourself go and follow the dialogue, it is just as much a show for the adults, as for the little people.

The puppets’ contribution to the holistic enjoyment of the fantasy, was executed in the most fascinating way, and hats off to the puppeteers who were responsible for doing so. From exploding singing birds, cheerful little mice, to even the larger-than-life purple dragon, played their part in making this production so worthwhile for the kids, but also surprisingly pleasant for the grown-ups. Well done to designer Greg King, one of KickstArt Productions’ founding members, and former Puppet master at the Playhouse Puppet Company. This work was magical to watch.

So, with all the creative sides done, only one aspect of this musical still remains. That will be the voices, feet and faces on stage telling the story – the cast. Applause to the very young and talented company, which was built up with sheer delight within their core. From Lyle Buxton as Shrek, Rory Booth as the beloved Donkey, Jessica Sole as Fiona, to even Graeme Wicks and Shani Mclea as Pinnochio and young Fiona respectively, every actor owned their character, and the complete dedication was noticeable.

But the performance of the night, and I am sure will be throughout their season, is that of Jacobus van Heerden, in the role of Lord Farqaad. Lord Farqaad is the corrupt, very short and arrogant prince, who need to marry a princess in order to become king. With the stunning costume design, van Heerden played his part on his knees, and managed to do so quite convincingly. His dedication to his role, the choreography while acting on your knees, and the sheer mastery of his acting talents, were all put together to create one of the most enjoyable villains I have ever seen on stage. There is still much to be spoken about van Heerden’s talent, but it is best experienced live on stage.

Names in the ensemble include Megan Restall, Luciano Zuppa, Senna Moreira, Ashleigh Harvey, Devon Flemmer, Senzesihle Radebe, Haylea Heyns, as well as talented stage stars such as JP Rossouw, Adam Dorè, Samuel Hyde and Tumelo Tokgwi to name but a few of the 30-member cast. Well done to all of you, and you are not freaks.

Shreck is not a serious musical, so please do not go and expect such. Go there to be entertained as much as I was. If you let your inner youth out, and just sit back to take it all in, you might find yourself seriously entertained. If I could, this musical would have received 7 Curtain Calls from us.

Shrek and the team from his Swamp will still adore audiences at the Lyric theatre, Gold Reef City until the 17^th of July 2016.

Photos by Mariola Biela

The post Shrek, The Musical appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Make room for ogre-sized family fun as the greatest fairy-tale never told comes to life in the Broadway and West End hit Shrek The Musical which heads to Johannesburg for a limited season at Gold Reef City from 24 June to 17 July 2016.

From the producers of Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret and more recently Sweeney Todd, KickstArt now brings Jozi audiences the musical stage adaptation of DreamWork’s global movie phenomenon Shrek!, set to delight old and young during the June/July holidays.

The talented local 28-strong cast will be bringing these instantly recognizable characters to life in this fabulous, fun, charming and hugely funny musical.  The leads are portrayed by Lyle Buxton (Cabaret, Annie, Beauty and the Beast, Sweeney Todd) as Shrek, Rory Booth (Xtrafactor, Puss in Boots, Aladdin) as Donkey and Jessica Sole (Cabaret, I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, Orpheus in Africa) as Princess Fiona.

Also in the cast are Jacobus van Heerden (Popcorn, Little Shop of Horrors, The Ladykillers) as the diminutive Lord Farquaad; Graeme Wicks (Sweeney Todd, Aladdin) as Pinocchio; Charon Williams Ros as Gingy the Gingerbread Man and a ferocious fire-breathing dragon…. With a huge cast of fairytale characters, and a chorus of tap dancing rats!!

The stellar cast also includes; Ashleigh Harvey, Kyra Green, Luciano Zuppa, Samuel Hyde, Daniel Fisher, Tumelo Tokgwi, Senzo Radebe, Zchane Zietsman, Shani McLea, Sarah Richard, Caitlyn Thompson, Sarah Falconer and more.

The Johannesburg premiere of the hit Broadway show Shrek The Musical will be the first of many major productions to be staged at Gold Reef City following the completion of the recent multi-million Rand redevelopment; the premiere entertainment destination in the south of Johannesburg.

“The recent extensive refurbishment and expansion of Gold Reef City has created a perfect opportunity for us to stage this superb and larger-than-life Broadway inspired musical adaptation of the hit movie “Shrek”.  This magnificent production will feature a large cast, spectacular music and great humour that will delight both children and adults alike”, says Noeleen Bruton,  Director of Marketing – Tsogo Sun Group.

Shrek the Musical is directed by Steven Stead, designed by Greg King, choreographed by Janine Bennewith, lighting by Tina le Roux with musical direction by Rowan Bakker. It is based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture Shrek! and the book by William Steig. The musical adaptation has book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori.

Shrek the Musical has become a global phenomenon with productions staged internationally including on the WestEnd and Broadway. With an enormous cast, a fabulous score; speedy set changes; extravagant costumes, prosthetics and make-up – this is quite possibly one of the most challenging and elaborate productions staged by multi-award winning producers, KickstArt. It promises to be quite extraordinary, deliciously funny and a joyous romp for the whole family!

The story revolves around a benign ogre named Shrek who lives contentedly alone in a swamp. However, his solitude is disrupted when a band of disgruntled fairytale creatures show up on his property after having been banished from the Kingdom of Duloc, on pain of death, by the evil Lord Farquaad.

Irritated by having to share his swamp, Shrek journeys to see Farquaad  with the intention of regaining his privacy. On the road, he rescues a talkative donkey who insists on tagging along to show him the way. Shrek and Donkey arrive in Duloc where Farquaad demands that Shrek rescue his intended, Princess Fiona. The two unlikely friends set off to save Fiona. After a quest involving a fire-breathing lady dragon, Princess Fiona is “rescued” from the tower by Shrek. On the way back to Duloc, Shrek and Princess Fiona get better acquainted and Donkey tries, unsuccessfully, to match-make them.

As Princess Fiona and Lord Farquaad are about to be married, there is an uprising from the fairytale characters, and Princess Fiona realises that Lord Farqaad is perhaps not her champion after all. And in the tradition of all good fairy stories, the villain is vanquished, the hero finds true love, and they all live happily ever after….

In the recent BroadwayWorld.com 2015 Awards, Shrek received two further awards; for best Costume Design (Greg King) and Best Family Friendly Entertainment.  And now it’s Jozi’s turn to enjoy this Shrektacular theatre production that’s been turbo charged as it brings a favourite movie to life on stage!  There is no better quality entertainment to be enjoyed in the winter holidays that’s ideal for everyone, not just the kids. A Broadway production at an affordable price!

Shrek The Musical is on at The Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City

24 June to 17 July 2016.

Afternoon performances run from Wednesdays to Sundays at 14h30 with evening performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 19h30.

Bookings can be made at www.goldreefcity.co.za or by calling The Gold Reef City Box Office on 011 248 5000 or through Computicket.

Tickets range from R150 – R290.

A variety of discounts apply:Tsogo Sun Rewards cardholders enjoy instant savings: 10% (Gold); 15% (Platinum); 20% (Black).

Group bookings of 20 or more qualify for a 10% discount if booked directly with the Gold Reef City Box Office only on

011 248 5000.

Edgars Club card holders enjoy a 10% discount.

Shrek-tacular Show & Stay Deals are available at The Gold Reef City Theme Park Hotel and include a delicious buffet breakfast at Barney’s Restaurant, access to all major rides and entertainment in the Theme Park, show tickets, and complimentary shuttle service to and from the casino complex.  Visit goldreefcity.co.za for information, contact Gold Reef City Reservations on 011 248 5700, or email Goldreef.reservations@tsogosun.com to book today.

The show runs for 2 hours 10 minutes with a 20-minute interval.

NO CHILDREN UNDER 4 YEARS will be admitted into the auditorium.

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