March 30, 2009
Marching towards FestiFools 2009
The hive has been abuzz of late with the frantic, final push to get all the puppets ready for FestiFools 2009. And know this: The April 5 street party will definitely happen — RAIN OR SHINE. So be there, A-squared!
Don’t miss FestiFools 2009!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
4:00–5:00pm (sharp!)
Downtown Ann Arbor (Main St., between Washington and William)
Complete info at festifools.org
FestiFools still needs more volunteers for the day of the event — puppet wranglers, crowd control, merry-makers, and “roadies.” For more information on how you can help out, see FestiFools: Volunteer at the Event and/or email startproject@umich.edu.
I’ve been snooping around the studio over the last several weeks with my camera in tow. It’s my pleasure and privilege to document the massive “behind-the-scenes” effort that goes into creating this 1-hour spectacle. Except as otherwise indicated, the puppet makers captured in these photos are U-M students in Mark Tucker’s Art in Public Spaces course.
The FestiFools studio abuzz — puppets emeriti oversee this year’s work.
Eric Jarrett applies gluey strips of newspaper to the president’s face. We HOPE and BELIEVE that the puppets will be ready by April 5. Yes We Can! | Dave Roston is 100% focused on achieving the perfect, Platonic eggplant.
Amanda Yu and Shuli Qu (School of Public Health volunteers) affix news clippings of great economic and national security significance (“Dancing with the stars…”) to a cardboard puppet skeleton. Amy Sumerton (volunteer) takes a break from her day job as the Program Director at
826michigan to “do glue.” By the way, check out 826michigan’s special pre-Fools program:
Robot-Costume-Building Workshop & FestiFools Invasion!
The studio shoppe (FestiFools T-shirts are also on sale at
Found) | Melissa Gildenberg and Jenny Park seem inexplicably cheerful, given that Jenny is about to be devoured by a giant squid.
![Marching towards FestiFools 2009 | Max [hearts] this puppet.](http://relish.myraklarman.com/images/409.jpg "Marching towards FestiFools 2009 | Max [hearts] this puppet.")
Max [hearts] this puppet.
Corrugated cardboard is no match for the jigsaw-wielding Julian Pedersen. | Cindy Huynh contemplates her puppet, paintbrush in hand.
Joel Swanson and Liz Rother (volunteers) performing late-stage R&D on their jellyfish puppet.
Rachel Brooks strikes carpet-pad pay dirt. | Dave Waterhouse (steering committee member) crafts a fully-articulated, robotic hand for a puppet.
Where’s Waldo? (Keep your eyes peeled…)
See also:
Comments
seriously, you get to photograph the funnest things ever! love these shots!
God, Myra, you really caught it. Terrific!
These are great – hope the parade was fun!!
We had a great time out there on Main St. today! I am glad you were able to hit Kerrytown and spread the word!
What incredible creativity! And all for fun….for the delight in creating and the joy of seeing. Thank you for restoring some semblance of sanity in this tired world! Wonderful pictures which capture the buzz of the workshop so well. Thanks for all of it!
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