Actual Progress is Being Made

The Majority of Today was involved in a production practice. Apprentice K has finished up his carpentry Proficiency with all of the things that he has built for our stage show.

Pictured here is Apprentice Prealu who is learning how to use a palm sander on the puppet stage. She pent a lot of time today working behind the scenes on items for the stage shows and for our budding clown educational program.

While we were having sanding class Walt {Apprentice K} was assembling the columns. With the exception of some signage the perminate items for the stage have been built. When we have more money we might add some beading and glue on moulding. This will complete the image of a hundred year old River Boat. Until then, what we have will do the job.

Also on the up side we were able to prove the versatility of our puppet stage. We wanted to build something strong and light weight. Apprentice Prealu was able to move the larger section of the stage on her own with out much effort.

We are going to move stuff around with dollies for the most part. Still it is good to know that some of the younger members of the Brigade could assemble the thing if we are short handed.

Also on the docket today was taking pictures for the Basic Clowning Proficiency. This is a picture of her taking a picture of me. You can tell she is really excited by this. We had to take over three hundred pictures and that was only for seven balloon animals. So this going to be a long and super boring process.

We figure that we are going to do instructions for around one hundred balloon animals this year. This will give us all of the instruction that we need for sections three and four.

Apprentice Prealue also was the model for some of the balloons. This is one of the uncropped pictures that will end up in the clown manual.

All and all we accomplished a great deal today. Having the stage items nearing completion is a great thing.

Still, on a personal level moving so quickly on the educational program is a very satisfying thing. We have not been thinking about what is going to have a decade or two from now.

At this point I am still an outside in the great Salvation Army. The bottom line is that people who have different ideas have a hard time getting the people in charge to listen to them. That is the way that is goes in any organization.

Oddly though I have had some folks who are interested in what we are doing at other Corps. They wanted to know if they could so what we are doing in their towns. The major problem with this is that you should really have an experienced clown teaching folks. At this point I have not met another clown in The Salvation Army that is as experienced as myself.

The next best thing would be to hold seminary and develop an all encompassing study course. Until recently I figured that is would take years to make this thing up. In less than a month we have finished what we would need for this type of seminar. At this rate we should have what we need for the first year of training. I figure we should be able to train a core of clown from a corps in a weekend. This groups would work on their skill for a few months. Then myself and a couple of Sr. Clowns would go and train them in the next step.

If we did a yearly training weekend we could train hundred of clowns in this manor over a few years. And we could do it with limited resources.

It is odd how God works. I have been blocked from the ministry I am called to for no good reason, other than being different. Now a ministry that no one is paying attention to has fallen into my lap. There is interest just no way to cultivate it. Odd how the expert on this in the Army has nothing else to now.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Picking Walt's Nose & Building Stuff.

Today was a fun day. It was an important day for Walt. Today he went to the Magic Shop and picked his clown nose. He picked out a purple nose. Good times.

After the nose picking it was time for building clown stuff. Today we were working on several things a puppet stage ans scenery for the upcoming shows.

The most complicated thing we were working on is the puppet stage. It must be free standing and has to stand up to being moved around a great deal. We will be using it not only inside but outside at parks as well.

Being that we do not have much money we are going to have to get several years of use out of this thing as well.

Anyway Walt is working on some scenery on the scroll saw there. Part of the scenery is going to be a series of columns. These will give the illusion that one is on the main deck of a river boat. There are going to be back drops and other things.

The columns are going to be set up a quarter of the way from the back of the stage. That will make it look like the clowns are coming in and out of the deck on the ship.

In this picture I am assembling the Puppet stage. So that it is light enough to be moved around it is made from three sheets of thin ply wood. The from is reinforced with 2x2 and the side by 1x2s. The thing is then stuck together with four bolts and wing nuts.

I have built a couple of these in the past. They are very vestal and have served me well in the past.

Down bellow is a picture of the three sides assembled. As you will notice there is a big open space. And if you look at either side you can see into the stage easily. There is a half circle bar and a curtain the covers up the rest of the open space. After we get it put painted and install the curtain it will look more complete.

Not having all that wood is an advantage of this thing. And have the window up to high the puppeteer is able to sit down inside the stage.

Well be safe out there everyone and keep your stick on the ice.