Art Imitates Life

Art Imitates Life

We write a puppet play based on a special visit at camp . . .

     The Reptile Guy was coming to our camp!  Some of us remembered Mr. Glenn from his previous visit last year, and we were excited that he was coming again.  He carried a lot of cases loaded with reptiles to our building.  It took a few minutes for him to set up.  We peeked through some of the cages. 

       Each one of us had several opportunities to touch an animal. Mr. Glenn shared information about their habitats and diets.   At the end of the day, Mr. Glenn needed some assistance.  He said to our group, "You're not regular campers, are you?"  Of course not.  We're the big kids!  He then asked us to carry some of the cases out of building, down the stairs, through the playground and over to the gate--if it was okay with the Morah.  We were happy to oblige.

     Then, our Morah asked him, "Did you ever visit a place with all your reptiles, and then forget one of them?  Seems like you have so many."  We were wondering, could it be possible to leave a reptile, loose at camp?

     Mr. Glenn said, "Yes, it's happened."  So we got to thinking.  We had spoken about making a puppet show, here was the perfect scenario.  A reptile, on-the-loose at our camp!

     So, did we start at the beginning?  No, not at all!  Before planning a story, creating characters, and writing a script, we decided to make the tickets.  And that's what we did. 

     There would be several jobs:  puppet-making, acting with the puppets, selling tickets and collecting tickets, preparing and giving out snacks.  We had all the bases covered.

     Our tickets would go in a bowl.  Henia works on our paper mache bowls.  Last summer, we learned to prepare paper mache when we made small bowls for Father's Day.  Now we prepared two big ones.

     Finally, time to write the script.  The setting?  Intown Jewish Preschool.  The problem?  A lost iguana.  Solution?  The iguana is found. The main character?  A reptile man named Mr. Banana Pants.  (Above:  Levi, Sam, Sam, Reed, Darren, Morah Susan and Chana work on the script.)

(Above, Pearl and Henia sell tickets for 25 cents to some of the other campers.  The price includes a snack with the puppet show!)

     The children wrote a chant for the puppet show, sung at the beginning and end of the show.  It was based on Mr. Glenn's storyline about traveling the world to collect reptiles.

Africa, Australia, Asia, Atlanta

Only places that begin with an A

That’s where Mr. Banana Pants likes to say,

“Look for reptiles every day!”

On the day of the show, Dovid offers snacks that he had prepared earlier.

     Finally, finally, we are ready for action!  Some of the script is based upon the real events here at camp:  

IJP Director:  Mr. Banana Pants, can you please come to IJP?

Mr. Banana Pants:  Oh, for bubbles?

IJP Director:  No.

Mr. Banana Pants:  Oh, for a magic show?

IJP Director:  No.

Mr. Banana Pants:  Oh, to sell ice cream?

IJP Director:  No.

Mr. Banana Pants:  Oh, to do sports and tree climbing?

IJP Director:  No.  Please bring your reptiles.

      We had a good time!

Morah Susan and the Junior Counselors and campers of Kitah Vav-Zayin-Ches