Puppet Play Structure

[Chance Marmalade]

I found this on a puppet playwriting website and was planning on adapting it to non puppet plays. It fits well with story telling too so I thought I would share it here!

Puppet Play Fairy Tale Structure

1. The story starts with an absence of a parent or a guardian — a king departs for a trip, a parent dies, etc (in "Narnia" the kids were sent off because of the bombing)

2. A protagonist is left behind, with an order not to do something (not to go into a forbidden room; not to open a door to a stranger) or explicit order to do something (to send an apple to the old woman every dawn, etc). (the kids in Narnia were not suppose to go into the room with the wardrobe)

3. The protagonist does exactly what she/he shouldn’t or doesn’t do what they were suppose to.

4. The antagonist emerges (villain) and a harm is done to the member of the family (a princess is taken by a dragon, a which casts a spell on everyone) (the White Witch emerged, harming their little brother)

5. The protagonist is sent or volunteers to go to find the way to overpower the villain, where usually she/he seeks a magic object or a person who can help—quest is introduced

6. This quest brings her/him to a helper, a creature or a person that knows the secret to overpower the antagonist (Gollum).

7. The protagonist will have two unsuccessful attempts to overpower the antagonist and succeed only the third time.

[Fitzwilly]

Very good find Chance. Would you mind terribly much sharing the website?

[Chance Marmalade]

From this forum entry on Puppets And Stuff - A Community On The Web For Puppeteers.

Another great resource is Free Puppet Scripts and Resources: Search for Scripts

[The_Princess_of_Bozonia]

Might also want to read some of Joseph Campbell's works on the archetypal patterns of myths.
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell

[Fitzwilly]

I haven't thought about Joseph Campbell in years. Thank you Princess.

[Jolly Well]

The Puppeteers' Cooperative Home Page
also has some puppetry resources....