Teaching article
Stage positions need an audience reference
Agree on positions relative to the performance area.
A tabletop stage can show near, far and side positions without requiring whole-body performance. Mark the audience edge first so everyone interprets the space consistently when placing or moving the paper characters.
To hand: A miniature paper stage.
Mark the audience side. Place characters. Describe positions.
Fix the viewpoint before naming positions
Keep the audience reference marked on the model. Position labels become meaningful only when performers share the same spatial convention.
A character near the audience edge differs from one at the back.
Establish viewpoint before using directions. Which position is intended?
Use labelled zones.
Resources
- Draw the Marionette Puppet – Creative Art Worksheet for Kids — Use the puppet drawing as a fictional character-design starting point; add the scene actions or script separately.
Further reading
Read next
- A freeze frame can be built from paper figures
- Choose a puppet mechanism that supports the intended action
- Pause an original scene where several continuations are possible
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