INTERACTIVE PUPPET PERFORMANCE ROUTINES
“HAPPY
BIRD-DAY” 6 min.
Return
to AxTrax Web Page
FOR USE WITH AXTELL’S BIRD
PUPPETS AND THE “BIRD ARM ILLUSION”
© COPYRIGHT 1994 / 2002 AXTRAX PUBLISHING
DIV. OF AXTELL EXPRESSIONS! (805)
642-7282
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY: STEVE
AXTELL
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS: BILL BOLEY,
GREG JACKSON & RYAN AXTELL
MUSIC SOUND EFFECTS AND
ENGINEERING BY: GREG JACKSON
RECORDED AT: TREEHOUSE
PRODUCTIONS and AXTELL ENTERTAINMENT
LEGAL NOTICE: By purchasing this routine you have the
right to perform this routine and it’s musical components in live performances
only. Not for use on television or on
Video Productions without written permission.
Limited Warranty of 3 weeks to replace damaged media. No refunds on electronic media.
© Copyright and Trademark Axtell Expressions, Inc. All rights reserved.
SEE OTHER AXTRAX PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE
FOR PUPPETS AND THE MAGIC DRAWING BOARD AT www.axtell.com
CD TRACK #1: Performance (Does not
include your practice lines - use this to perform live.)
CD TRACK #2:
Rehearsal (Includes your
practice lines (YOU) that you will perform live.)
CDTRACKS #3-7:
(Music only. For vents who want to do both parts and cue the music. Cues
are numbered in the script.)
#3:
Opening/
closing music
#4:
I Am a Bird: full
#5:
I Am a Bird: crash
#6:
I Am a Bird: stop
#7:
Happy Bird-day song
PAUSES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE RECORDING TO ANTICIPATE
AUDIENCE LAUGHTER
YOU CAN MODIFY THE (YOU) LINES TO FIT YOUR PERSONALITY. REWRITE AND BE CREATIVE!
SOUND ADVISE: You can perform this routine by playing the CD on a
quality "boom box" portable stereo player in small areas, or over a
professional sound system in large areas such as an auditorium or outside. Do
not play on a small inexpensive CD player because the sound will distort when
you try to play it loudly.
The CD should be played with plenty of volume. Kids will be laughing hard and will miss the
routine if it is too quiet, and adults may keep laughter to a minimum for fear
of missing parts of the program. The
volume of the CD should be set about the same as if you were speaking over a
microphone to be heard by the group, or louder.
It is best to have
the CD played over a public address system and have the soundman preset the
volume level to be compatible with the your microphone level.
YOU: Boys and girls, I have a treat
for you today. I just bought a talking
bird. Would you like to see him? Okay, I’ll
bring him out in a minute, but first I’m going to slip on these gloves because
he’s still a little bit wild and I’ll be right back.
(#3) OPENING MUSIC
(Go
get the Bird and Arm Illusion on)
DURING MUSIC - Go to
your cover of a trunk lid etc. And
while you put on the bird arm illusion and puppet, act like you are struggling
with the bird and throw some feathers up into the air. You can get colored feathers from any craft
shop. Make your bird squawk and carry
on from behind a cover, then slowly come out with the bird, holding him by the
chest as if to keep him from flying away.
You can also make the Arm and Puppet very easy to slip into by setting up yours in the following manner: Mount the bird arm to a coffee can (with both ends cut out) or similar rigid tube. Attach Velcro around the can, put the bird puppet on over the can and the bird arm strap. Your bird is now one unit with the can and arm. You can slip into the can quite quickly this way!
NOTE: You
will get a laugh when you bring out the goofy puppet bird because of your big
build up. The visual contrast is very funny.
YOU: This is my pet bird. Can you say
“hello” to the folks?
BIRD: Hello
to the folks! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (LAUGHTER)
YOU: No, just say “hi” to them.
BIRD: Hi
to them. Ha ha ha ha ha (LAUGHTER)
YOU: No, don’t repeat me - just say
the word “hello” and that’s all.
BIRD: Hello
and that’s all. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! (LAUGHTER)
YOU: Ooh! Everyone, this is (name of puppet), and I’ve taught him to sing a
special song for your birthday party.
BIRD: Hey,
aren’t you going to tell them your name?
YOU: Surely.
BIRD: Your
name’s Shirley?
YOU: (Name
of puppet), first I’ll tell them my name and then you can sing your song. My
name is…
BIRD: I am a bird, (Honk honk)
(#4) I am a bird, (honk
honk)
I am a bird, I am a bird, I am a
bird.
I
have feathers in my nose
And in-between
my toes,
I’m a bird, I’m
a bird, I’m a bird! (Honk) (LAUGHTER)
NOTE: Press
beak on your shoulder on honks. Make the last honk BIG and have the bird look
directly up at your face for a reaction.
Have an irritated look. During
the song, look back and forth between the bird and audience, bewildered.
YOU: Now stop that. I’m trying to tell the audience what my name
is.
BIRD: I
just love to sing…ha, ha, ha. (LAUGHTER)
YOU: I know you do, and I’ll have you
sing right after I tell them my name.
BIRD: Well,
don’t let me stop you.
YOU: My name is......
NOTE:
Make your sentence slower or longer.
Continue until he actually interrupts you. There should not be a break between your live voice and his
interruption.
BIRD: I’m
not going to bother you, huh uh. Ha, ha, ha (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (VERY FRUSTRATED) My name......
BIRD: I’m
just going to sit here and keep my beak shut.
Ha ha ha ha.
YOU: (Name of puppet) , PLEASE BE
QUIET SO I CAN TELL THEM MY NAME!
(Very
frustrated, huffing and puffing - grabbing your own face)
NOTE:
continue to be frustrated through his lines up until he starts to relax
you.
BIRD: Hey,
calm down there ...relax...come on, get a grip...hey, don’t fall to
pieces.......hey, take a few deep breaths deep like this ( deep breaths 2
times)
YOU: (Deep breath)
BIRD: There now, take another one.
YOU: (Another deep breath)
BIRD: Now, are you all calm and
relaxed?
YOU: (Very relaxed) Yes, a... thank you.
BIRD: Now, just go ahead and tell ‘em
your name.
YOU: (Exhale) Okay, my name is.....
BIRD: I am a bird, (honk honk)
(#5) I am a bird, (honk
honk)
I am a bird, I
am a bird, I am a...
NOTE: Jump
when the bird starts to sing.
YOU: (Close his beak and quiet him)
Are
you finished?
NOTE-
Do not grab the bird too hard or too tight, do not look too angry in the
face. Kids will be watching very
intently during this bit of physical play.
Do it more in a fun fashion like you are quieting a child acting
silly. Make it real funny not violent, or
you may scare a little child and ruin your show. Also parents may complain of being too rough.
BIRD: (Muffled) Mm-hum.
YOU: (Still holding beak) My name is
(your name). (Sigh of relief - let go
of bird’s beak)
BIRD: What took you so long? Ha ha ha
ha ha ha (LAUGHTER)
YOU: Oh (name of puppet)!
BIRD: Hey, why are they all staring at
us? (LAUGHTER)
YOU: Well, we’re all here at this
birthday party....
BIRD: A BIRD - DAY PARTY, FOR ME?
YOU: No, not a BIRD-day party - a
BIRTH- day party.
BIRD: Well, that’s what I said, so
you’re having a BIRD-day party for me.
Ha ha, well thank you, thank you, thank you! Ha ha ha ha ha ha (LAUGHTER)
YOU: NOT BIRD…BIRTH!!! B-I-R-T-H!
BIRD: ...spells “bird” ...and I’m the
only bird here!
(#6) I am a bird.
I am a bird.
I am a
b... (close beak)
YOU: (Name
of puppet), STOP! This party is not for
you.
BIRD: Oh, you mean there is another
bird here? (Looking around) (LAUGHTER)
YOU: Okay (name of puppet), look. Look
at this kid right here. This is (name
of birthday kid)
BIRD: Well, they don’t look like a
bird to me (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (Name of puppet)!
BIRD: They don’t have any feathers. (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (Name of puppet)!!
BIRD: (To child) Do you like to eat worms? (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (Name of puppet)!!!
BIRD: Well, let’s see you lay an egg
then! (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (Name of puppet)! They’re not a bird! And this is not a BIRD-day party, it’s a
BIRTH-day party. You see, this child is having a party to celebrate their
birth.
BIRD: Well,
congradja....congradja.......good fer you! Ha ha ha! (LAUGHTER)
So
when did you hatch? (LAUGHTER)
YOU: They didn’t hatch....hey (name
of puppet), okay look, could you just sing “Happy Birthday” to them?
BIRD: Happy bird-day? Even though they are not a bird? (LAUGHTER)
YOU: (Sigh) Ahhhhh......yes, just sing the song, PLEASE!
NOTE: He
just wore you out. Roll your eyes in an
“I give up” manner.
BIRD: Sure. Hit it, maestro.
(#7) (piano roll)
NOTE: You
do a double take at the tape recorder and then to audience. Very cartoony reaction like you are shocked
that it is cooperating with your bird.
Shocked.
BIRD: Me, Me, Me…
NOTE:
You squint at his
off key voice. Like eating a lemon.
(piano
roll and 3 notes)
Me,
Me, Me…
(3
off key piano roll)
There
you go, perfect! (LAUGHTER)
Happy
BIRD – day…
YOU: BIRTHDAY!
NOTE:
when you correct him
you can touch him and have him glance at you, but he continues to go on in his
silliness.
BIRD: to me…
YOU: Not to you - to them! (POINT)
BIRD: Happy bird-day to them. (LAUGHTER)
Happy
bird-day...even though you aren’t a real bird…
and
now the big finish!...
Happy
bird-day to........ you!
Ha, ha, ha, ha…I just love Bird-day parties!
NOTE: You
are so embarrassed at this display that you are just shaking your head back and
forth either looking at the ground or closing your eyes, like you are getting a
headache, and finally he honks his nose on you and you jump again.
YOU: Thank you, (name of
puppet). Let’s all give (name of
puppet) a big hand! Ha, ha, ha.
(Take
off arm illusion and bird behind some cover, or exit.)
(#3) CLOSING MUSIC
END
NOTE: This makes a wonderful ending or
opening for your birthday show.