Things You'll Need:
- Plywood
- Broomstick or long dowel
- White sheet
- Work light on stand
- Utility table
- Upright supports
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Step 1
Choose your puppets. Making shadow puppets is fun. You need flat cardboard cutouts that are easily recognized. Use only figures that cast an identifiable shadow. Cut them out and glue them onto long thin dowels.
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Step 2
Build the stage by erecting the screen holder. The top of the screen must be 5 to 6 feet high to allow you to maneuver the puppets behind it secretly. Hang a broom handle, or longer dowel between 2 upright supports and attach a plain white sheet, or suspend the dowel from the ceiling on each side to the desired height. (See Resources).
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Step 3
Hang the sheet on your dowel in a single thickness. You will need to staple, tape or tack it to the dowel. Letting it drape over the backside will ruin your shadow puppet show, by distorting the images. Iron it before hanging to provide a smooth screen.
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Step 4
Set up your light source. A work light that shines in a single direction is the best choice. Make sure you have your light situated at the same height as the screen to prevent shadow distortion.
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Step 5
Block off the bottom of your stage by using a solid sheet of plywood or a large utility table, turned on its side to provide you with a backstage area. From here, you will hold up your shadow puppets as they perform their magic for the youngsters.
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Step 6
Rehearse your production before the big night to make sure you know the correct distance from the sheet to hold your shadow puppets. Practice moving them closer and further from the screen to lend the appearance of growing and shrinking. Ask an assistant to watch and tell you how they look.
