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A hands-on workshop
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Times photo: Brian Gray Gracie Williams, 10, Brodhead, practices with her puppets in front of a mirror Saturday at the Monroe Theatre Guilds Junk Puppet workshop. Williams and other children made their puppets out of basic supplies they can find at home. They made a music video using their puppets.
MONROE - Children learned they can do a lot with a few art supplies and their imaginations Saturday at the Monroe Theatre Guild's junk puppet and music video workshop.

The children, ages 8 to 12, spent a couple of hours making puppets out of supplies on hand at the STAGE Building, workshop teacher Suzanne Miller said. Their goal was to use their imaginations to make a puppet unlike any others. The puppets were made out of things they could find around their own homes.

When they were done, they could show off their own, special puppets.

They even gave their puppets names.

"Crazy George," "Mr. Monkey," "Dr. Coconut," they said with smiles as they held them up for everyone else to see.

Making puppets only was part of the workshop. The kids were able to use them to make a music video.

The challenge was to use the puppets to fit the songs in the video.

"They're learning the connection between music and theater," Miller said. "It's important they listen to the words."

The workshop was part of the Monroe Theatre Guild's Stage Right program, which teaches about acting, music, design and technical theater. It allows children of all ages the chance to learn about the theater.

More information about the Monroe Theatre Guild is available at monroetheatre@tds.net or at 325-1111.