
T A Y L E R V A R N E Y
P R O P S A R T I S A N
Beauty and the Beast (Zémire Et Azor)
*Puppet Build Team
*Feast Table
Props Apprentice
Skylight Music Theatre; Spring 2017
Directed by James Ortiz
Music Director: Shari Rhoads
Scenic Designer: James Ortiz Costume Designer: Shima Orans Lighting Designer: David Gipson

Photo Courtesy to Mark Frohna Photography & the Skylight Music Theatre
Puppet Build Team
The Skylight Music Theatre's production of the opera Zémire et Azor (Beauty and the Beast) included several puppets, which included the titular character Azor, and a wind spirit. It was all-hands-on-deck in the prop shop to get the puppets built in time for the actors to be able to rehearse with our roughly 7' tall beast, and the 10' long wind spirit. Throughout this process, I became much more familiar with working with flat patterning and foam, such as L200 as well as working in collaboration with so many people to finish a single project. Our puppet build team was headed by our shop manager, Lisa Schlenker, and the puppet and scenic designer James Ortiz, who also directed the production. The mechanics and engineering of the puppets was done by Jessica Scott, and the build team included; Jen Lyons, Meghan Savagian, Maddy Yee, Ana McHenry, Tanya Dhein, Ryan Bennett, Carri Dahl, and myself. Many of us were given specific pieces of the puppet to work on initially, and then we all came together to complete the puppets. My initial task was to assemble Azor's paws.
Video Courtesy of the Skylight Music Theatre
Paper Pattern Piece

Paper Pieces Transferred to Foam

Pieces Held Together with Barge Cement

Knuckles Beginning to Take Shape

Full Size Paw Next to Model

Both Paws Assembled

Paw Pieces

Paw Pieces Loosely Assembled

Paws Filled for Stability and Fit with Wooden Washers

Paws Assembled with Wooden Dowel

Paws Fit into Wrist

Beginning Knuckle Detail

Azor Dry-Fit Test

Feather Detail Shape

Feather Detail Glued and Burned

Wind Spirit Face Assembled

Wind Spirit Dry-Fit Test

Wind Spirit Face Detail Added

Finished Puppets in Performance

Photo Courtesy to Mark Frohna Photography & the Skylight Music Theatre
Feast Table
Before any work began on the puppets, I was given the task of retro-fitting a full sized dining table into a smaller feast table. This included dismantling the existing table, cutting it down and biscuit-joining the pieces back together. I also had to come up with a new way to attach the ornate table legs, stabilize the table, and create a mossy tablecloth using polyester quilt batting, jaxsan, and layers of paint.
Original Table Underside

Dismantling Table Hardware

Table Underside Cleared

Cutting Down the Apron

Table Cut into Quadrants

Fitting the Table Back Together

Securing Table Quadrants with Biscuit Joiner

Gluing and Clamping Table Back Together

Beginning Leg Attachments

Leg Attachment Base

Finished Leg Attachment

Stabilizing Table

Batting and Jaxsan Tablecloth

Tablecloth Painted

Finished Table

Finished Table in Performance

Photo Courtesy to Mark Frohna Photography & the Skylight Music Theatre