Photos and Text By Kim Kalunian, WPRO Arts and Entertainment
“War Horse” rides into town Wednesday night, and to celebrate, cast members took one of their life-sized horse puppets, Joey, out on the streets of Providence.
Emerging from beneath the glittering Providence Performing Arts Center marquee, Joey stood proud at 8 feet tall. The puppet weighs 120 pounds, and is operated by three actors who expertly bring the aluminum and leather frame to life.
“War Horse” centers on Joey, the beloved horse of English boy, Albert. When Joey is enlisted to fight in World War I, Albert, not yet old enough to enlist, embarks on a mission to find his best friend and bring him home.
The play has been widely acclaimed and won five TONY awards for its Broadway run. In addition to touring the U.S., “War Horse” is currently playing London’s West End.
Though Joey is made for the stage, the puppet proved quite convincing to the crowd gathered outside PPAC Tuesday, as well as two Providence Police horses, Adonis and Sardelli. The pair got the chance to come face to face with Joey during the afternoon demonstration, and each gave him a gentle nuzzle.
Mounted Police Officer Tara DaSilva said she wasn’t sure how the horses would react, but was pleasantly surprised to see them greet the puppet so tenderly.
Back in the theater, the team of three actors inside the puppet demonstrated its range of motion, and offered a glimpse into how they create the neighs and brays Joey makes.
Danny Yoerges, Jessica Krueger and Brian Robert Burns all work seamlessly to make the puppet come to life, and have been rehearsing and touring together for more than a year. Krueger said all told they’ve probably spent 10,000 hours working on their choreography and performance.
Besides Joey, the show features three other life-size horse puppets, all operated by teams of three actors. The puppets are designed and manufactured by Handspring Puppet Company, and are made in Cape Town, South Africa.
Even though the actors are partially concealed inside the puppet, none of them feel deprived of recognition. All three said the experience of working as a team to tell the story of “War Horse” was enough of a reward for their hard physical work, intense focus and dedication to their craft.
“War Horse” plays at the Providence Performing Arts Center June 5-9.
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Kim Kalunian
