Hi! I am Bronia Evers and I’m very much looking forward to teaching an online workshop as part of the WAPASA conference. As a storyteller, puppeteer and visual artist based in the UK, it is truly exciting to be able to connect with other like minded folk across the globe through such a richly woven virtual event.
My workshop is called Create a crankie theatre with scrolling scenery. If you’re wondering what a crankie theatre is, one way to describe it could be as a ‘homemade storytelling machine’!
A crankie theatre is a box built with two vertical rods inside. The rods are ‘cranked’ or turned to move an illustrated scroll through the box. Crankies are a basic, accessible form of kinetic art that predates cinema, television, and the digital age. I love making crankie theatres because they offer us an opportunity to simplify and slow down our storytelling by speaking and drawing directly from the heart.
I have made crankie theatres big and small out of wooden crates, old suitcases, and even matchboxes. The design that I’ll share in the online workshop is based on a recycled cardboard shoebox. The materials for this project are inexpensive and should be easy to source from around your home and neighbourhood. During the workshop, participants will learn how to build their own crankie box, and will also be given guidance on developing an illustrated scroll to go inside it.
This workshop is designed for adult participants. It may be of interest to teachers, storytellers, playworkers, therapists, artists and others who work with both children and adults. In the past I have successfully adapted this crankie theatre design for use in classroom settings.
This will be a practical workshop with a focus on making and doing. We will also touch briefly on the history of crankie theatres, and refer to examples of their use in contemporary performance and in education.
www.broniaevers.com
Instagram: @bronia_Evers
www.facebook.com/onemomentintimestories
My workshop is called Create a crankie theatre with scrolling scenery. If you’re wondering what a crankie theatre is, one way to describe it could be as a ‘homemade storytelling machine’!
A crankie theatre is a box built with two vertical rods inside. The rods are ‘cranked’ or turned to move an illustrated scroll through the box. Crankies are a basic, accessible form of kinetic art that predates cinema, television, and the digital age. I love making crankie theatres because they offer us an opportunity to simplify and slow down our storytelling by speaking and drawing directly from the heart.
I have made crankie theatres big and small out of wooden crates, old suitcases, and even matchboxes. The design that I’ll share in the online workshop is based on a recycled cardboard shoebox. The materials for this project are inexpensive and should be easy to source from around your home and neighbourhood. During the workshop, participants will learn how to build their own crankie box, and will also be given guidance on developing an illustrated scroll to go inside it.
This workshop is designed for adult participants. It may be of interest to teachers, storytellers, playworkers, therapists, artists and others who work with both children and adults. In the past I have successfully adapted this crankie theatre design for use in classroom settings.
This will be a practical workshop with a focus on making and doing. We will also touch briefly on the history of crankie theatres, and refer to examples of their use in contemporary performance and in education.
www.broniaevers.com
Instagram: @bronia_Evers
www.facebook.com/onemomentintimestories
