www.thankyouforbeingafriend.com
The Golden Girls live on in puppet form. Thank You for Being a Friend, based on the TV show "The Golden Girls," comes to the Esplanade tonight for a 7:30 p.m. show.
cbrown@medicinehatnews.com@MHNBrown
With the entertainment scene awash in reboots or reunions of hit shows it was only a matter of time before “The Golden Girls” returned. But this one has a twist. Puppets.
Thank You for Being a Friend, titled after the theme song of the show that ran from 1985-1992, will take the audience back to the Miami house where so much cheesecake was eaten. The show is at the Esplanade tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Seanna Kennedy, who plays Blanche, describes the show as a tribute to the foursome performed with puppets. She said it’s a brand new story line but pulls on many of the themes and moments that happened in the show’s run.
“You’ll definitely recognize a lot of things but it’s not a straight lift, it’s its own entity,” Kennedy explained. “It’s an extended episode if you will. It has lots of little nuggets that people who have seen the show many times will recognize but it’s also great if you’ve never seen it before.”
One of those things that will be recognized is the living room and kitchen set. Kennedy said it looks just like the show.
“The first time we walked on to it we were like ‘oh we’re in an episode.’ It’s very cool,” she said.
So how exactly do you bring four famous TV characters to life as puppets? First, the show is done in the style of “Avenue Q.” The actors are seen on stage with the puppets on their arms. Second, the performers worked with a puppet coach to learn the ins and outs of puppetry.
“For a puppet to even pick up a book or put whip cream on a cheesecake is a lot more complicated than for a human to do it,” said Kennedy.
Once the technical aspects were worked out it was time to iron out the characterization.
“Figuring out how to translate a really good, not necessarily impression but embodiment of what the four very iconic ladies had done on the show and bring it to our characters,” Kennedy said.
And the cheesecake Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia ate in every episode? It’s here.
“There’s definitely cheesecake involved in the show,” Kennedy laughed. “There’s a couple of really great cheesecake moments.”
Tickets are available at tixx.ca, by calling 403-502-8777 or in person at the Esplanade box office or the Medicine Hat Mall customer service desk.
