puppet comedy

Meet Marty

Willard's World

A new personality in the Way Home Universe was introduced last week: Marty. He is one of two employees of the Way Home General Store (the other employee, Dwight, we have yet to meet) and is passionate about his job…although I’d like him to consider taking a vacation for his mental health. Then again, he doesn’t sound confident in Dwight’s abilities to do anything other than make a breakfast sandwich and there are a lot more tasks involved in keeping the Way Home General up and running!

Like Kenneth and Rusty, Marty’s voice and some of his mannerisms were inspired by my upbringing in rural Vermont and my familiarity with country store culture!

When I make dolls to sell, I dress them in brand new clothes. When I make dolls to keep as my Way Home Universe characters, I can dress them in used clothing as well. I found these FILA sneakers at a local thrift store and couldn’t resist them. I felt they were older and worn enough not to necessarily require that the wearer be a basketball player (Marty does not play sports, unless you count ring toss). I also found the perfect country flannel for him.

Ms. Blodgett rains on Rusty’s parade

Willard's World

Be sure to turn on the captions when you watch the video below!

I made a new creature named Rusty recently and was working on his voice and character all last week when I was driving around in my car. Last weekend I did some puppetry with Rusty and Ms. Blodgett. I had already established that Ms. Blodgett was the neighborhood gossip and meddler, and I had also established that Rusty had entrepreneurial aspirations in the vein of becoming a life coach or other kind of coach (I’m not sure Rusty has clarified what he’s coaching about, only that he wants to be a coach).

    I have somehow stumbled upon the concept of “coaching” myself and I find it a fascinating cultural phenomenon. On the one hand, there are many legit consultants out there who are extremely knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to particular topics.

    But there is also another type of “coach” in the internet space whose actual knowledge and offer seems unclear, yet who are offering to coach other coaches. The underlying premise and “hook” seems to be financial independence, being one’s own boss and sometimes a sprinkle of “spirituality”.

    Many seem to find themselves intrigued by these “offers,” regardless of how foundation-less they sometimes seem, and how closely they sometimes resemble MLMs. I find the whole thing fascinating and that is why I decided that Rusty would be someone seeking this promise of “abundance” and financial freedom. Like many folks, Rusty also has a sincere desire to help others.

    Unfortunately, Rusty’s marketing of his coaching offer is thus far limited to the small neighborhood in which Willard resides, where he is unlikely to find his target market niche. He encounters Ms. Blodgett, who is quick to offer her own ideas about his coaching offer while simultaneously criticizing or downright ignoring what he has to say about it. Can his plans–already threatened by his anxiety and social awkwardness–survive her scrutiny? We’ll have to find out!