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Can anyone tell me anything about this horse?
- Thread starter Krazyjoe
- Start date
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
If you Google "Disney, Promenade Players, A Festival of Fables" there's a photo of the horse. It appears he was part of a "gypsy" wagon-based puppet show that was staged in Epcot (presumably along the World Showcase promenade, in light of the name - the cart looks functional and the background for this photo is a different spot from yours, so perhaps it was towed around and the show was performed in more than one spot along the promenade) in or around 1984. I haven't been able to find any additional information about it. However, you might reach out to the person who posted the photo below on the DIS boards, as he might have some background information about when and where it was taken, and/or the puppet show itself.
http://photopost.wdwinfo.com/showphoto.php/photo/38334/title/epcot-promenade-players/cat/500
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nickys
Premium Member
I’m thinking that photo is in the Morocco pavilion, from the Arabic writing and Aladdin & Genie sign.
I think the horse is maybe to do with the Fantasia ceremony which is talked about in the museum. But I’m intrigued by the Aladdin & Genie sign, since the animated movie didn’t come out until the early 90s. Whether there would have been a meet & greet prior to that I don’t know.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
If the picture was taken during the usual summer school holiday of 1984, Morocco had not yet opened by that time.
I was there that year, and I have no memory of either the horse or the back-drop.
nickys
Premium Member
True, good catch.
But I don’t think that building and tiled roof in the background is the U.K. pavilion. Norway perhaps?
I’m going to page the Epcot historians. @marni1971 , @sshindel - any ideas?
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Couldn't be Norway either. That opened in 1988. I don't remember if the Norway pavilion had even broken ground yet.
nickys
Premium Member
AugieMorosco
Well-Known Member
I'm fascinated by this. Following!
Mrchips0401
New Member
Are you 100% sure of the year being 1984? seems the young boys might be family members, ask them if they can confirm the year. The signage just behind shows Arabic and Asian, and French letters/words....I’m thinking it was a world puppet showcase.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
If that horse is a puppet, why is it so BIG? What, was it a mount for those creepy giant Small World dolls they used to have around World Showcase?
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
FWIW, the photo I found was captioned 1984 as well, so I think it was probably pretty close.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
ppete1975
Well-Known Member
world showcase was a scary place in the early years...... im still haunted by the giant characters.. this "horse" doesnt help
TinkerBelle8878
Well-Known Member
Don't know about the horse but would love the Gonzo tee one of the kids is wearing
Gypsy Wagon Survivor
New Member
Gypsy Wagon Survivor
New Member
I am a member of the original gypsy marionette troupe. The gypsy wagon was located in Morocco, most of the years. Three of us and a horse person performed 7 shows daily. The wagon was battery operated and the horse walked in front of it, narrated some of the stories, emceed, and told corny jokes. Three shows were in repertory. Hansel and Gretel. Sabotage at the Sausage Factory (melodrama) and Aladdin.
PS- The Moroccan restrooms were built before the pavilion. That's where we performed for a while.
PS- The Moroccan restrooms were built before the pavilion. That's where we performed for a while.
Found this:
Storyteller Clopin and his troupe of Gypsy performers bring the story to life including using amazing puppetry incorporated by Show Director Fran Soeder who was a huge advocate for the use of puppets at WDW including in other shows he directed like The Legend of the Lion King and Voyage of the Little Mermaid. A runway that extended forty feet into the audience helped make the show feel more intimate and involving.
Storyteller Clopin and his troupe of Gypsy performers bring the story to life including using amazing puppetry incorporated by Show Director Fran Soeder who was a huge advocate for the use of puppets at WDW including in other shows he directed like The Legend of the Lion King and Voyage of the Little Mermaid. A runway that extended forty feet into the audience helped make the show feel more intimate and involving.
JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
Welcome. So amazing that someone posts an obscure photo from years ago and ... someone personally connected to the show is able to come on and provide first hand info. What a great site WDWMAGIC is.
Cindy White
New Member
The Puppet Wagon, as it was called, was there for EPCOTs opening day Oct 1 1982. The wagon was a (very) heavy battery driven vehicle, similar to the parade float technology of that time. There was a semi-cramped marionette wall behind the painted olio curtain, and 2-3 puppeteers would work with classic Bill Baird-style marionettes, which performed 2-3 classic old world puppet shows. The horse, who walked in front of the wagon, was named "Horace", and he was a master of ceremonies of sorts for the shows after it would park for a performance. The wagon covered the back half of world showcase as it's turf and (I believe) only was used for a few years before being shipped off to EuroDisneyland, and whatever happened to it after that is someone else's story. Thanks for sharing this picture, I have been looking for visual "proof" that it existed for decades. If anyone has access to more images of the wagon, I would love to see them. Thanks :^) I've attached a couple of pictures I just took of the model we made that was delivered to the Burbank shop that built it. The model disappeared for about 15 years and then turned up in someone's office as a decoration. Somehow I got it back.
Attachments
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