The first production of Tales of the Caribbean has been "How Pan Came To Carnival", an original telling of the creation of the steel drum with live music and puppetry. It has been presented at elementary schools, junior and senior high schools, colleges, and public events over the last few years (1994-8), and has received unanimously favorable responses from children, teachers, and parents alike.

"My kids are still talking about your show!"

The Story

The historical perspective
Our script blends together several accounts of the creation of the steel drum, or "pan". A definitive account does not exist; many people claim to have put the first note on an oil barrel. Nobody can agree who actually did, or even if it was a single person. Winston "Spree" Simon was one of the first panmen, as well as one of the most active panmakers. He figures prominently in many accounts. Other early panmen were: Rudolph "Fisheye" Olivier, Ellie Manette, Victor "Totee" Wilson, and Rudolph Charles.

The steelband evolved over many years, often in defiance of the law. It provided a non-violent outlet for the competitive tensions between rival gangs. Gradually, the gangs evolved into large, well-organized steel orchestras, competitively performing traditional calypsos and dance music as well as classical pieces with flawless execution. Panorama, the island-wide steelband competition, generates pride and excitement among all Trinidadians, and is a major part of Carnival today.

Putting it all together
This play dramatizes the evolution of the steel drum and is based on writings and conversations with musicians and panmakers. Our account condenses the genesis and evolution of this instrument into an easily accessible story involving only a few figures. In reality, the steel drum was brought to life by hundreds of panmen and pan makers, all of whom we are indebted to.
The many different versions of stories and anecdotes suggested to us the stylistic conventions of folklore rather than historical accuracy, and it is in this spirit that we present this tale.

The steel drum
The original steel drums were made from stolen garbage bins and 40-gallon oil barrels. They were very much a product of a resourceful and creative people using the castoff materials of a throwaway culture. These days, the steel drum is a finely crafted instrument, taking several days to make, but it is still made from a 55-gallon oil drum! Tuners now use stroboscopes to tune each note's many harmonics, and each pan is a fully chromatic and finely balanced instrument.
Our steel drums are made by Otto "Boots" Faustin, a Trinidadian panmaker who got his start in the Invaders, one of Trinidad's oldest steel bands.
Featured in this performance are an Invaders-style tenor pan, a set of double seconds, several conga drums, and a rusty old brake drum.

The music used in the show
All the songs in this show are authentic Trinidadian melodies drawn from the period 1910 - 1940. Mongoose Hop, which opens the show, was recorded by Lionel Belasco and his Trinidad Orchestra in 1927. Linstead Market, the first piece which Spree actually plays on his new steel drum, was one of the songs played in the very first steel band. Sixty-Nine and The Gunslinger are both traditional calypsos which were popular during the first decade of the steel band.

Why puppets?
The puppets allow us to illustrate our story in an engaging manner while maintaining an objective narrative presence. The use of puppets allows dramatization in a manner that is immediately accessible, yet speaks of a larger context.

Design & Construction
All of the puppets used in this performance are latex castings of original clay sculptures. Most puppets are of the hand/rod type; the hands of the puppets are controlled by hand-held rods, which allows for a wide range of gestures.
The Carnival puppets are based on traditional characters and costumes of Carnival celebrations in the West Indies.

Margaret S.
Majored in Theatre at Western Washington University. She toured with the Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre for 3 years, performing in the Western United States, Alaska, and Japan. She has performed professionally for several years, and has studied under Josef Krofta of the Drak Theatre of Czechoslovakia.

Rob W.
Made his first puppet when he was four years old. He graduated from The Evergreen State College, where he was active in music, video, and theatre production. He has been active in the Toucans Steel Drum Band for over ten years, and has been involved with the steel drum for more than a decade. He also toured with the Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre where his interest in puppets was rekindled.

Pete R.
Graduated from The Evergreen State College as well, and has been involved with the Toucans Steel Drum Band ever since. Like Rob, Pete got his start in steel band over ten years ago in a high school music program. He has played in several steel bands, toured the western states as a professional musician, instructed high school steel bands, and cultivates a wide range of musical sensibilities as well as a love of Caribbean music and culture.

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For further information about Tales of the Caribbean, performance and educational programs, please contact us by email (info [at] toucans.net), by phone at 206/963-5332, or write to us at:

Tales of the Caribbean
PO Box 46502
Seattle, WA 98146