| Description |
"Colored Puppet" is made of cowhide and the characters are carved into pieces like large shadow puppets, but the carving of the colored puppets is not as detailed as the large shadow puppet. They paint and cut the details with a brush instead. On the other hand, the color puppet can be used to perform stories other than Reamker, such as in Sastra, legends, and Jataka tales, and only during the daytime. The stage to perform the color puppet is black canvas. The artists are both men and women. They dress up according to the characters and the story. Sometimes Neak Jert Sbaek has to leave the skin aside in order to perform, sing, talk, describe or exchange love, and then they raise the leather to continue with the story. The music accompanying the color puppet is a small band of Pin Peat and mostly borrows from the Morori music. The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts's color-leather theater was revived with the support of UNESCO in 2001.
Stories that have been performed include Preah Lak Chinvong, Kray Thong, Preah Jinvong, Tip Sangvar, Preah Sothoun Keo Monohara, Ko Samuth Tuek Doh. These works were directed by Professor Pich Tum Kravil and two other assistants, Mr. Nguon Sam Ath and Mr. Mao Keng. The people who carved the leather were Mr. Seu Vuthy, Mr. Prak Siphannarath, and Mr. Det Sovutha.
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