Our church has several puppets which have been stored for MANY years and are in desperate need of repair and cleaning. Is there a good way to launder the fabric covering the foam?

For Immediate Release
Contact: Georgina Escobar
Fourth Wall Productions
gesco33@gmail.com
915.328.2319

Maniacal Works Announces
Tour Launch 2012
Da Puppets Du Europe

Brooklyn, NY–Maniacal Works will be visiting eight European cities this March in order to gather audience-requested materials that will culminate in a Puppumentary. The “Maniacs” will stream pieces of their adventures via the website maniacalworks.com  

 

From the Creators:

Maniacal Works was created with the hope that it will grow into a place where artists can meet each other, share their work, get inspired, and have a common playground to collaborate in and make new work. 

MW was launched into being by three of us – Jamie, Ellie, and Mindy. Together we combined our  creative capabilities and really just started… playing. We’ve managed to bring acting, dancing, puppetry, painting, cooking, sculpting, drawing, music, and all around craftsmanship into our daily routines.

What we do cannot be turned into a formula – what we do is visceral, genuine, maniacal. We exist to explore, to redefine, to materialize and dematerialize, to get our hands dirty.

As we trace the lines that will mark our journey we find ourselves asking: “Why now? Puppets in Europe? Who cares?”

To our surprise –  a lot of people care. Our world is in a place where the entertainment we’re given is formulaic and fake, and the entertainment we need is completely forgotten. Our trip marks the beginning of our continuous journey to find, support, and create GOOD WORK. Whether it be puppetry, dance, theatre, photography, finger-painting, or anything else, we are hitting the streets to meet people, hear what they have to say, and share it! 

 

Support this campaign at
http://www.indiegogo.com/Maniacal-Works-Puppumentary

Maniacal Works is represented by Fourth Wall Productions (V-Day: Spotlight on the Women of Juarez 2004 Campaign, Share the Spotlight: Anton in Show Business Scholarship Fund 2006, Blobsquatch (The Making of Bigfoot X-ing: A Documentary) The Documentary).

 

 

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New, experimental, dark comedy with puppets, a mask, and ventriloquism (as performance genre and metaphor), by award-winning, oft-published dramatist [and former pro ventriloquist/comic] RICK MITCHELL. At HIGHWAYS, in Santa Monica, CA. Fri. & Sat., Feb. 24 and 25, 8:30 p.m. The play follows a late 19th century vaudeville ventriloquist, while riffing on historical events related to “race,” including the appearance of the vaudeville’s first African-American ventriloquist. Directed by Roger Q. Mason, with original music by Max Kinberg and video by Elliott Barker. For further info:http://highwaysperformance.org/highways/performance/rick-mitchell-ventriloquist-adrift-or-porno-for-dummies/
For reservations, call the HIGHWAYS box office: (310) 315-1459

If you’d like to read RICK MITCHELL’s other ventriloquist/puppet-centric play, see VENTRILOQUIST SEX at the following link: http://ekleksographia.ahadadabooks.com/stetco/authors/mitchell_vent.html

And here’s a link to Rick Mitchell’s latest book: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/D/bo11340616.html

Please join us at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in welcoming our emerging PuppetLab artists to the main stage with four exciting, brand new puppet performances!

MARCH 2-4
MELTING by Mary Parker and Marg Rozycki
… Evangeline says the world is perfect; Angela says it’s a mess. Grounded in the eternal cycle of life and death, they examine questions of sacrifice, stress, relationship to the world at large, and love.

AIN’T HEARD TELL by Matt Larson and Hannah Rivenburgh
This crude and careful show integrates puppetry, live traditional music, dance, and storytelling to dig into the depth and dirt of North Carolina fiddler Tommy Jarrell and his storytelling sister Julie — without letting go.

MARCH 9-11
THE POLLEN ROAD by Reed Ellis Aubin
A talking plant detoxes and journeys to find roots and a vanishing language, while a farmer loses ground.

MEET ME IN THE HEART CAVES by Daniel Polnau
An imaginative dreamlike visual poem spelunking the forbidden cockles of the heart.

TIMES
Fridays: 8 PM | Saturdays: 8 PM | Sundays: 3 PM | $12 per person or Pay What You Can. All performances recommended for ages 12 and older. For tickets visit hobt.org or call (612) 721-2535.

NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” will be holding open-call auditions at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Fransisco, CA on Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12.

Make sure you pre-register at AGTauditions.com!

“America’s Got Talent” auditions are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for performers across the country to showcase their talents in 90 seconds to series’ producers in the hopes of being able to take the stage in front of the judges. Every type of performer is welcome – including musicians, dance crews, magicians, contortionists, comedians, singers, jugglers, animal acts and everything in between – all of whom want to perform for America’s votes and the coveted $1 million prize.

Saturday, February 11 and Sunday, February 12
Registration: 8 a.m.– 7 p.m
Location: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
99 Grove Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Calling all slam artists! Sea Beast Puppet Company is curating their next Puppet Meltdown for C2E2, Chicago’s largest pop culture convention, at McCormick Place this April 13th-15th. We will be performing our slam on Saturday April 14th at 3:30 pm.
 
We are currently looking for a wide range of short puppet pieces, both live and film, to showcase at this fun and exciting event. Pieces should be no longer than 10 minutes and you may submit as many as you want but please fill out a separate form for each piece.

The submission form can be found on our website at www.seabeastpuppetry.com. If you have any questions please E-mail us at seabeastpuppetry@gmail.com
 
For more information on C2E2 visit their website at http://www.c2e2.com
 
Thanks in advance for your submissions, we are looking forward to showcasing your work!

Mercury Medical Research & Writing (www.mercury-mrw.com) is putting together a proposal to the US Federal government that would use puppetry to familiarize children in grades K-4 with the weird and wonderful world of neuroscience.  The proposal must be submitted by 15 March 2012, but we are still looking to identify one or two professional puppeteers very soon who would work on this project in 2013 & 2014 (and possibly longer), if the government approves the funding.  The puppeteers would work in a small multidisciplinary team (including neuroscientists and education specialists), and the puppeteers would take the lead role in making the puppets etc and in performing the shows.  Professional qualifications in puppetry are essential.  No prior familiarity with neuroscience or medicine is required.  Experience in education settings is advantageous but not required.  The work will be based in Brooklyn NY and/or Middletown CT with some occassional local travel.  Excellent compensation and professional development opportunies.  Please just send an email to receive the full recruiting notice.  Thank you in advance for your interest.  Email to:  recruiting@mercury-mrw.com

Pro Puppet Makers!

Pro Puppet Makers Inc. is a professional puppet design studio located in the Southern California area. Specializing in both creative design and custom fabrication, Pro Puppet Makers has the ability to transform ideas into unique three-Dimensional works of art. From initial concept to completed design, we can provide assistance through out all stages of production.Our mission is to maintain our strong reputation of esteemed originality as well as ensure the complete satisfaction of our customers. Contact us with your ideas, and let us make them a reality with professional studio quality puppets to fit all your needs.

Like us on facebook!  www.facebook.com/ProPuppetMakers

Phone: (310).421.8641
Email: info@propuppetmakers.com
Website: www.propuppetmakers.com

Dixon Place Presents

PUPPET BLOK 

Monday, February 20 at 7:30pm, $12(advance), $15(door), $10 students / seniors 

Puppet BloK is pleased to host Other Forms of Puppetry with Tim Lagasse, with special guest Jim ‘Nappy’ Napolitano. Pssst. Did we mention, it’s Tim’s birthday too?

Puppet master Tim Lagasse will premiere a few original short works utilizing puppet styles both new and long forgotten, including his famous lecture “What is better: Puppetry or Animation?” and his Bed Bug Circus! And please remember, just because it says “puppet” in the title, doesn’t mean it’s for f!@#ing children. Created & performed by the indomitable TIM LAGASSE with JIM NAPOLITANO.

Tim Lagasse is a puppet master. You’ve seen his work on “Sesame Street,” “Chapelle’s Show,” “Johnny and the Sprites”, “Between the Lions,” and “Oobi.”  He received the first Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry.

Puppet BloK! is curated by Leslie Strongwater and is the proud FOUR-time recipient of Presenter’s grants from The Jim Henson Foundation. 

212.219.0736, www.dixonplace.org for tickets.

E-mail puppetblok@gmail.com for more info.

Dixon Place Presents

PUPPET BLOK

Wednesday, March 7 at 7:30pm,  $12(advance), $15(door), $10 students / seniors

Puppet BloK presents The Architecture of Great Cathedrals, one of the seventeen plays that make up The Soulographie Cycle, premiering at La MaMa in November 2012.

US policy in Guatemala from the point of view of a drunk prison executioner. A brief and swirling adventure; puppets.

Directed by Laurie O’Brien, Written by Erik Ehn, Sound design by Kari Rae Seekins.

Puppeteered by James Simmons, Charles Del Risco, Erik Lindley & Emily Oliviera.

Erik Ehn is an American playwright and director known for proposing the Regional Alternative Theatre movement. He is head of playwriting and professor of theatre  at Brown University.

Laurie O’Brien is an artist and director who works with puppets, animation and live media performance.   She received her MFA from CalArts and was the recipient of a Jim Henson Foundation Seed Grant.

Soulographie is a durational performance event composed of 17 plays by Erik Ehn which examine the 20th century as the age of genocide.

Puppet BloK! is curated by Leslie Strongwater and is the proud FOUR-time recipient of Presenter’s grants from The Jim Henson Foundation.

212.219.0736, www.dixonplace.org for tickets. E-mail puppetblok@gmail.com for more info.

Puppetry Arts is hosting a Puppet Festival in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

Saturday June 2 12pm-4pm

We are seeking performers for stage show

Would you like to perform?
We have room and welcome everyone to apply! Puppet Performers, Music Shows, and Bands

Musical and Interactive Puppet Bands/Performances will be given priority

Requirements: 

1. Stage Performances (Shows/Bands) are 15-20 minutes in length
2. All programming must be “Family Friendly”
3. Sign liability waiver and work for hire contract                                             4. After performance, 30 Min Meet N’ Greet with cast and puppets

We provide:

1. Body and Hand Mics will be available as well as CD audio
2. There is also a green room for changing
3. Pay for each troop that performs is $75 per troop

To apply–Email resumes and weblinks of proposed work to info@puppetryarts.org (No CD or DVDz)

thanks,

www.puppetryarts.org

In case you have not seen or heard this past week, the NB Puppets from Natural Bridges Lots of Laughs Company have been appearing on WOIO 19 Action News “The Puppet’s Court.” I have provided a link to the official site for this week night program. Enjoy.

http://www.woio.com/story/16541366/puppet-court

Kirk Maynard; NB Puppeteer and Ventriloquist

Trailer and professional  puppet stage for sale. 

On January 28th, 2012, Potter & Potter Auctions will sell Jay Marshall’s famous glove puppet, Lefty, at public auction. 

A description and listing of the puppet is available here:

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/10607284_jay-marshalls-glove-puppet-lefty

Here is the complete listing from the auction catalog:

Marshall, Jay (James Ward Marshall). Jay Marshall’s Glove Puppet, Lefty. Glove puppet rabbit crafted from two white dress gloves by Jay Marshall himself, with black buttons sewn in place for eyes, black lips drawn in by hand, and a stiff cardboard form in a second glove to simulate the look of the rabbit’s ears. Inscribed twice and signed once on the reverse of the main glove by Jay Marshall. Accompanied by a copy the sheet music for “If I Had My Way,” the music to which Marshall performed his routine withLefty, inscribed and signed to Hank and Jackie Moorehouse by Jay Marshall. 

To recount the artistic and show business triumphs of Jay Marshall to a group of magicians is to tell them a story heard thousands of times. Marshall, a New Englander, began practicing magic and ventriloquism as a boy. By the time he entered college, he was performing professionally; by the age of 21, he was an accomplished full-time entertainer. His first forays into the field of ventriloquism were with a traditional “dummy” named Henry. He later honed his craft by studying the routine of his father-in-law, the great magician Al Baker. Eventually, Marshall developed a routine based on Baker’s which involved a spirited if not smarmy interplay between the entertainer and the dummy. It centered on an often-interrupted rendition of the James Kendis/Lou Klein song, “If I Had My Way.”

During World War II, Marshall entered the special services, entertaining troops in the Pacific Theater. As he was wont to say, he quickly realized that a full-size dummy “wouldn’t carry a suitcase” for him, so replaced the cumbersome puppet with a khaki army glove decorated to with eyes and lips. After the war, a fellow entertainer, Paul Garrets, suggested Marshall change the single glove into one that approximated the look of a rabbit, by adding a pair of ears with a second glove. Marshall did so, and with Lefty, traveled the world playing nearly every major theater on nearly every continent, from New York’s Palace to the Palladium in London. He starred on almost every major variety program in America (performing with the rabbit puppet on Ed Sullivan’s show some 14 times), and too many conventions, private functions, and tradeshows to count. At the time of his death in 2005, he had been the Dean of American Magicians for years, and was known and loved by audiences worldwide. While a magician first and foremost, it was, ultimately, the lively, barbed banter he traded and the song he sang with Lefty – really a seamless feat of acting, talking to his own left hand – that put Marshall in the spotlight over, and over, and over again. 

For further information, contact:

Gabe Fajuri
Potter & Potter Auctions
3759 N. Ravenswood Ave. Suite 121
Chicago, IL 60613
773-472-1442
info@potterauctions.com
www.potterauctions.com

  Marionettes from show for sale !!!!

 Hansel and Gretal  

 The Two Bear show 

 Disney marionettes  Bob Baker,Pelham Puppets.

 for more info please email Brian Henning

 bdouglas2009@gmail.com 

We’re back!  Time to tune in to Episode 5 of “Human Resources,” a workplace comedy featuring puppets, just named one of Clutch Magazine’s 5 Web Shows to Watch in 2012. Come see what the buzz and fuzz is about…

http://youtu.be/PS80YmD7aSE

WRITING FOR CHILDREN’S TV – THE “SPEC” SCRIPT

Children’s television writing requires special skill to seamlessly implement educational curriculum while telling an engaging, developmentally-appropriate story.  In this class, students will learn how to write a “spec” a script based on an existing show to gain an understanding of the genre as well as have a writing sample necessary for the industry.

Maximum enrollment is 10 students. All levels of writers welcome.  Financial aid applications are available.

Instructor:             Pammy Salmon

Location:               5 West 63rd St., NY, NY

Wednesdays         6:45 – 8:45 PM (Starts Jan. 11, runs 7 weeks)                   

Fees :                    $175 YMCA Member    $295 Non-Member

Contact Steven McIntosh at 212-912-2633 or smcintosh@ymcanyc.org for more info.

Pammy Salmon is a writer for children’s media. She has written for interactive television shows such as Martha Speaks, Super Why!, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, Pinky Dinky Doo, JoJo’s Circus, and Stanley. She’s penned promos and interstitials for PBS Kids programming block and over 100 comedy shorts for a Sesame Street English DVD series. Pammy also consults on development projects for TV, web, and online games.

Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica

Telling stories from the lives of five food-insecure residents of Santa Monica, CA in the medium of experimental puppetry

501 (see three) ARTS and Highways Performance Space present Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica, part of an ongoing series of experimental tabletop puppet plays that give a voice and face to hunger, with four performances on Fridays and Saturdays from January 27 to February 4, 2012.  The plays, produced and written by Dan Froot, designed and directed by Dan Hurlin, with music by Amy Denio (a Meet The Composer commission), aim to raise awareness of the lives of those of us who, on a daily basis, must choose between life’s basic necessities – food or rent, food or medicine, food or bus fare. The upcoming production weaves together the stories of five homeless and/or hungry residents of Santa Monica, California, incorporating puppetry, dance, music, and text.  Nightly shows start at 8:30pm. General admission tickets are $20, students and seniors are $15. Highways Performance Space at the 18th Street Arts Center is located at 1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (310-315-1459; http://highwaysperformance.org).

Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica Synopsis -
In Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica, the performers serve the audience a visual and narrative feast.  The 90-minute puppet theater adaptation tells the oral histories of five very different homeless and/or food-insecure Santa Monicans, through five 15- to 20-minute segments, woven together much as a chef weaves a succession of flavors into a cohesive multi-course meal.  

Who’s Hungry is the brainchild of award-winning playwright, composer, choreographer and performer Dan Froot, an associate professor in UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures / Dance. Working in close collaboration with Froot is Dan Hurlin, a nationally acclaimed puppet artist who is designing and constructing the objects and sets, as well as directing.

Overall, the project incorporates a range of puppetry styles in order to give each of the five stories its own aesthetic treatment. Presented on a specially built 24-foot dinner table, the audience views the action from one side, as if they are banquet guests.  Incorporated into the evening are Delft china, Matchbox cars, televisions, rod puppets, as well as puppets inspired by Japanese Bunraku, and much more.

Links:
•    Who’s Hungry Official Site – http://danfroot.com/repertory/
•    Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica Images – http://tinyurl.com/WHSMpics
•    Who’s Hungry – Santa Monica Promotional Video – http://youtu.be/vlm3kVnOf6U
•    Highways Performance Space -  http://highwaysperformance.org
•    Tickets – http://tinyurl.com/highwaysWHSMtickets

Hi Puppeteers,

I am looking for your help.  I’m traveling in Florida Jan 15-Feb 5 and I have a one woman show that I would like to share with groups.   The show “Just Breathe: The quest for a little piece of mind… and chocolate” is an hour show with four characters.  The seed of this show began at the O’Neil Puppetry Conference in 05.  If you have any advice for how to share this show, support other groups and have a chance to perform while I am traveling,  I would appreciate it.  I will be in Florida Jan 15-Feb 5 (all over) and traveling from NH on Jan 9-13 down the eastern seaboard and back up Feb 6-10.  I will have sound system and everything to put the show on.  While it is geared to adults, it is perfect for any age, demographic and is clean, inspiring comedy.

You can view short trailers:  At a theater:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XucqZiVvb5Q&feature=plcp&context=C3f0545cUDOEgsToPDskKwes2OS_5rRRwKQnDiXcWa

At a women’s biz conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ka0CvbE134&context=C3ed20a2ADOEgsToPDskLaEyEzLFKFe6FbM6MBTOMq

More info on my website:  www.lesleysmithproductions.com

Thanks so much!!!

Lesley 

Lesley Smith
www.sammysnail.com
www.lesleysmithproductions.com

Hello,

We created a cute little home video with a puppet on YouTube. We would appreciate it if you have a YouTube account to “LIKE” our short video on their site.  Thanks ever so much!

Here’s the link:

http://youtu.be/MogF8tYvNFU

Peppermint Puppeteers, N.J. based company selling puppets, puppet theatres, lighting stands, t-bars (brand new), jet sets with curtains, sound systems with high quality wireless mikes, fabrics, rolls of polyfoam-half inch and 1 inch thickness, fluorescent paints, and much more.

Sale dates: Friday, Dec. 2, Saturday, Dec. 3