Puppet Tears: Puppetry Shop Talk

Rick Lazzarini give us some insight on "making it" in the puppetry biz.

Rick's website: The Character Shop http://www.character-shop.com/

Follow Rick on Twitter @RickLazzarini Rick's bio https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/art...

Magic Wheel Chair

https://www.magicwheelchair.org/

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Katie Williams joins us on this episode from Bristol in the UK! We talk to her about what it has been like to come up as a puppet builder in today's competitive industry. She is a puppeteer and stop-motion model-maker who has worked at Aardman Animation Studios and on Wes Anderson's 2018 film Isle of Dogs. We'll discuss her process in networking, finding new projects, and building a portfolio while strengthening her craftsperson sk...

All the way from "where the air is sweet," the guys are joined by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph to talk about her 20 years as a puppeteer on stage and screen - most notably Lolly Lardpop and Sesame Street's Abby Cadabby. We'll discuss how Leslie's time as a visual artist and a human actor on stage has influenced her work creating characters who touch our hearts.

You won't want to miss Leslie talk about the many performers who helped to b...

This week, the guys are joined by puppeteer and veteran Muppet performer from Sesame Street -- Martin Robinson! He is best known for bringing life to characters such as Telly Monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, and Slimey the Worm. Martin also has a remarkable history on stage, most notably as the original designer, builder, and puppeteer of Little Shop of Horrors's Audrey II.

We'll talk to Martin about developing backstories and the physi...

On this episode of Puppet Tears, the guys have the pleasure of getting to know Patrick and Sean Johnson, the creative minds behind Swazzle puppet company. These wonder-twins have guided their LA-based studio through all kinds of dynamic projects - from Pee-Wee's Playhouse on Broadway and The Simpsons, to their own productions on screen and stage! They'll talk about their company's biggest project to date: producing and performing a...

Happy Sesame Street month, everybody! In celebration of the show's 49th anniversary, we're talking to someone who's been working with its legendary characters for nearly 20 years! Louis Henry Mitchell is Sesame Workshop's Creative Director of Character Design, a position that has him wearing many hats -- from taking promotional photography, to ensuring characters are properly represented in Sesame's merchandising. The guys will dis...

Wondering what the Peter PLAN is this week, friends...? Well, for the guys at Puppet Tears, it's talking to the one and only Derek Lux. Alongside his wife Lauren, Derek is the founder of DLux Puppet, a San Francisco-based company that produces spell-binding, multi-media performances for the whole family. Their break-out first show was a re-telling of Alice in Wonderland; in January of 2019, they'll premier their newest production: ...

Puppet Tears in 2018, the guys sit down with their good friend and mentor -- Mr. Ronnie Burkett! Ronnie is a legendary puppet artist who is best known for his prolific marionette work, including Tinka's New Dress, Penny Plain, CRAVE, and The Daisy Theatre.

Join us for this jam-packed conversation, spanning from Ronnie's earliest days as a puppet-book-worm in Medicine Hat, Alberta, his foray into the lucrative world of commercial t...

Welcome to 2019, Puppet Tears friends! For this first episode of the year, we're talking to David Stephens -- the much-esteemed puppeteer and founder of All Hands Productions. A graduate of the University of Connecticut's MFA in Puppetry program, David talks about his years as a puppeteer from his earliest days growing up in Alabama, to working with Sesame Street and Jim Henson's Emmet Otter stage musical, and mounting an impressiv...

This week we're joined by up-and-coming puppetry director and our good friend Jessica Simon! Jessica has been awarded multiple Jim Henson Foundation grants and is a UNIMA-citation recipient. She co-organized 2013's National Puppetry Conference and has worked with WonderSpark Puppetry, The Puppet Kitchen, and The Jim Henson Company, among others.

We discuss her full-length production Ruby & Charlie and discusses what goes into deve...

This week we go BIG with the renowned puppetry director and new author of the book Puppetry: How to Do It - Mervyn Millar! Mervyn worked extensively with Handspring Puppet Company in the original productions of War Horse, and trained countless touring casts to follow in his footsteps. Projects taken on by his own company, Significant Object, include Bermingham Rep's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, international sensation Cir...

We're journeying to TWO very special locals on this week's Puppet Tears -- Sesame Street and the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center! Our guest is Pam Arciero, veteran Muppet performer, best known for her role as Grundgetta Grouch, and Artistic Director at the O'Neill's National Puppetry Conference.

Listen in for an in-depth discussion about Pam's career as a puppeteer -- from her early days meeting Kermit Love at the University of Hawai...

'What a wonderful world' that has connected us with one of the country's biggest puppeteers: Terry Fator! Terry is the champion of America's Got Talent's second season, where his mastery of ventriloquism and the support of loyal fans rocketed him to a now 10-year career as a Las Vegas headliner. Keep your peeled for a special appearance from one of his puppet friends, too!

We talk to Terry about his life as a variety performer - st...

Ryan Dillon stops by the show this week for a jam-packed episode of Puppet Tears! Ryan is a Muppet performer on Sesame Street, best known for performing Elmo since 2013. Along side Mark Gale, he is also the creator of the Dillon Gale Idiots, his original cast of surreal television puppets.

We'll talk with Ryan about his beginnings as a tireless Muppet Show fan, beginning his career as a Sesame Street puppeteer at the age of 17, an...

We're celebrating 20 episodes of Puppet Tears with one of our oldest and closest friends in the puppetry world — Mr. Jon Little! Jon is the founder and owner of Little's Creatures, a Boston-based puppet company for all of your professional puppet project needs. He's worked on some amazing projects such as Time Machine Guitar, The Curious Kitchen, Speakeasy Stage's Hand to God, and Jim Kroupa's The Howdy Doo show.

Tune in as we take...