Puppet Heap

Maurice Sendak

noreply@blogger.com (Paul) — Sat, 12 May 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Thinking about the death of Maurice Sendak over the last few days, I'm struck by how much my generation owes his. Mr. Sendak belongs to a small group of artists who, along with an even smaller group of forward thinking producers and editors , changed the face of children's literature and entertainment forever. I'm referring, of course, to artists like Tomie DePaola, Theodore Geisel, Ezra Jack Keats and Jim Henson--all of whom were breaking ground for an entire generation of creative people who were just coming into being. But for me, the king of these was Maurice Sendak. There is so much about his work that has influenced and inspired me over the years--his sentimentality, his line, his theatrical composition--but most of all, his unflinching courage to be truthful in his work. More than anything, it's his bold, naked integrity that inspires me most. We can only work hard and hope to live up to the legacy he has left behind.

At Last...

noreply@blogger.com (Puppet Heap) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:44:00 +0000

Ever since I began making puppets, the best reactions have always been “I want one.” Well, now I can finally say, “Here, have one!”

This week Puppet Heap releases Mother Hubbard Among Others, our first line of hand puppets designed for everyone. These first six characters, Mother Hubbard, Toby (her dog), Lucy (the cat and the fiddle), The Constable, The Doctor and the Cabby, are the first in a series of puppets which populate the town of Spudbottom.

Now, I love toys and puppets, and I’m always on the lookout for something interesting to add to my collection. I am particularly fascinated with certain styles of traditional puppets from around the world. But the authentic ones are, of course, individual works of art, made by hand, usually by artists in the far reaches of who-knows-where. So, they are rare and expensive.

On the other hand, there are toy puppets everywhere, but most of those are so bland and generic that, well, they’re hard to appreciate.

So, while I wanted our puppets to be be accessible and affordable, I also wanted to make something that would have a bit of that unique, hand-crafted feeling of those traditional puppets. I wanted them to have their stories written all over their faces. I guess I want to share what I love about puppets with everyone else.

To me, what’s cool about puppets is that they are objects that embody narrative. I am always amazed at how such a simple thing can carry so much meaning and on such a primal level. In this age of interactive, multi-touch, computer generated, virtual, augmented everything (and don’t get me wrong, I love that stuff), it’s kind of great to put a puppet on your hand and freak out the guy sitting next to you. What’s fascinating is that he’ll probably ask the puppet to leave, not you...

Puppets. The original interactive, digital, wireless entertainment device.

I hope you have as much fun playing with them as we do.

CURBS: Launched on Vimeo!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Congratulations to Mark Evestaff & Jono Baudoin on the launch of CURBS! We built these hilarious characters!

You can watch the video here.

Diet Coke TV Spot: Love It Light!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Congrats to our friends at Diet Coke and Mother - We're honored to have designed these original characters!

http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/News/MostDiscussed/1065062/Diet-Coke-rolls-Love-Light-TV-ad/

Puppet Heap Moving Picture Company Presents...

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:12:00 +0000

I Knew An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!

Our newest short is now playing on right here on our website. You can view the film in its entirety, or in short segments.

In other news, the Puppet Heap Playthings made a smashing debut at Toy Fair in February. Attendees were able to preview & play with our premiere line of retail hand puppets, which will be available this coming fall.

We are tweeting now, so follow us to stay in the loop as to when & where our toys will be available.

There's a lot going on here at the Heap, and we can't wait to share it with you!

Many Thanks to Empire Coffee & Tea Co.!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:12:00 +0000

Thank you to Empire Coffee & Tea Co. for helping to make Puppet Heap's booth at the upcoming Toy Fair, 2011, that much cooler. We are thrilled to have their support.

Empire hosts a large variety of gourmet roasts and exotic teas. You can shop online, or visit them at 568 Ninth Avenue, NY, NY.

Wrex and Terry Visit CBS Morning News

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Las Vegas headliner & valued client Terry Fator made an appearance on CBS Morning over the past weekend. During his interview with Armen Keteyian, he introduced Wrex the Crash Test Dummy and gave a shout out to Puppet Heap! Thanks, Terry!

Click here to see Wrex in action.

This Sunday, Come Get Crafty with Diana Schoenbrun!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:42:00 +0000

Have the monsters in your closet migrated for the holidays? Maybe it's time for you to make some new ones.

You can do just that at WORD this Sunday, January 9th.

WORD is a new bookstore located at 126 Franklin St. in Brooklyn. The event, hosted by Puppet Heap's own Diana Schoenbrun, is free, and all are welcome.

From the Facebook event page:

"Make your very own Beasties with artist Diana! She’ll present her new book, which teaches crafters to make all manner of mythic and imaginary creatures from around the world from felt. All ages welcome; everyone will go home with a beastie made during the event."

Puppet Heap on The Daily Show Tonight!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 21:58:00 +0000

A new Puppet Heap puppet is going to be featured on The Daily Show tonight! The show airs on Comedy Central at 11 PM/10 c.

Click here for more information about The Daily Show.

Puppet Heap Prepares for 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:18:00 +0000

We have been really busy getting some big projects underway and can't wait to share them with all of you!

With these undertakings, Puppet Heap is expanding and looking to add a few talented individuals to our team.

Click here to view our current openings and see if any of them are right for you.

New Puppet Heap Site Launched!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:02:00 +0000

There are a great deal of goings-on in the world of puppetry this fall, and there couldn't be a better time to roll out our new website.

Click here if you haven't seen it yet, and let us know what you think.

If you are a puppet enthusiast [or any kind of enthusiast], there are a whole lot of happenings that might interest you -- one of which features puppets designed by Puppet Heap's very own Anna Paniccia.

The Kentucky Goblin Siege is running at the Kraine Theater in NYC (85 E. 4th Street) every Wednesday through November 24th.

"The Kentucky Goblin Siege is a sci-fi comedy based on accounts of one of the largest reported alien encounters in U.S. history. It's August 21, 1955, in the small town of Kelly, Kentucky, and the Sutton family is welcoming old family friends in from out of town and settling in for a night of catching up. But when strange goblin-like creatures begin to appear, all hell breaks loose. The Kentucky Goblin Siege is a hilarious play about xenophobia and reversed expectations, and will feature the biggest gun battle between human actors and alien puppets to ever grace the stage of the Kraine Theater. "

If you have a chance to catch this great show [or any others], tell us about it!

Ivan Takes Blu Moon Award!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:16:00 +0000

"Ye Ballade of Ivan Petrofsky Skevar" won the Blu Moon Award at the Blu Moon Independent Film Festival this past weekend (October 8th-9th). It was the audience-selected short film.

Click here to watch the film, or to check out the other winning entries.

EXIT ROW: Behind The Scenes

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Admit it - you were a little curious as to how the folks here at Puppet Heap rigged two paper bags to projectile-vomit.

Puppet Heaper Matthew Brennan took the time to tell us a little bit about his experience working on Exit Row.

Left: Matthew Brennan is brewing a bucket of puke. Right: Matthew and Melissa Creighton fill 'er up.

"The puke rig was a latex pump which is usually used to fill molds. They had the right amount of pressure and control to be able to spew on cue."

"After buckets of slop and slime settled overnight, we soaked oatmeal with yellow and green food coloring. But the true secret is a few drops of red. Gives the puke just the right amount of bloody, natural goodness. Soaking the oatmeal overnight made it extra slimy. We made a lot and it still wasn't enough!"

Tim Lagasse (left) and James Godwin (right) get suited up prior to their performance.

Here, the cast and crew are hard at work.

"Tim and James were in extreme waterproof gear the whole time. We covered them up pretty good but the puke still managed to get down their sleeves all day long.
They both stayed in character the whole time being completely ridiculous and hysterical. They were troopers for being thrown up upon the whole shoot. It was a treat to watch them perform."

Left: Anna Paniccia poses with the lovingly crafted puke rig. Right: James Godwin and Tim Lagasse perform Chuck & Ralph.

"Months of planning went in but the shoot itself took two days during a heavy snowstorm. The crew was great to work with. The Chuck and Ralph puppets are really neat to see come to life and they have so much personality for paper bags...

After every puke scene, everyone burst out [laughing] as soon as cut was called. Fake puke is always funny."

Now, without further adieu, we bring you Episode Number 10 of Exit Row.

Anybody Need a Pet Monster?

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:07:00 +0000

Now, you can make your own!

Puppet Heap's very own Diana Schoenbrun can show you how. This week, Diana has released her new book, BEASTIES: How to Make 22 Mischievous Monsters That Go Bump In The Night. The creatures, designed by Diana, were photographed by Tory Williams and can be brought to life with the magic of scrap fabric and thread.

There will be a release party on Thursday evening from 7-9, featuring live music, drinks, snacks, a presentation, and discussion. Click here for more information.

EXIT ROW Moving Forward: Epsiode 7

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:28:00 +0000

We are already up to Episode 7 of our web series, EXIT ROW -- but there is more on the way! If you haven't been keeping up, view the entire playlist here. If you have, watch the episode below.

O'Neill Summer Gala A SUCCESS!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:53:00 +0000

Previously, we posted about the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's summer gala, and we are pleased to report that it was a great success.

"The O'Neill's Celebrating 20 Years of the National Puppetry Gala would
not have been the run-away success it was without the vital support of Jean
Marie Keevins and Puppet Heap. So many of Puppet Heap's artists and
craftsmen support the O'Neill's mission and activities, and I'm incredibly
grateful to have their expertise." - Preston Whiteway, O'Neill Theater Center Executive Director

(Pictured above from left to right: Heather Henson, Cheryl Henson, Bobbi Nidzgorski, Richard Termine, Melissa Whitmire, Heather Asch, Mystery Person, Kathy Mullen, Jane Henson, Kermit the Frog, Steve Whitmire, Pam Arciero, Dortita Leiberman, Jim Kroupa [Puppet Heap], Tyler Bunch, Jean Marie Keevins [Puppet Heap], Paul MacGinnis, James Godwin [Puppet Heap], Preston Whiteway, Tom Viertel)

July 24th: Celebration of American Puppetry Gala

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:14:00 +0000

It's time to celebrate the National Puppetry Conference's 20th anniversary, and The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center is using this year's gala to honor Jane Henson and the founders of the National Puppetry Conference. The evening, co-curated by Heap comrade Jean Marie Keevins, will feature a silent auction, a star-studded puppetry program, and much more.

For more information, or to register, click here.

From Puppets to Cake Creations

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:19:00 +0000

Terry Fator asked Freed's Bakery of Las Vegas to create birthday cake for his brother that featured himself, his brother, and five of his puppets -- including Heap-created Wrex the Crash Test Dummy & Winston the Impersonating Turtle!

Terry was proud that some of his favorite puppets were able to be showcased nationally on TLC's premier episode of Fabulous Cakes [on July 19th]. "Special kudos to Puppet Heap who were able to finish the creation of my newest addition, Wrex, the Crash Test Dummy in time for filming! Freeds Bakery in Las Vegas did a great job portraying my newest cast member, and Puppet Heap has done an amazing job creating and building my last three characters for me. Their entire team is truly gifted and help make the magic that my fans see night in and night out at The Mirage in Las Vegas.”

Ivan and Abdullah Return to Etsy!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:37:00 +0000

Ivan Petrofsky Skevar and Abdullah Boul Boul Ameer are back in our Etsy store for a limited time only! Bring the Crimean War into your home with these two legendary rivals of the Balkans - Ivan Petrofsky Skevar and Abdullah Boul Boul Ameer - as depicted in the Puppet Heap classic "Ye Ballade of Ivan Petrofsky Skevar!"

Each translucent jumping jack is approximately 7" tall, is made of laser-cut, screen-printed acrylic and hand assembled in our workshop in Hoboken.

Click your weapon of choice [images above] to purchase -- or visit our Etsy store here.

Puppet Heap Releases EXIT ROW!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:14:00 +0000

Starting today [July 12th, 2010], we are releasing EXIT ROW, a brand new web series chronicling the travels of Chuck & Ralph, two air-sickness bags who reside in adjacent seat pockets.

Ralph and Chuck are performed by renowned puppeteers James Godwin (Chapelle's Show, Henson's Stuffed and Unstrung) and Tim Lagasse (Chapelle's Show, Sesame Street).

New episodes will be released twice a week, so be sure to subscribe to our channel!

Heaper Christine Dempsey at The Sandglass Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:59:00 +0000

Sandglass Theater and The University of Connecticut’s Puppet Arts Program offer an annual three-week Puppet Arts Training Program for puppeteers, builders, writers, and all of those who want to further explore the puppet as a medium.

Puppet Heap intern Christine Dempsey has been participating in the program this year [from June 27th to July 17th] and we can't wait to see what she comes up with -- participants get open workshop time for building & an opportunity to develop their own pieces. Other sessions include body training & breath development for performers, discussion of puppet theory, improvisation workshops, and more.

Click here for more information about the Sandglass Institute.

Puppet Heap at The 20th Annual O'Neill National Puppetry Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:39:00 +0000

Puppet Heap marketing director, Jean Marie Keevins coordinated the 20th annual O'Neill Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center this month. Puppet Heap founder Paul Andrejco led Focus On Design, a workshop focusing on character, set, and sound design. Fellow heapers Jim Kroupa and Tim Lagasse also appeared at the conference. Kroupa led a 3-day intensive on creating mechanisms for puppets, while Lagasse directed a puppet music video, enlisting ten participants as his crew.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center scooped up a Tony award just in time for the main conference, which took place this past weekend (June 19-20.)

For photos, or for more information, see here.

Fellow Heaper James Godwin Joins Henson Alternative's Stuffed and Unstrung!

noreply@blogger.com (Ariella) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:17:00 +0000

We would like to congratulate Puppet Heaper James Godwin, who has recently joined Henson Alternative's Stuffed and Unstrung Off-Broadway (for two weeks as of May 26th) -- we would also like to congratulate Heaper Melissa Creighton, who performed in the show last night.

"After just the first few moments of watching...or rather..interacting with the puppeteers of Stuffed and Unstrung, you’ll realize this is no ordinary puppet show... The magic that’s usually a secret shared only among expert puppeteers is unveiled on stage as this world-class, hilarious gang of professionals does their thing right before your eyes." (stuffedandunstrung.com)

For more information about the show, or for tickets, click here.

**UPDATE** James Godwin has rejoined the cast and will be performing until the show closes on July 3rd! Go see it if you haven't already!

Puppet Heap in April's Kidscreen Magazine!

noreply@blogger.com (The Heap) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:20:00 +0000

Check out the nice article about Puppet Heap in this month's magazine of Kidscreen! Just follow the link to their site HERE.

KidScreen is the leading international trade publication serving the informational needs and interests of kids entertainment professionals.

Happy Anniversary Terry Fator!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Heap) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:59:00 +0000

Puppet Heap was ecstatic to be apart of Terry Fator's one year anniversary extravaganza at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas this past week. It has been one year since Terry began his run at the Mirage, and Puppet Heap was happy to be there as Terry unveiled his brand new Crash Test Dummy puppet designed and built right here in Hoboken by the Puppet Heap team. Here's to many more fantastic years to come!