Big Update

I realize that I have been neglecting my blog for a while. Thank you all for your pacitence I wanted to give you all an update on some of the projects I've been working on.

Right now Swazzle is booking summer puppet shows at libraries all over California. Down in Southern California we have over 130 bookings - it's going to be a busy three months. This summer the theme is bugs so we'll be touring Bugys Brown Private Fly in Northern California and Space Bugs: Alpha and Zeta down south. We're working out the scripts now, we should start designing and building the puppets very soon. Along with the bug shows, we are also writing a puppet show for L.A. City Libraries called The Magical Misadventures of Walnut the Wizard.

Swazzle has also been working on the creation of a new school show called, The Swazzle Workshop Live. This new show will be showcased in May, and it will make it's debut this coming school year. The Swazzle Workshop Live was created in partnership with The Orange County Performing Arts Center with a grant from The Puppeteers of America.

Swazzle's new preschool puppet show Forest Fables debuted a while back, and it has been very well received. This show also doubles as a birthday party puppet show - a new market for us.

Our Spanish puppet show Aventuras Saludables continues to play at large events all over Southern California.

Aside from Swazzle news, I've been keeping busy with many exciting puppet projects. Patrick and I just built a series of puppets for Sprout (PBS's network for preschoolers). I'm not sure when they'll be making their debut - so keep an eye out. Patrick and I also did more Sendables for Jib Jab. The Valentine's Day one has already debuted - more are coming soon. The film I puppeteered on, Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes out soon. This was my first film role, and I was working with Jim Henson's Creature Shop - a dream come true (the movie is rated R so leave the kids at home). Fianly, I continue to be involved with the Henson Company's puppet improv show Puppet Up. For the last couple of months Patrick and I have been teaching puppet technique at the Jim Henson Company - another dream come true.

That's it for the update - thank you for letting me share. Keep tuned in to Puppet 101 because I have some excited posts planned. First up, I'll be sharing information about puppet stages. Over our years of live performance, we have been through every type of stage: PVC, wood frame etc. Finally, I feel like we have hit on a stage that is study, flexible, quick to assemble, and portable.

I hope you all tune in for that.

Thank you to all of my readers. I hope you find this blog helpful and inspirational. If you have any questions about puppet building please drop me an email - sean@swazzle.com and I'll try my best to answer them.

Half Price Tickets for Puppet Up!

See Puppet Up! - Uncensored for just $15.00! Goldstar Events is offering half price tickets to this Saturday's show. Puppet Up! - Uncensored is the Jim Henson Company's hilarious puppet Improv show. The show plays at Avalon Hollywood, Saturday, Oct. 20 @ 8:00pm. Click here to get your $15.00 tickets!

Puppet Up! Sat., Sep 29, 8:00, Avalon

The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! Uncensored returns to Avalon in Hollywood this Saturday. Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show begins at 8:00 pm. If you haven't seen this show you really must check it out. Click here for tickets.

More Puppet Up! on TBS.com

Check out the latest episodes of the Jim Henson Company's improv show Puppet Up! on TBS.com. Patrick is featured in both of them, he plays a hot dog in Roller Skating Hot Dogs, and he is the red crab in Death Monopoly Game. Death Monopoly Game also feathers two puppets I built for the show, the red crab and the little gray monster.

Those of you with Macs may have trouble viewing the clips, they are best viewed on a PC.

P.S. Puppet Up! is intended for an adult audience and is not suitable for children.

Puppet Up! on TBS.com

For nearly two years Patrick and I have been involved in Puppet UP!, the Jim Henson Company's puppet improv show. I just discovered that two of my sketches are now being featured on TBS.com. These were taped before a live audience at the Improv in Hollywood a couple of months back. I play the weasel in Halliburton Customer Service, and the boy in You Laugh Too Loud.

Those of you with Macs may have trouble viewing the clips, they are best viewed on a PC.

P.S. Puppet Up! is intended for an adult audience and is not suitable for children.

Puppet Up, Uncensored Tonight!

Be sure to catch The Jim Henson Company's improv show Puppet Up, Uncensored tonight on TBS at 11:00 pm.

This one hour special was taped during two live performances at the Comedy Festival in Vegas just a week ago. Under the direction of Groundlings alum Patrick Bristow, the puppeteers of the Jim Henson Company perform improv sketches based on audience suggestions. Unlike previous Henson productions, the puppeteers are visible to a live audience, and the television cameras.

Patrick and I have been fortunate enough to participate in this exciting project as it has evolved over the past year and a half. Although we will not be in tonight's show, some puppets we built for the production might - because it's improv there are no guarantees. Keep an eye out for a little gray monster, a red crab, and a shinny turquoise alien.

By the way, this show is not appropriate for children.

More Friday Fun, Puppet Up! Stuff

The Jim Henson Company has just made some Puppet Up! stuff available through Cafepress. The t-shirts and pins feature the Puppet Up! log, the cute pug, a hot dog, and the three aliens.

Red Crab

This is a crab that I built for Puppet Up! Featuring the Henson Improv Company. He is based on a green crab that was built a while back by the very talented puppet builder Eric Englehardt. Eric is a veritable encyclopedia of puppet building knowledge. He happened to be out from New York and working in the Henson Creature Shop, at the same time I was building the crab. He gave me so many great tips and advice - I could not have built this puppet without him.

Meet Herman

I built this puppet for Puppet Up! Featuring the Henson Improv Company. He made his debut this past week in Hollywood, and he will be traveling to Edinburgh when the show tours this August.

Herman was designed specially for the show by long time Jim Henson Company puppeteer Julianne Buescher. I built him in the Creature Shop under the watchful eye of Jane Gootnick, an extremely talented builder that has been with the Jim Henson Company since the second season of The Muppet Show. Even though I've been building puppets for over 10 years, I learned so much from Jane.

A small trivia note for all you Jim Henson Company fans: Herman is made from the same fur as Sprocket from Fraggle Rock.

Puppet Up!

I hope some of you were able to check out Puppet Up! Featuring the Henson Improv Company in Hollywood this past week. Last night I performed in the 8:30 show and Patrick performed in the 10:30 show. Both shows were hilarious - in my humble and unbiased opinion. The next stop for the show is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, August 4 - August 20.

Jim Henson's Puppet Improv Live in Hollywood!

Puppet Up! for adults only, Featuring the Henson Puppet Improv Company, The Improv, 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046. June 21, 8:30 pm, June 23, 8:30 pm, and and June 24, 8:30 pm and 10:30 pm.

Patrick and I will be performing in the show on Saturday. I'll be in the 8:30 show and Patrick will be in the 10:30 show.

From the company that for fifty years has celebrated irreverence, creativity and performance comes PUPPET UP! (for adults only), featuring The Henson Puppet Improv Company, a demonstration of what happens when the perilous and provocative forms of traditional comedic improvisation are mixed with a bunch of puppets. With a motley group of characters brought to life by the world renowned puppeteers of The Jim Henson Company, this is not your average night at the improv and it is definitely not for children. But all others are welcome to enjoy the uninhibited anarchy of live puppet performance as never seen before.

Click here to buy your ticket.

Busy, busy, busy

Whew! Summer is nearly here and this has been a productive and busy week for me. Patrick and I have been building puppets at The Creature Shop for Jim Henson's Puppet Improv, which has been a blast. In the evenings we're rehearsing our Swazzle puppet shows B.A.R.K. The Robot Dog and Rex and Boots Super Sleuths. Until my schedule lightens up a bit my posts may be a bit spotty, so please bear with me.

Friday Fun, Puppet Heap

Puppet Heap is puppet building company founded by Emmy nominated designer Paul Andrejco. They have built puppets for Nick Jr., Sesame Workshop, Disney Channel, and The Jim Henson Company. Some of their projects include, Bear in the Big Blue House, Jim Henson's The Animal Show, and Elmo's World.

Through my involvement with Jim Henson's Puppet Improv, I've had the opportunity to use the vulture and the armadillo (pictured above), which were originally constructed for Jim Henson's The Animal Show. After working with those characters, I can say from first hand experience that Puppet Heap's puppets are well designed, and expertly crafted. Additionally, they are built with the puppeteer in mind, and allow for some beautiful manipulation possibilities.

To learn more about Puppet Heap check out their web site, www.puppetheap.com. There you will find a full gallery of puppets, a demo reel, behind the scenes photos and more.

Friday Fun, Jim Henson's Puppet Improv

For the past nine months Patrick and I have been taking puppet improv classes at the Jim Henson Company with Groundlings performer Patrick Bristow. Now a selection of puppeteers from that class, (including Brian Henson and Bill Barretta) are taking the show to the Aspen Comedy Arts Festival in March. I was fortunate enough to participate in the second puppet improv show that played to an invitation only audience at the Jim Henson Studios a while back, and I know this show will be hilarious. If you are planning to attend the Festival don't miss Jim Henson's Puppet Improv.

For more information check out Andrew's post on Puppet Vision, the Aspen Comedy Arts Festival, and Muppet Central.