O'Neill Withdrawal...

Having recently returned from the 2010 O'Neill Puppetry Conference, my mind is racing with inspiration from being surrounded by so many creatively ambitious souls. Without knowing I was missing it, it was nice to be welcomed home!

The atmosphere surrounding the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center is a constant buzz of potential, powered by people and resources beyond measure. They are dedicated to the art of producing new art - and they are damn good at it. There is a reason they earned the Regional Tony Award this year!

The Puppetry Conference, headed by Artistic Director (and resident Muppeteer) Pam Arciero, strives to provide the nurturing and challenging lead-by-example approach to the world of puppetry arts, aiming for every student to exit

the conference having created something that didn't exist

previously. In addition to conjuring new work, the conference is about creating a community of artists - and this particular aspect blew me away. Never before have I born witness to - much less been a part of - such a raw source of life-giving spirits. Puppeteers are (by their very nature) artists who give life to the world around them and can see beyond the surface to the inborn potential below. I feel honored to be a part of their world and can not wait to see what else is in store.

Our time spent at the O'Neill was only twelve days in the real world, but with everything we managed to pack into every nook and cranny of time it felt like months. We were suspended in a bubble ready to burst at any moment - and when the moment came where we all went our separate ways, that bubble could no longer be contained. So now we find ourselves back in the real world cleansed and renewed by this giant bubble, and ready to take it all on.

After a week of giving life to the inanimate, the real world seems so full of possibilities!

Serendipitous Media Exposure!

A few weeks ago I took Yancy to the National Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City. While unsafely filming inbetween lanes of traffic, our attention was suddenly drawn toward a frantic woman beckoning us to finish crossing the street for an interview. Not one to pass up an unbelievably well-timed opportunity (it was November 10 - the day Sesame Street turned 40), I traversed the remaining lanes and safely arrived on the sidewalk. Within moments I was given a microphone to wear and the camera was focusing on my cloth-covered hand!

We spoke for a few minutes about what I do for a living and what Sesame Street means to me, and as I settled into this impromptu interview I realized how crazy lucky the entire situation seemed. After a mere few minutes the interview was over and we parted ways... Talk about being in the right place at the right time!

A "Barrel" of Gratitude

In the midst of a hectic week of shows fell the holiday that reminds us how distant we've become from our families...

Thanksgiving!

Being on the road, we were forced to go commercial for our celebration - thus we attended the illustrious Cracker Barrel in Southaven, MS. As a last minute decision, I grabbed some felt, Fabri-Tac, and Yancy to come along for the ride. Within half-an-hour Yancy had a new outfit, and an entire restaurant gawked at how rude it seemed to be to have a puppet at the Thanksgiving dinner table!

Forgive the lack of editing and obvious "puppeteers arm", there was not nearly enough room to get a nice angle. Enjoy!

Here Comes the Sun...

So... I had a dream about blogging.  I guess it has been too long!

Tour ended beautifully in Miami, FL, as you can see above.  We took Yancy to the beach to see the sunrise and the shuttle launch (which was scrubbed due to a hydrogen leak) and it was absolutely breathtaking.

Although we had three shows that day and I was sure to be exhausted, I am glad I woke up early.  Seeing something that majestic really got me thinking:

As puppeteers and puppet builders, we strive to create life out of the inanimate world.  In some cultures puppeteers are even considered direct messengers of their respective gods due to their ability to breathe life into nothing.  Yet no matter how hard we try, our work pales in comparison.

That early morning was a nice reminder of the beauty we have surrounding us constantly that most of us don't really take the time to appreciate.  Not to get all hippy-tastic on you, but I recommend taking the time to wake up early and witness something that we can never recreate.  Why stop there, though?  Stay up late with some friends and take the time to stare up at the stars - get your hands dirty and go digging for bugs - at the very least turn on the Discovery Channel!

Understanding movement, connections, and emotions in the world around us can only improve us as people, performers, puppets, and any other array of "P" words... but lets keep it G-rated.

You're right Yancy... Earth rocks!