Jim Henson News

Jim Henson, renowned puppeteer, director, and-most famously-creator of the Muppets, faithfully kept a journal where he stored ideas, sketches, and one-line log entries about his life and work. Dubbed "The Red Book," it is the subject of a popular blog maintained by Karen Falk, Archivist for The Jim Henson Company (www.henson.com/jimsredbook). Now this diary is the subject of a new book by Falk, Imagination Illustrated: The Jim Henson Journal (2012, Chronicle Books), featuring excerpts from Henson's journal, rare sketches, ideas, and photographs. Throughout, Falk offers behind-the-scenes details into Henson's writings and drawings, as well as insights into Henson's life, his magical creations, and his artistic process.

Seen for the first time on the West Coast, OBIE Award winning playwright Samuel D. Hunter's A BRIGHT NEW BOISE (Drama Desk Award nomination) will be presented at Rogue Machine as the final offering for their main stage 2012 season. It will include an award-winning cast.

Jim Henson's key collaborator and one of the original Muppet performers, Jerry Nelson's life and work will be celebrated on Saturday, October 27, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. in cooperation with The Jim Henson Legacy and Museum of the Moving Image. Mr. Nelson passed away on August 23, 2012 at his home in Truro, Massachusetts.

TOMY, a leading designer and producer of high-quality products for mothers, infants and toddlers, highlighted their key products at ABC Kids Expo 2012. Focused on providing quality, style and a wide range of choices for today's parents, TOMY brands including The First Years, Boon, JJ Cole Collections, Lamaze and Pajanimals debut new, innovative items with individual flair designed to deliver convenience, ease, style and function.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE/LA is introducing a new performance space: "The Speakeasy." Located at their Atwater Village Theatre home, "The Speakeasy" will open with two world premiere comedies about relationships: the rolling world premiere of THE FISHERMAN'S WIFE, written by Steve Yockey and directed by Gates McFadden, which was originally produced in 2012 by Impact Theatre in Berkeley with EST/LA and the world premiere of DOESN'T ANYONE KNOW WHAT A PANCREAS IS?, written by Carole Real and directed by Jenny O'Hara. THE FISHERMAN'S WIFE will preview on Wednesday, October 24 and will open on Thursday, October 25 and will perform through Saturday, November 24 and DOESN'T ANYONE KNOW WHAT A PANCREAS IS? will preview Tuesday, October 30 and will open on Wednesday October 31 at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. in Los Angeles, 90039.

Seen for the first time on the West Coast, OBIE Award winning playwright Samuel D. Hunter's A BRIGHT NEW BOISE (Drama Desk Award nomination) will be presented at Rogue Machine as the final offering for their main stage 2012 season. It will include an award-winning cast.

Sleeping Beauty, presented by National Marionette Theatre, will play at the Center for Puppetry Arts, today, September 26-October 7, 2012. Join hero Prince Stefan as he sets out to rescue the princess Aurora, and her family's kingdom, asleep for almost one hundred years. Told from the prince's point of view, this adaptation of the much-loved fairy tale combines beautifully crafted marionettes with the timeless music from Tchaikovsky's ballet.

The Great Arizona Puppet Theater will perform shows for children and adults this fall, including Little Bunny's Halloween, The Little Red Hen, Imagine This!, and The Collector.

Sleeping Beauty, presented by National Marionette Theatre, will play at the Center for Puppetry Arts, September 26-October 7, 2012. Join hero Prince Stefan as he sets out to rescue the princess Aurora, and her family's kingdom, asleep for almost one hundred years. Told from the prince's point of view, this adaptation of the much-loved fairy tale combines beautifully crafted marionettes with the timeless music from Tchaikovsky's ballet.

A new block of tickets through Sunday, November 18, is now on sale for SILENCE! The Musical at the Hayworth Theatre.

Louis Phillips has joined Focus Features as the worldwide film company's executive vice president, physical production. Focus president Andrew Karpen, to whom Mr. Phillips reports, made the announcement today.

AFA (Heidi Leigh & Nick Leone) and Sloan Fine Art (Alix Sloan) are pleased to present 'Awakened,' an exhibition and fundraising event inspired by, and benefitting, the pet companions that brighten all of our lives. For this special ten-day exhibition, curator Alix Sloan has challenged over fifty artists to create works inspired by the powerful impact of animals in our lives and homes. A portion of the proceeds from every sale will be donated to Adopt-a-Pet.com in support of their mission to help find loving homes for homeless pets.

In preparation for the upcoming 2013 30th Anniversary of the internationally beloved television series Fraggle Rock™, The Jim Henson Company revealed today the winning designs of the Fraggle Rock Talenthouse contest.

The Jim Henson Company in conjunction with multi-platform video game developer N-Fusion Interactive Entertainment has just released an interactive app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, based on Henson's preschool series, PAJANIMALS, currently airing in the U.S. on 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout® and on the new Saturday morning NBC Kids block.

In their first co-producing endeavor, HERE and the Hip-Hop Theater Festival in association with Collective Consciousness Theatre present the world premiere of How to Break, a new play fueled by human beat-boxing, breaking, popping and locking, linguistic flow and multimedia graffiti art. This production will play a limited engagement at HERE from October 18 - November 4, with Official Opening set for Tuesday, October 23 at 7:00pm.