Jim Henson News

Center for Puppetry Arts® is pleased to announce its upcoming 2012-2013 season, a journey filled with classic tales, lovable characters and plenty of adventures and fun for the entire family. Puppet lovers will have numerous opportunities to catch a show as this action-packed new season will feature a total of 665 theatrical performances - an average of almost 13 shows per week! In addition to hosting shows produced by the Center Company, Center for Puppetry Arts is proud to remain a premier destination for touring puppetry groups. This season, the Center will host productions from eight cities across the U.S. as well as an acclaimed production from Perth, Australia.

John Tartaglia, who earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance in Avenue Q (where he currently serves as Resident Director), Emmy Award nomination for Playhouse Disney's Johnny and the Sprites, Drama Desk nomination for John Tartaglia's ImaginOcean, and has twelve seasons of experience on Sesame Street (where he continues to guest star), today announced that he'll be holding an all new master class intensive in theatre and television-style puppetry.

Under the direction of Lab Director Matthew Acheson, participating artists and their collaborators met weekly over several months to develop projects, share puppetry elements and other design and technical ideas, discuss plot structure and character development, and work on narrative.

The EMMY-nominated animated children's series DINOSAUR TRAIN premieres the new 'Dinosaurs A to Z' one-hour special today, May 14 on PBS KIDS to encourage preschoolers to practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs. The episode will repeat on May 18 (check local listings).

Variety reports that famed director Guillermo Del Toro will helm 'Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio' along with Mark Gustafson, animation director on 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox.'

Goodspeed Musicals' bold and brassy musical comedy MAME runs now through July 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., with an official press opening of tonight, May 9, 2012. See photos from the production, featuring Louise Pitre, in dress rehearsal below!

Goodspeed Musicals will 'coax the blues right out ‘a the horn' with its much-anticipated new production of MAME. The bold and brassy musical comedy will runs now through July 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. [Official Press Opening is tonight, May 9, 2012.] Check out a sneak peek into the April 28 dress rehearsal for MAME. Watch the video below!

Ten schools across the nation have been selected for the second phase (Fall, 2012) of 'NBC's 'Smash': Make a Musical.' The philanthropic initiative, sponsored by NBC's hit musical drama series 'Smash' and administered by iTheatrics' Junior Theater Project, works with under-served schools across the country to stage their own productions and implement self-sustaining theater programs.

Avenue Q was the winner of the TONY "Triple Crown" for BEST MUSICAL, BEST SCORE and BEST BOOK in 2003. Director Robert D. Nation, will bring this deliciously naughty hit musical with its irresistible charm to Andrews Living Arts, 23 NW 5th St. Fort Lauderdale, 33301, beginning on April 6 for an unlimited run. With 2,534 performances, Avenue Q ranks 21st on the list of longest running shows in Broadway history.

Goodspeed Musicals' bold and brassy musical comedy MAME runs now through July 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., with an official press opening of May 9, 2012. See photos from the production, featuring Louise Pitre, in dress rehearsal below!

Goodspeed Musicals will 'coax the blues right out ‘a the horn' with its much-anticipated new production of MAME. The bold and brassy musical comedy will runs now through July 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. [Official Press Opening will be May 9, 2012.] Check out a sneak peek into last night's - April 28 - dress rehearsal for MAME. Watch the video below!

In recognition of the upcoming 2013 30th Anniversary of The Jim Henson Company's perennially favorite children's television series FRAGGLE ROCK™ the Company has announced plans for the following celebrations, events and new product availability for fans of all ages.

Coming off Syfy's most watched First Quarter ever in total viewers, Adults 18-34 and key women demos, Syfy and Chiller President Dave Howe today ignited the imagination of the advertising community by unveiling the next phase of the channel's largest original programming slate in history.

Avenue Q was the winner of the TONY "Triple Crown" for BEST MUSICAL, BEST SCORE and BEST BOOK in 2003. Director Robert D. Nation, will bring this deliciously naughty hit musical with its irresistible charm to Andrews Living Arts, 23 NW 5th St. Fort Lauderdale, 33301, beginning on April 6 for an unlimited run. With 2,534 performances, Avenue Q ranks 21st on the list of longest running shows in Broadway history.

The EMMY-nominated animated children's series DINOSAUR TRAIN will premiere the new 'Dinosaurs A to Z' one-hour special May 14 on PBS KIDS to encourage preschoolers to practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs. The episode will repeat on May 18 (check local listings).

Broadway In Chicago recently announced the complete 2012-2013 season, bringing old favorites, as well as new ones to Chicagoan theater-goers. The upcoming season will include I LOVE LUCY LIVE ON STAGE, KINKY BOOTS, SISTER ACT, DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, and WAR HORSE. In addition to the shows running during the official season, off-season specials include Stuffed And Unstrung, Rock Of Ages, Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles and Les Miserables. The complete season line-up, including performances dates and venues, is as follows:

Fred Barton returns to the Metropolitan Room on Sunday, April 15, at 7:00 PM with his show FRED BARTON PRESENTS - AND THINKS YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT! - in which he hosts, sings and plays with his 9-piece Broadway Band, presenting classic Broadway show tunes, with some of his favorite performers. This is Barton's last show until later this summer.

Broadway In Chicago today announced that individual tickets for STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a 'live uncensored show that lets loose the perilous and provocative elements of comedic improvisation on stage with a bunch of puppets,' go on-sale Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 10 a.m. STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG will play the Bank of America Theatre (18 West Monroe) for one-week only June 12 - 17, 2012.

On Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, The New York Pops under the direction of Steven Reinekepays tribute to iconic Academy Award-winning music scores and songs that have been the soundtrack of the American film experience over the past forty years.

TBS Just For Laughs Chicago, the nation's biggest comedy festival, kicks off its fourth year by announcing some very big names, with more surprises still to come. From June 12-17, an astonishing array of comedians, sketch shows, specialty acts and films will keep Chicago in stitches from some of its finest and most iconic venues.