Brian Henson's PUPPET UP! Comes to The Montalbán For Eight Performances
The acclaimed improvised puppet comedy created by Brian Henson will play eight performances at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre this summer.
Brian Henson's Puppet Up! will return to Los Angeles for a limited engagement at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre, with eight performances scheduled July 31 through August 9, 2026.
Created by legendary puppeteer and filmmaker Brian Henson, the long-running production combines improvised comedy, sketch performances, and musical numbers featuring more than 80 puppets from The Jim Henson Company. Each performance is unique, with audience suggestions helping shape the evening's unscripted sketches.
Hosted by Patrick Bristow (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), the production offers audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry of puppetry, with the puppet action projected live above the stage while the performers remain visible below. In addition to its signature improvised "puppet anarchy," the show also revives classic sketches originally created by Jim Henson, Jane Henson, and Frank Oz that have rarely been performed live in recent decades.
"For over twenty years, Puppet Up! has toured around the world," the production notes, earning acclaim at festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, San Francisco Sketchfest, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, while also playing to audiences in New York, Chicago, Toronto, and beyond.
Audience members can also take photos with a life-sized blue Henson puppet displayed in the theatre lobby before the performance.
Puppet Up! is recommended for audiences 16 and older. Tickets are on sale now.
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