Jim Henson Company News

As part of its popular family-friendly Summertime Saturday Puppet Show Series featuring acclaimed puppeteers from around New England and beyond, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut will present Monkey and Dino's Funky Puppet Show! by John Cody on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Ballard Institute Theater located at 1 Royce Circle in Downtown Storrs.

The very first live recording of the Under The Puppet podcast has been added to FELT-A-CON 2018. Hosted by Grant Baciocco (The Jim Henson Company, Mystery Science Theatre 3000), Under the Puppet LIVE! will feature an interview plus an audience Q&A. The event will be open to the public, as well as festival attendees, and will take place August 11 at 2pm.

The Center for Puppetry Arts is celebrating the opening of a brand-new special exhibition about Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal with the highly anticipated The Dark Crystal Ball on Thursday, August 30.

These three prolific writers share personal stories that have sparked laughter and motivated change. Northwest Associated Arts (NWAA), KNKX (88.5 FM) and The Stranger present all three events at beautiful Benaroya Hall. Tickets prices vary and are available through the Benaroya Hall Box Office, at 206.215.4747 or online at www.benaroyahall.org.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain and London Writers' Week have announced a writing for video games panel event, which will take place as part of this year's London Writers' Week and which will provide access to advice from some of the UK's leading video games writers.

The Jim Henson Company, Herschend Studios, and Music.Film Recordings make a “Splash” with the new summer release of Splash and Bubbles: Rhythm of the Reef (Songs from Season One). Hitting stores and digital retailers today (June 1), the album includes 16 favorite songs from Season 1 of the Emmy nominated PBS Kids TV series, along with 6 bonus tracks from the interstitial series “Get Your Feet Wet.” Visit http://smartURL.it/RhythmoftheReef to buy and stream the full album, in time for World Oceans Day on June 8.

The Skirball Cultural Center kicks off The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited on opening night, Friday, June 1, featuring rare evening museum hours from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Enjoy a DJ set by Timothy Nordwind of OK Go, roving puppeteers, and more, at this first opportunity to see the dynamic new exhibition. Drinks will be served at a cash bar and LA food trucks La Morra Pizzeria, Green Truck, Tacos Super Gallito, andNomad Ice Pops will be on site.

Emery Entertainment is thrilled to bring the three-time Tony Award-winning smash hit musical AVENUE Q at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza, January 25-February 10, 2019. Tickets are $50 and $75, and go on sale Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m., through MetroTix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. Additionally, tickets will be available at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza box office one hour prior to show time. Groups of 10 or more should call 314-616-4455 for special rates.

CSz Philadelphia, the Home of ComedySportz, is proud to present PUPPETS HERE & THERE, a sophisticated, multi-media, improvised comedy show with puppets. PUPPETS HERE & THERE runs Friday, May 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 8PM. Tickets are $15.

The Skirball Cultural Center announces the June 1 opening of The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited, a dynamic new visitor experience exploring the legacy of Jim Henson (1936-1990). Featuring more than 100 objects drawn from the beloved worlds of Sesame Street, The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and much more, the traveling exhibition highlights Henson's groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on popular culture. It reveals how Henson - together with his team of builders, performers, and writers - created an unparalleled body of work that continues to delight and inspire people of all ages.

The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited, Coming to the Skirball Cultural Center

Award-winning British comedian, Simon Amstell, announces a month-long New York City run of his critically acclaimed new show, What Is This?, running June 1st through June 30th at Theatre 80 in the East Village. Following each performance, copies of Simon's new book, Help, will be on sale and Simon will sign copies. This is the only opportunity to purchase the book in North America. Presented by WestBeth Entertainment, tickets are on sale now available at www.SimonAmstell.com

The World Premiere of Don Nguyen's Hello, From the Children of Planet Earth opens tonight, on March 7 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project. Presented by The Playwrights Realm (Katherine Kovner, Founding Artistic Director; Roberta Pereira, Producing Director) and directed by Jade King Carroll, this philosophical, and tender comedy is split between the perspectives of a lesbian couple trying to conceive, and their potential-sperm-donor/aerospace engineer friend as they're stretched to contemplate the unknowns of their future.

Ivan L. Lustig and Michael Barker, Co-Chairmen of the Board of Trustees of Museum of the Moving Image, today announced that Cheryl Henson has been elected to serve as a Museum Trustee.

The World Premiere of Don Nguyen's Hello, From the Children of Planet Earth opens tonight, on March 7 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project. Presented by The Playwrights Realm (Katherine Kovner, Founding Artistic Director; Roberta Pereira, Producing Director) and directed by Jade King Carroll, this philosophical, and tender comedy is split between the perspectives of a lesbian couple trying to conceive, and their potential-sperm-donor/aerospace engineer friend as they're stretched to contemplate the unknowns of their future.

Puppet enthusiasts are invited to celebrate Women's History Month at the Center for Puppetry Arts! On Saturday, March 3, the Center will host The Women of the Muppets, a special lecture and discussion with four of the women who made groundbreaking contributions to the work of The Jim Henson Company.

On this day we celebrate the birthday of Tony Award-nominee, John Tartaglia!

Princess Cruises today revealed the artwork for "The Secret Silk," the third production created in collaboration with Oscar-, Tony- and Grammy award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked", "Pippin", "Godspell").  Created by Katie Rodgers of Paper Fashion, the "The Secret Silk" artwork was commissioned specifically to reflect the whimsical nature of the production. 

The Cartel, a full service management and production company, has hired former agent and 17-year entertainment industry veteran, Matthew Ellis, as a Manager, bringing with him an impressive catalogue of writers, directors, producers, and artists specializing in animation and children's programming. He will be based in the company's Los Angeles office beginning immediately.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry Presents Nurturing New Work for Puppet Theater: The Jim Henson Foundation with Cheryl Henson, Leslee Asch, Lindsey Z Briggs, and Richard Termine Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at 7 p.m.