Jim Henson News

WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative proudly present the New York debut of 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. Created by award-winning director, producer, writer and performer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow and featuring The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers, this one-of-a-kind comedy is currently in performances at the Union Square Theatre. Previews began March 17. The show enjoyed its official opening on Thursday, April 1.

'An Evening of Whimsy, Wizardry and Wine' will take place at New York's premiere theatrical bookstore April 22 at 6:30pm, celebrating the release of the critically acclaimed new biography, 'Beating a Dead Horse: The Life and Times of Jay Marshall.' Emmy Award-winning talk show host Dick Cavett will interview Emmy Award-winning writer and author Alexander 'Sandy' Marshall about his father, dean of American magicians, Renaissance man, Jay Marshall 'The most famous celebrity no one ever heard of.'

This morning, The New Victory Theater learned that the 12-member cast and crew for Elephant, by Dodgy Clutch (UK) and The Market Theatre (South Africa), are able to fly from the UK to New York this Friday, which means that public performances on Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25 are no longer cancelled. Elephant is now scheduled to open on April 24 and run through May 2.

The Knitting Factory was founded in 1987 and over the years has grown into Knitting Factory Entertainment, which encompasses four clubs - in Brooklyn, Hollywood, Boise, and Spokane - several record labels and other ventures. Below is an account of the New York club's first years, written by company founder Michael Dorf.

'An Evening of Whimsy, Wizardry and Wine' will take place at New York's premiere theatrical bookstore April 22 at 6:30pm, celebrating the release of the critically acclaimed new biography, 'Beating a Dead Horse: The Life and Times of Jay Marshall.' Emmy Award-winning talk show host Dick Cavett will interview Emmy Award-winning writer and author Alexander 'Sandy' Marshall about his father, dean of American magicians, Renaissance man, Jay Marshall 'The most famous celebrity no one ever heard of.'

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly announces the premiere of ROCK ODYSSEY, a spectacular theatrical production that will be seen by every fifth-grader in the Miami-Dade County Public School System. In total, more than 26,000 fifth graders will participate in the pilot program, which was created by the Adrienne Arsht Center in conjunction with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The show will afford young people the opportunity to experience live theater in Miami's premier performing arts center, at no cost to them or their schools. ROCK ODYSSEY will run from April 27 - May 8, 2010 in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. This arts education program is made possible with the generous support of Miami-Dade County and additional funding from Funding Arts Network.

Brace yourselves as Dave Willis, co-creator of Aqua Teen Hunger Force and the voice of Meatwad and Carl, and Dana Snyder, the voice of Master Shake, join forces and hit the road for a nationwide live tour beginning in Dallas, TX on April 15. This is the first major Aqua Teen Hunger Force live tour after successful live performances last year in Austin and Chicago.

What better way to celebrate spring than with a colorful African fable bursting with exuberant song and infectious energy? From April 23 through May 2, The New Victory Theater will do just that with Elephant, a co-production between Dodgy Clutch of the UK and Johannesburg's The Market Theatre, creators of the Broadway hit musical Sarafina (1988 Tony® Award nomination for Best Musical).

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) kicks off the 2010 AMERICAS OFF BROADWAY festival with the New York premiere of DE NOVO, written and directed by Jeffrey Solomon, with images by acclaimed photojournalist Donna DeCesare, and produced by Houses on the Moon Theater Company.

The Cardinal Group's proction of HATE MAIL, a play by BILL CORBETT and KIRA OBOLENSKY, will close on April 2 at the 45th Street Theatre, located at 354 W. 45 St. in the heart of New York City's Times Square.

WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative proudly announce the New York debut of 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.

The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) invites you to join artists Dan Hurlin, Roman Paska, and Hanne Tierney and curator Leslee Asch for The Intimate Inanimate, a panel discussion that will provide a revealing look into works featured in the Museum's current exhibition The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater. Ms. Asch will moderate the conversation at the Museum on Sunday, March 28 at 5:30pm. This event is free for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (914) 232-9555, ext. 0 or emailing info@katonahmuseum.org.

What better way to celebrate spring than with a colorful African fable bursting with exuberant song and infectious energy? From April 23 through May 2, The New Victory Theater will do just that with Elephant, a co-production between Dodgy Clutch of the UK and Johannesburg's The Market Theatre, creators of the Broadway hit musical Sarafina (1988 Tony® Award nomination for Best Musical).

Passage Theatre, Trenton's premiere professional theater company, will present Emmy-nominated writer and performer Jeffrey Solomon in his critically acclaimed solo show, MotherSON for two performances - Saturday, March 27 at 8pm and Sunday, March 28 at 3pm - as part of its 8th Annual Solo Flights Festival.

The Katonah Museum of Art (www.katonahmuseum.org) invites you to join artists Dan Hurlin, Roman Paska, and Hanne Tierney and curator Leslee Asch for The Intimate Inanimate, a panel discussion that will provide a revealing look into works featured in the Museum's current exhibition The Art of Contemporary Puppet Theater. Ms. Asch will moderate the conversation at the Museum on Sunday, March 28 at 5:30pm. This event is free for members and $10 for non-members. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (914) 232-9555, ext. 0 or emailing info@katonahmuseum.org.

If your family is wild about puppetry, then you won't want to miss Puppets! Family Day: Design • Create • Perform at the Katonah Museum of Art on Sunday, May 16 from 12-4pm featuring special guests Theo, the bibliophile puppet of PBS's Between the Lions and his creator, Peter Linz.

WestBeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative have announced the New York debut of 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. Created by award-winning director, producer, writer and performer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow, this one-of-a-kind comedy performance is set for a special 10-week limited engagement kicking off Wednesday, March 17 at the Union Square Theatre. Official Opening takes place Thursday, April 1 at 9:00 PM.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two-time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, has announced that they will produce three new musicals at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. Kicking off the season is Band Geeks!, the homegrown smash hit from Goodspeed's 2009 Festival of New Artists. This feel-good musical comedy will run from May 13 through June 6. The darling Radio Girl, based on the much loved classic Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, will charm audiences July 29 through August 22. The third new musical, which will be announced soon, is scheduled to run October 21 through November 14.

Goodspeed Musicals will undertake a musical workshop production of an adaptation of the beloved children's book 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm', reports Variety. Henry Krieger (of 'Dreamgirls') will write the music, and Susan Birkenhead (of 'Jelly's Last Jam') will pen the lyrics. Daniel Goldfarb will write the book. The production will be directed by Christopher Gattelli who recently directed Goodspeed's 'Jim Henson's Emmett Otter'.

The Cardinal Group is thrilled to announce its proction of HATE MAIL, a play by BILL CORBETT and KIRA OBOLENSKY. The play will be presented at the 45th Street Theatre, located at 354 W. 45 St. in the heart of New York City's Times Square.