Henson Alternative's PUPPET UP! Set for Eccles Center, 3/9

Uncensored. Really. The Jim Henson Company's puppets are unleashed for an evening of outrageous, funny performance with a devilish and most decidedly adult (a.k.a. Rated-R) edge. The motley crew of "Miskreant Puppets" go rogue with songs and sketches performed by six expert Henson Alternative puppeteers at The Eccles Center on Sunday, March 9. Puppet Up! - Uncensored wreaks improvisational havoc, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Note: The hilarious anarchy is recommended for adults only.

Created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor, director, and improvisational master Patrick Bristow (Ellen, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Puppet Up! - Uncensored is a wild romp in which the skilled art of puppetry and spontaneous comedy collide. Unpredictable and irreverent, Puppet Up! - Uncensored is never the same show twice.

As Entertainment Weekly puts it, "It's nearly impossible to do anything but laugh." And the Chicago Daily Herald writes, "Seeing these inanimate objects become so convincingly lifelike is a wonder - even if they make you blush now and then."

Six world-class puppeteers (some of whom are alums of Second City and The Groundlings) create improvisation comedy onstage and in full view; their antics are simultaneously projected onto large screens flanking the stage, so that every nuance of the performance is magnified.

"Watching these pros work is consistently funny and fascinating. Since the puppeteers are visible throughout, viewers are treated to an up-close look at the mechanics of their trade. After it's all over, it's doubtful that you'll ever be able to watch Sesame Street the same way again...and you'll be all the better for it," writes Time Out New York.

The uninhibited and extraordinary puppet show also features re-creations of classic pieces originally created by Jim Henson, Jane Henson, and Frank Oz, which that haven't been seen by live audiences in decades.

"This is no run-of-the-mill puppet show. And this not entertainment for children," says Park City Institute executive director Teri Orr. Expect four-letter words and grown-up humor from a laugh-out-loud funny crop of deviant puppets."

Park City Institute presents Puppet Up! - Uncensored on Sunday, March 9. The hilarious Henson Alternative puppeteers go rogue at The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (1750 Kearns Blvd., Park City). Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Main Stage Eccles Tickets range from $20 to $69 with a 20-percent discount for seniors; ½ price tickets for children ages 16 and under; $5 seats available in the Copper Section for Summit County students (K-12). This show is not recommended for children. Tickets and information are available at The Eccles Center box office, 435-655-3114 or www.ecclescenter.org.

Photo by: Carol Rosegg