The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic

"When evil screams throughout the world, when all three suns converge, when all that's fair and fine seems lost... a hero will emerge!"

It's easy to understand why Jim Henson's 1982 movie The Dark Crystal has become a cult classic all over the world. Its edge-of-your-seat suspense and mesmerizing story is captivating from the very beginning.

Now, fans all around Atlanta and those visiting Atlanta can see a new special exhibition, Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic, and you don't even have to know what a Skeksis is to enjoy it!

Jen | Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Haven't seen the movie? Imagine...

"Another planet, another time. 1,000 years ago the mysterious Dark Crystal was damaged by one of the Urskeks and an age of chaos has began! The evil race of grotesque birdlike lizards the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. Meanwhile the orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of the peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal which gives the Skesis their power and restore the balance of the universe." - Anthony Pereyra

Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic exhibit showcases original Brian Froud artwork, animatronic prototypes, costumes and props. Everything in the exhibit is fascinating, hands down. 

As a former wanna-be-artist of drawing (mostly pencil), I was personally blown away by Brian Froud's artwork. I encourage your to take ample time to explore these magical works of art and ponder the imagination that created the drawings.

Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The exhibition, in the Dean DuBose Smith Special Exhibits Gallery—a separate space from The Jim Henson Collection and The Global Collection museums—displays more than 50 artifacts, including several prototypes and early versions of the film's iconic characters, as well as the actual puppets used in the Saturn Award-winning film, some of them worn and operated by humans, so those are HUGE puppets!

Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

I love a themed outing and I've got one for you that you can do with the kids, friends or on a date! You can do these all in one day or over a period of days.

1. The film takes place on another planet, bring your group or date to a planetarium! There's the Bentley Planetarium at Tellus Science Museum; the Fernbank Science Center Planetarium at the Fernbank Science Center (not the museum on Clifton); or the Georgia Tech Observatory at Georgia Tech's School of Physics.

2. Watch or re-watch the movie with your group or date! It's only 93 minutes and they'll go quickly.

3. Go see  Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic at the Center for Puppetry Arts! You don't have to watch the movie first to enjoy the exhibition, but I re-watched it and it totally enhanced my exhibit experience. My friend Barry has not seen the movie before and still thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit.

Have fun!

Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

You and your friends will get to explore how Jim Henson, Brian Froud, Frank Oz and others created The Dark Crystal’s mythical world of Thra, as well as take a look at the film’s impact and legacy over the years...you get to see up close and personal the behind-the-scenes work that made this classic cult film so legendary!

Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic" | Center for Puppetry Arts | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Your ticket to see Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: World of Myth and Magic includes access to The Jim Henson Collection, which has some other amazing artifacts from The Dark Crystal. Take yourself and your imagination to the Center for Puppetry Arts and enjoy this fascinating, magical exhibition.

Thank you to the Center of Puppetry Arts for the tickets to the exhibition, through Brave PR. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by having been hosted.

"Nunsense" is Habit Forming

Marietta Theatre Company has opened their second season with the heavenly hilarious musical "Nunsense", on stage through Saturday, September 1. There are only a few performances with tickets still available. Get yours now!

Okay, okay...my title, "Nunsense is Habit Forming" is hardly original, but clever is clever. And that's not sinful. What is sinful is not laughing your ass off while watching this brilliantly delightful musical.

"Nunsense" | Marietta Theatre Company

Here's the premise of the second longest running Off-Broadway musical comedy...

"Five of the 19 surviving Little Sisters of Hoboken, a one-time missionary order that ran a leper colony on an island south of France, discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, accidentally killed the other fifty-two residents of the convent with her tainted vichyssoise while they were off playing bingo with a group of Maryknolls. However they forgot about four of the nuns and need additional funds for a proper burial! With the deceased nuns on ice in the deep freeze, they decide to stage a variety show in the Mount Saint Helen’s School auditorium to raise the necessary amount." 

- Marietta Theatre Company

The five actresses in Marietta Theatre Company's production are indeed a sisterhood. They're wonderfully synchronous and harmonize brilliantly. 

My personal favorite is Sister Mary Amnesia (Sophia Decker), a Georgia native (which I didn't know before deciding she's my favorite). Sophia is a huge fan of tap dancing, which the show has! She's also a puppeteer! 

The show also has ballet, danced by Sister Mary Leo (Megan Wartell), who wants to be the worlds first nun ballerina. Told you it's funny! I asked Megan if she was classically trained in ballet. She didn't break character. She totally answered as Sister Mary Leo, reiterating that she wants to be the world's first nun ballerina.

“What better way to open our second season than with a production that will have audiences laughing hysterically?” said Blaine Clotfelter, president and co-founder of Marietta Theatre Company. “As an emerging theater company in Atlanta’s bustling arts scene, we are honored and humbled to have received nearly 20 Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Award nominations for our inaugural season – more than any other theater in the region - and hope this show will set the tone for continued momentum in the year ahead.”

"Nunsense" | Marietta Theatre Company

Thank you to BRAVE PR for the tickets and for marketing such a fun show! I've worked with BRAVE PR for a number of years and they've consistently been wonderful and consistently represent their clients in the brightest limelight. 

See "Nunsense" at Marietta Theatre Company now through Saturday, September 1. A lot of shows are sold out, so DO NOT WAIT!

With such an awesome season as this, consider purchasing a season subscription and save 20 percent, equivalent to the price of a single show, to enjoy all five shows in Marietta Theatre Company's 2018-2019 season, including "Nunsense", "The Toxic Avenger", "I Love You Because", "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" and "Altar Boyz".

I saw The Toxic Avenger five times at another theatre...LOVE this show! And I saw Altar Boyz at a theatre in Bethesda, MD...another fantastic show! Can hardly wait to see what Marietta Theatre Company does with them!!!

See you at the theatre!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I recently saw The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Aurora Theatre, one of my favorites. Everything I've seen at Aurora has been fantastic, but this show is beyond spectacular! With a star-studded cast, beautiful music, and an indelible set, this show is poised for fanfare of the sort that lasts for decades!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a co-production with Theatrical Outfit—the first show in its 2017-2018 season—where it is now running through Sunday, September 17.

Haden Rider and the cast of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME | Photo by Daniel Parvis

I'd never seen The Hunchback of Notre Dame, so I didn't know the story or what to expect, beyond knowing it would be an amazing performance because it was at Aurora. 

Between seeing The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Aurora Theatre and Theatrical Outfit, I've watched the 1996 Disney animated version and the 1939 black and white Hollywood movie starring a young, new actress Maureen O'Hara. There's also a 1923 film version that I did not see. All are based on the novel written by Victor Hugo, but none exactingly follow the book.

The Aurora Theatre/Theatrical Outfit co-production is an amalgamation of the various previously performed renditions. It doesn't have the happy ending that Disney gave it, but you won't be sorry you saw this perfectly performed work of art!

Haden Rider (Quasimodo) is phenomenal! A young, humble actor, his talent is eons beyond his years. As Quasimodo, he is wholly convincing as an innocent, "different" (caged hunchback), and compassionate human being.

Haden Rider and Julissa Sabino in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME | Photo by Daniel Parvis

Theatre in Atlanta is the best it has ever been, in my humble opinion. I've seen amazing theatre throughout the years in Atlanta, as far back as 1987. We had great talent then, but now we have so much more!

If there were a First Lady of Atlanta theatre, Julissa Sabino (Esmeralda) would be a strong contender. She's beyond amazing and is so incredibly talented. I've had the great pleasure of seeing her in a number of plays in recent years (The Toxic Avenger, Grease) and have had the awesome pleasure of meeting her. Charming, poised, grateful...she possesses all the best qualities one would hope a celebrity would have.

From being a champion for her people's human rights, the Gypsies, to demonstrating genuine compassion, for Quasimodo, Julissa's performance shines brightly in this tale peppered with darkness. Julissa is also the Dance Captain for this production, which she totally rocks!

David de Vries and Julissa Sabino in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME | Photo by Daniel Parvis

The multi-talented David de Vries, who has performed in top grossing stage, television and movie projects, plays Dom Claude Frollo, a character I detested from the very first promotional images I saw. The character is creepy! 

That's also to say that David's performance is brilliant. He brings to the stage one of those characters that you love to hate. A character that stirs uneasiness deep down in your soul.

I was so conflicted wanting to see Frollo crushed and totally wanting to meet de Vries! 

This show has a powerful cast, including Kevin Harry and Lowrey Brown, as well as a phenomenal ensemble. And the puppeteers are magical! They bring the gargoyles to life and lighten the dialogue—conversations with Quasimodo—with some wonderful humor.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France | Photo: Barry Holland

I went to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Aurora Theatre with my friend Barry, and we already have tickets to see it again at Theatrical Outfit! Barry visited Paris a few years back and made some stunning photos of the Notre Dame Cathedral, this one of the bell tower side we see in the show. He thoroughly enjoyed the musical and I'm sure the spectacular sets whisked him right back to Paris.

Go see The Hunchback of Notre Dame and be whisked away to Paris yourself! 15th Century Paris, that is. And be prepared for one of the most incredibly heart-wrenching, heart-touching stories you've ever seen.

Enjoy a brief look at some of the magnificence you'll enjoy when you go see this show...

"Inside I" Gives an Insightful Voice to Autism

In the State of Georgia, 1 in 68 children are born in the spectrum of Autism. 

Inside I, a world-premiere now showing at 7 Stages Theatre, brilliantly showcases a portion of the life—birth through 18—of one young person living on a more misunderstood side of Autism, one who also is a lovable character and one who endears compassion, empathy and understanding.

One of the things that you'll learn about Autism in this experience is that "If you've met one person on the spectrum, you've met ONE person on the spectrum." That's to say that every person who lives with Autism is living a different experience.

I Direct Myself is a magnificent 15-minute show presented before Inside I, written by and starring Sam Gross, a 7 Stages intern living on the spectrum who has been working at the theatre for a long time.

Sam's passion for acting is immediately apparent. His performance is wonderful and wholly brilliant. This young man is also quite brave...he's doing something I've never, ever considered doing—acting on stage before a live audience. 

I believe you're going to love his performance...for which he received a generous round of applause at the performance I attended. Congratulations, Sam!

Inside I utilizes multiple technologies, including live-feed camera, large-screen projection and smartphone technology, and is performed, rather surprisingly, via masterful and magnificently acted puppetry.

This story features episodes of the life and dreams of character named Ben, from birth to age 18, who lives on the spectrum and it tells the tale of his obsession with, and escape into the world of video—early on with his mother's smartphone and later with one of his own.

The large-screen projections feature Ben's perspective via projections from his smartphone—his view of the world...giving "voice" and image to life on Autism's spectrum of unheard and unseen effects, including the heartbreak and love of family and the bullying of kids who have no understanding of what they're seeing.

This play delves deep into one of the many possible experiences of Autism, offering an insight unlike any other I've ever seen.

I had the honor of meeting a number of the actors, as well as Michael Haverty, one of the creators of Inside I, immediately after witnessing him bringing food to a peaceful homeless person on the street. Michael didn't see that I saw him, that I saw an act of friendliness and compassion. It was a touching moment and the conversation with him afterward about the play was insightful and quite riveting.

Of the actors I met, and I'm grateful for every one that I met, it was a great honor to meet Suzi Bass Award-winner Matt Baum, who performed the role of Ben, the main character. Talk about range...it's not often that you see someone on stage perform the role of a character from birth to 18. Matt did so brilliantly and quite convincingly. His wife was also in attendance and is wholly delightful.

On Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 p.m. there will be a sensory-friendly performance of Inside I. Feel free to call the theatre for more details about this particular performance.




I also encourage you to listen to this interview with Inside I co-creators Michael Haverty and Erwin Maas.

While Inside I is geared to a neuro-typical audience—people not living on the spectrum—many who have Autistic children, know someone (or many) who live on the spectrum, research Autism, are caregivers, and advocates, are showing great interest in the show. 

I personally have known a couple of mothers of Autistic children, but my exposure has been extremely limited, so I'm grateful to 7 Stages for bringing this show to the Atlanta community...I learned a lot, enjoyed the performances immensely and left equipped to better understand, sympathize and share 7 Stages' mission with this play to help spread awareness of Autism.

You can see I Direct Myself and Inside I at 7 Stages Theatre now on stage through Sunday, May 8, 2016.

10 Exciting Reasons To Attend Dragon Con

Dragon Con offers a LOT more than cosplay and Atlanta's biggest parade. There are celebrities, workshops, discussion panels, parties, events, costume contests, science and space tracks...the list goes on and on! 

Allow me, please, to share with you an exciting 10 reasons to attend one of Atlanta's signature Labor Day Weekend events...Dragon Con!

1: COSPLAY!

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Cosplay

No joking...cosplay is one of the bigger reasons we all attend Dragon Con. It's just fun! When I share with people that I'm attending Dragon Con, the most common response is "Are you dressing up?"

The more interesting conversations revolve around "why" people cosplay. It seems like, as is the case with most things in life, people have their own preconceived notions of why, so I appreciate it when someone engages me in this conversation.

I'm not out to change anyone's mind, but here's a look at some of clinical psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi's work regarding the psychology of cosplay. [article]

The findings of her research boil down to:

"They cosplay for creativity, to be social and hang out with friends, because they identify with the character and that's meaningful to them. The top reason people cosplay is because it's fun. You can't pinpoint an abnormality in that. It's no different than someone who plays in a band or plays sports."

That's pretty much what I've been saying for years.

Those who know of Dragon Con but not much more beyond its cosplay aspect, sometimes ask "What else is there to do there?" I love that question! Keep reading to hear a few of the things I answer with, noting that this is not a comprehensive list, but one that is reflective of my personal interests...

(My 2015 Dragon Con cosplay coverage)

2: DRAGON CON PARADE

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: The Parade

The Annual Dragon Con Parade has become a signature Atlanta event!

While the convention itself brings a surprisingly significant amount of revenue to our fair city, the Dragon Con Parade is a opportunity for families and fans to enjoy a festive part of the Con with only a modest time and money expenditure. And it's so much fun!

You're going to see a vast array of genres, from science-fiction to time travel, from fairy princesses to cartoon characters! You'll also get to see a few celebrities, like this year's Grand Marshall Nichelle Nichols!

(Check out my 2015 Annual Dragon Con Parade coverage)

3: FUNDRAISING FOR CHARITIES

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Charitable Causes

I haven't heard the final numbers as of this writing, but I do know that Dragon Con (including a $50,000 matching contribution) had donated more than $100,000 to its 2015 charity, Lymphoma Research Foundation. That's impressive!

Dragon Con also hosts an annual Blood Drive—they're one of the significant blood donation venues for more than 100 hospitals in Georgia, Alabama and Florida. I don't know the numbers yet for this year, but last year they collected nearly 3,300 units! It makes this conventioneer proud to be a part of an organization that puts such strong emphasis on saving lives.  

In addition to the larger fundraising efforts, the Con allows for others to make contributions through their own passionate interests. Stephen Eisenhauer, who just started ninth grade, offers to play chess with conventioneers—he's dressed as a Jawa from Star Wars! The tips he makes from the chess play he donates to Dragon Con's selected charity. This year, this honorable young man raised $478 for Lymphoma Research Foundation! 

If you see the chess-playing Jawa next year, play a game with him and drop a contribution in his tip bucket. You don't even have to play to make a contribution...let's all help him break $1,000 next year!  

4: CELEBRITIES!

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Celebrities!

Jamie Bamber was at the top of my list of must-meet celebrities at the 2015 Dragon Con, and I did. Super charming guy!

Dragon Con offers many, many ways to see, hear and meet guest celebrities. There's the Walk of Fame, where this year I met Jamie, Tricia Helfer and a few others. There are always a few in the Annual Dragon Con Parade, there are autograph sessions, there are speaker panels and many of the celebrities will dine among the conventioneers and attend the Dragon Con parties!

(See the celebrities I met and chatted with at this year's Dragon Con)

5: TRACKS, TRACKS AND MORE TRACKS

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Lots of Tracks

There are more tracks to follow at Dragon Con than you can shake a light saber at. This is yet another reason I love this Con so much. I can jump from science fiction to puppetry to robotics to space to costuming to animation...all in one day!

Here are only a few of the tracks available to conventioneers:

• American Sci-fi & Fantasy
• Animation
• Brit Track
• Costuming 
• Film
• Gaming
• Horror
• Literature
• Paranormal
• Puppetry
• Robotics
• Star Trek
• Star Wars
• Science
• Space
• Video Gaming

Seriously, that's only a few of the tracks...there's something for everyone!

The photo above is from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Death Star, written by musician Curt Bright and adapted for puppet theater by Mike Horner, who also performed it. They whimsically turned the escapades on George Lucas' epic space station into a puppetry musical! It was brilliant! 

6: EVENTS! LOTS OF EVENTS!

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Events!

I've never ever heard anyone at Dragon Con say, "I'm bored." And I doubt I ever will. I can image if anyone ever does, a dozen heads will do a snap swivel in their direction with looks of disbelief...waiting for the punchline because surely they were joking. Boredom is an alternate reality from what's truly happening at Dragon Con.

Some of the many awesome Dragon Con events include:

• Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium
• Guest of Honor Awards Banquet
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live!
• Video and Movie Screenings
• Autograph Sessions
• The Late Night Puppet Slam!
• Annual Dragon Con Parade
• Annual Dilithium Crystal Ball (Trek Track)
• Wrestling
• Live Music
• and more...

(My coverage of the 2015 Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium)

7: SHOPPING!

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Shopping!

Want a new light saber or a clever t-shirt? The Vendors Mart at Dragon Con (set up on two floors in Americas Mart) brings hundreds of vendors representing merchandise ranging from costumes to gaming, collectibles to jewelry, books to toys...there's more in the Vendors Mart than I can possibly remember.

Personally, I've had a love of pocket watches since I was a youngster. I'm not sure from where that stems, but nonetheless, I love them. I didn't make photos of the Vendor Mart, so here's one of my pocket watch purchase, which as soon as I handed over my card, I wondered in my mind if this transaction might be my foray into creating a new costume. Only time will tell...

8: FANS, FANDOM AND FELLOW CONVENTIONEERS

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Fans!

One thing that Dragon Con does extremely well is to create a sense of community. Even though you don't get to meet or even see the tens of thousands attending Dragon Con, you do sense a feeling that they're all there as a fandom family. Many fandom genres are represented, but we're all fans of Dragon Con...and having a blast! 

All year long I look forward to hanging out with my fellow Dragon Con conventioneers. I've met some super nice people there and the vast majority are kind, polite and engaging...all of us out to have fun!

9: PARTIES!

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Parties!

I love a good party, ask any of my friends. But historically, I've had so much fun during the day at Dragon Con that I've not attended any of the late-night parties. I did do the Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium this year, which was great fun.

I have heard story after story after story about parties, so if you're so inclined, I can only guess that you're in for a great experience!

10: COSTUME CONTESTS

Reasons to Attend Dragon Con: Miss Star Trek Universe

Put hours and hours and a bazillion dollars toward raw material for your awesome costume? Dragon Con has a few costume contests you may be interested in! Here are a few that I know about:

• Masquerade Costume Contest
• Friday Night Costuming Contest
• Saturday evening Cosplay Contest
• Hallway Costume Contest
• Star Wars Costume Contest
• Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant

Okay, so the annual Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant in my mind falls under "Events", but it is a contest and it's my personal favorite—it's the first thing I add to my schedule every year!

This is a full-on pageant hosted by Garrett Wang with pre-show entertainment (with Klingon MCs and audience participants), a three-stage pageant (costume...talent...Q&A), and pre-announcement-of-winners entertainment. It's the most fun 2.5 hours I look forward to all year! 

(My 2015 Miss Star Trek Universe coverage)

There you go...10 perfectly great reasons to attend Dragon Con! This list could be a LOT longer than 10 reasons, but hopefully these are plenty to convince you—should I have piqued your interest—to plan your 2016 Labor Day Weekend to attend the 30th Annual Dragon Con!

Center for Puppetry Arts: A Hidden Jim

Center for Puppetry Arts

The Center for Puppetry Arts, in Midtown, Atlanta, is the largest non-profit organization dedicated to the art of puppetry in the United States and one of the most surprisingly amazing hidden gems in the city. Rather, I should write hidden "Jim's" in the city…as in Jim Henson, the 20th Century puppetry pioneer and father of the Muppets.

Kermit the Frog and Jim Henson (Kermit's creator) cut the ceremonial ribbon opening the doors of the Center for Puppetry Arts in September 1978. Henson returned 10 years later to perform, with a Muppets ensemble, two shows of "The Muppets Take Atlanta." I so wish I had seen that show!

Only one year before, in 1987, I had driven by the Center for Puppetry Arts for the first time. I'd since wondered "what's inside?" I knew from the obvious size of the buildings that there must be a lot going on inside, but I never heard anything about it.

It wasn't until today, in November 2010 and countless pass-bys since, that I realized that the Center is quite a major production.

Inside, the Center is home to a massive museum featuring thousands of puppetry artifacts, including puppets of all sizes, props, sketches, videos and a lot more, which is a mere percentage of the Center's permanent collection. The Center also has performance spaces, educational facilities and a gift shop.

The Muppets

Growing up with an always-makes-me-smile fondness for the Muppets (The Muppet Show), I want to begin my recanting of this visit—this discovery—with the Jim Henson exhibits. While I indulged in a guided tour, keep in mind that a visitor who is on a self-guided tour may visit the museum's exhibits in any order they like and stay until closing if desired.

The Muppet Show

The first Henson character a visitor sees is Big Bird…a more than eight-foot tall "canary" from the globally popular children's show Sesame Street. Amazingly, Caroll Spinney has played Big Bird since 1969, as well as Oscar the Grouch. It's been said that he's quoted as having had the pleasure of playing the "Yin and the Yang" of Sesame Street.

The next Muppet in sight, arguably the most famous of them all, is Kermit the Frog. Kermit is featured in the "A Man & His Frog" exhibit, located immediately outside the more extensive "Jim Henson: Puppeteer" exhibit.

Puppeteer features Rowlf the Dog, a piano-playing canine and the first internationally recognized Muppet. After a year of starring in Purina Dog Chow commercials, Rowlf became the sidekick, from 1963 to 1969, on The Jimmy Dean Show. Rowlf was performed by Frank Oz who would later serve as the puppeteer behind Jedi Master Yoda in Star Wars, a jewel in the crown that is his career.

The Rowlf Muppet is displayed presenting a rose to Lassie, that he reportedly "had a crush on" throughout The Jimmy Dean Show.

One of my favorite Muppet characters (admittedly, I have several) is the Swedish Chef, the only Muppet to ever feature real human hands. He's on display mixing up a dish that I'm sure would have ended up strewn across half the exhibit floor were it not for the plexiglass.

My tour guide told me that Henson liked the Swedish accent, thus the character's dialect. I'm not sure which is worse, his accent or culinary skill, but both induce a smile, and likely a hearty laugh, quicker than you can pop a kernel of corn.

The Swedish Chef: Popcorn

The Puppeteer exhibit has many other characters, including a hand puppet version of the larger than life La Choy Dragon who was seen only in commercials. I don't remember seeing the La Choy Dragon commercials, but evidently my mother did see them because I do remember La Choy always being in the cupboard.

La Choy Dragon Commercial



Other exhibits, in the Love Family Atrium, include, to name just a few, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth, starring David Bowie.

Speaking of celebrities, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Ben Browder this year at Dragon*Con. Browder was the star of Farscape, a science-fiction television show featuring a significant amount of puppetry.

Creating convincing characters in the form of puppets for a high-action, drama sci-fi series was a challenge—especially for demanding sci-fi enthusiasts, such as myself. That challenge was met with success, especially with Rygell XVI, a vertically challenged alien (puppet) of royal lineage frequntly performing from a floating throne.

The Center for Puppetry Arts is not only for kids. There are grown-up-only exhibits and teen and adult performances, too.

One of the racier puppets on display is the renowned "Madame" who was performed by Wayland Flowers. The word on the street is that Madame has been resurrected and is now performing, via a new puppeteer, in New Jersey.

Puppets: The Power of Wonder

OK, back to the beginning of the guided tour. I had the pleasure of an individual tour given by a delightful and obviously puppetry-savvy young lady who was professional, enthusiastic and in-tune with her tourists. We started in the museum exhibit "Puppets: The Power of Wonder" where she explained what constitutes a puppet, which is a lot more than I knew.

The first puppet on display is a "phoenix" made of found objects. Activated by the push of a button, it's a large automated puppet complete with lights and sound. I made the comment that "the phoenix is appropriate for Atlanta." The Phoenix sometimes symbolizes Atlanta as it too arose from the ashes, paralleling Atlanta's rise from the ashes following the Civil War.

She looked at me quizzically and told me that I was the first to make the connection between the phoenix being at the beginning of the tour and the City of Atlanta. My sense of pride in having made the connection was soon to be dashed as questions to test my true intellect where posed throughout the tour…Let's just say that it was indeed a learning experience.

Although I focus mainly on Jim Henson's Muppets in this post, throughout the museum are puppets from around the world representing a wide array of puppetry techniques, including:

• marionette,
• hand,
• animatronic,
• pole,
• body,
• hybrid,
• shadow, and
• many others.

The mission of the Center for Puppetry Arts is:

"…to entertain and enlighten audiences, nurture the world community of artists, expand the puppetry art form, and explore the past, present, and future of puppetry."

To meet that end, offerings include workshops, tours, field trips, performances, film series, outreach programs, a puppet factory and distance learning…certainly more than I can discuss here. If you have even a mild interest in puppets of any kind, this tour is one you will find intriguing and exciting…it's a door to a whole new world of imagination and artistry.

I've long admired puppets, many of whom were childhood friends from television and theatre. Today, I gained a new appreciation for puppetry—the art form. It has seemingly been a lifetime since I was so impressed, so awakened by any form of art…this is, by far, one of Atlanta's best entertainment and educational destinations.

The Center for Puppetry Arts has an incredibly full calendar of performances—for children, families, adults and holiday specific. The information shared in this post is primarily about the museum. Please refer to the Center's website for information about performances and special events.

At the museum and theatrical performances, photography, videography and even texting is strictly prohibited. Why? I didn't even have to ask…my tour guide clearly and succinctly explained that the puppets and performances are copyrighted. So the rule is not only protection for them, the rule also serves as protection for visitors.

The Center for Puppetry Arts will not have to pull my strings to get me back. I will be returning later this month for a major production of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," based on the 1964 television classic performed by dozens of "live" puppets!

Touring the Center for Puppetry Arts

Date toured: Wednesday, November 4, 2010
Location: 1404 Spring Street, NW at 18th Street (directions and map)
Hours: Tuesdays-Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Mondays – Closed.
Cost: Free on Thursdays 1-3 p.m.; otherwise, Adults $10, Children $9
Parking: Free onsite parking, behind the Center
MARTA: Arts Center Station
Facebook: Center for Puppetry Arts
Website: http://www.puppet.org/

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer