...featuring 80 of the MISKREANT puppets brought to life by a cast of world-class comedian puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company.
Host - Patrick Bristow
...featuring 80 of the MISKREANT puppets brought to life by a cast of world-class comedian puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. Created by legendary puppeteer and award-winning director Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow (Ellen, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Puppet Up! - Uncensored is never the same show twice.
Based on suggestions from the audience, Patrick and his team of expert puppeteers create a hilarious two-shows-in-one: the improvised puppet action projected live on screens above the stage, with the puppeteers racing around below in full view of the audience. The show also features recreations of classic pieces originally created by Jim and Jane Henson, and Frank Oz that haven’t been seen by live audiences in decades.
Glow Worm
Usually referred to as "Glow Worm" or "Inchworm" as a reference to one of the characters,
this sketch involved an amphibian-like puppet humming a tune while sitting on a wall as a worm crawls to him and bothers him several times. The sketch originated on Sam and Friends where Kermit is bothered by two fingers, which he eats. When a third one appears, Kermit pulls it up, revealing an entire human hand. The two inspect each other before the hand tickles Kermit off the wall.
Come see “Glow Worm” recreated at Puppet Up on our Friday, Saturday at 9pm and Sunday at 7pm shows!
Business Business
“Business Business” is a variety sketch performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1968. Jim Henson developed the routine under the original title "Sell-Out." In the sketch, two creatures discuss business and financial terms. Two other creatures join in to battle the business creatures with words of love and kindness.
Come see "Business Business" recreated at Puppet Up at the Friday, Saturday at 9pm and both Sunday shows!
I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face
"I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" developed by Jim Henson, was performed on several different variety shows throughout the 1950s and 1960s - including NBC's Tonight!, The Steve Allen Show, The Jack Paar Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show, among others. In the bit, a woman (originally Kermit the Frog wearing a wig) lip synchs to the Rosemary Clooney recording, singing to a small creature that appears to have a deceivingly adorable face.
Come see "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" recreated at Puppet Up at the Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 7pm shows!
Cool Jazz
“Cool Jazz” is a routine originally performed by the Muppets on Sam and Friends in 1961, then was done on several variety shows during the 1960s. The sketch involves three gloved human hands tapping and dancing to a cool jazz rendition of "Flying Home" only to be interrupted by a fourth hand playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" on a radio. The current version uses a well known “less cool” march. The sketch was taped for The Jimmy Dean Show but never aired.
Come see “Cool Jazz” recreated at Puppet Up at the Saturday at 5pm shows!
– LOS ANGELES TIMES
– San Francisco Chronicle
– chortle, Edinburgh, UK
– New York Post
– Entertainment Weekly
Henson Alternative is The Jim Henson Company’s label for content created specifically and exclusively for adult audiences. In 1955, Jim Henson’s first television production “Sam & Friends” appeared on late-night television as a lead in to “The Tonight Show,” establishing a standard in the Company’s work for irreverent, creative comedy projects that spoke to adults. Appearances on “The Jimmy Dean Show,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as numerous short films for clients like IBM and AT&T, proved that Henson puppetry was not limited to children. Today, Henson Alternative continues to produce and develop projects for this audience. Credits include “No, You Shut Up!,” (Fusion), “Neil’s Puppet Dreams” (Nerdist), “Tinseltown” (Logo), “Puppet Up! – Uncensored” (a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 “Best Stage Shows” by Entertainment Weekly), and the feature film “Happytime Murders”. (www.hensonalternative.com)
WestBeth Entertainment has consistently delivered critically acclaimed, financially successful, groundbreaking productions and performances for over 30 years. WestBeth's ability to meld creative vision with financial and production savvy has created a unique company out of making artists’ and audience's dreams come true.
From Billy Connolly to Eddie Izzard, and The Jim Henson Company to John Leguizamo, WBE has been the creative catalyst, partner and producer of some of the most innovative performances and productions on the continent in venues throughout North America including Madison Square Garden, The Hollywood Bowl, Toronto’s Massey Hall, Chicago’s Chicago Theatre and even New York’s Radio City Musical Hall.
With entertainment and audience enjoyment being a key element, our most recent productions include: Eddie Izzard's 67 city Force Majeure American Tour; Billy Connolly's High Horse tour of Canada, the off-Broadway run of comedian Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime; Eric Idle’s What About Dick at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles; John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown on Broadway, the West End, and Colombia, South America; and the national tour, Off-Broadway, Australia tour and Edinburgh Fringe Festival runs of The Jim Henson Company’s Puppet Up, Uncensored!