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.
The show is drawing rave reviews and overwhelming audience response. Entertainment Weekly writes, "The insanely talented cast, directed by on-stage host Patrick Bristow, takes suggestions from spectators for themes, places, job descriptions and celebrities to be incorporated into the show. It's almost like one giant Mad Lib," while Time Out New York notes, "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," and continues "They engage in improv games with input from The Audience. This being a downtown show with a fully stocked bar, suggestions tend to be on the indecent side...the performers are not afraid to go, well, anywhere!" Theatermania.com adds, "A comedy improvisation show with a twist, Stuffed and Unstrung has a wonderful and inventive cast - who also just happen to be extremely talented Henson puppeteers. The result is a first rate evening of comedy - with a program that changes from show to show."
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is a madcap multimedia romp in which the skilled art of puppetry and comedic intelligent nonsense collide. Unpredictable, irreverent and rebellious, it's never the same show twice as a team of expert puppeteers sets off on a trail of twisted sketches and songs at breakneck pace while interaction with The Audience prompts the spontaneous storylines unfolding on stage.
With live musical accompaniment and Bristow as host, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG features a cast of six puppeteers in an uninhibited live puppet performance, as never seen before. This production serves up "two shows in one" as the hilarious puppet action is projected on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers display their skillful talents below all in full view of The Audience.
STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG evolved from Henson's previous production Puppet Up! - Uncensored, which made its debut at the 2006 HBO Comedy Festival (Aspen, CO) and later toured the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland), The 2007 Comedy Festival (Las Vegas, NV) and Australia's Sydney Big Laugh Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (both 2007). Most recently, Puppet Up continued to be workshopped in monthly performances at Avalon Hollywood. The New York engagement of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG marks the debut of a completely revamped production featuring all new technical wizardry and original music and staging.
Brian Henson (Creator, Producer, Performer) is Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and an award-winning director, producer, writer and puppeteer. Henson served as Executive Producer on the television projects "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars" (which he also directed) and "Jim Henson's Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story" (which he also co-wrote and directed). He directed "Battleground," an Emmy Award-winning episode of the "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" anthology for TBS. Previous television projects that Henson produced include "Farscape," "Gulliver's Travels," "Muppets Tonight" and "Dinosaurs." Henson's film directing credits include The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island.
Most recently, Henson has served as an executive producer of the Emmy-nominated science-readiness pre-school series "Sid the Science Kid," airing daily on PBS KIDS®. The series features his groundbreaking work at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, one of Hollywood's preeminent character building, digital and physical visual effects facilities. Henson was part of the team that first created and utilized the Henson Performance Control System, a powerful custom-based interface for puppeteers, which won an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science Scientific and Engineering Award in 1992. He also led the Shop's work with its revolutionary digital puppeteering technology, the 2009 Emmy® Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio that is featured in STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG as well as "Sid the Science Kid" and "Wilson & Ditch: Digging America."
