5. Come On Over Puppetry
As I mentioned on the initial puppetry page, one of my childhood goals was to be a muppeteer, working with Jim Henson and the gang at Henson studios. Alas, my career managed to take a different track. However, in 2006, when Joel Tanis approached me with his idea for a children’s TV show, it was an opportunity that was too good to pass up.
I play the character of the next door neighbor, Mr. Flabbinjaw, but I also have the pleasure of operating a new puppet character, Joel’s pet cat, Poo Kitty. The designer of the puppets, Lisa Buckley, and her husband, have a long pedigree of TV puppetry, including the construction of the character of ALF from the TV series of the same name. She is a consummate professional, as well as a good friend.
Poo Kitty is a sedentary creature. She does a lot of lying around. My goal is to make that look as real as possible, which involves crouching myself into a lot of holes in the set. But what the heck! Anything for arts sake, right?
Me operating Poo Kitty in one of her many perches (That's me inside the box) (L to R) Lisa Buckley, Me, Patrick Zeigler
Another of Poo Kitty's perches ... on the drawing table.
And there's the operator, (yours truly,) in the traditional uncomfortable puppetry position.
Working on a Poo Kitty and Laticia the Mouse scene (L to R: Lisa Buckley, Michael Zeigler, myself.)
Poo Kitty takes a break between takes.
Going over the script with Patrick Zeigler, Producer for Come On Over.
Laticia the Mouse and Poo Kitty promotional shot.
Working with Joel Tanis on a scene from 'Brothahs and Sistahs.'
The puppeteers from Come On Over (L to R: (Jackson the Squirrel,) Brandy McClendon, (Poo Kitty,) myself, (Laticia the Mouse,) Michael Zeigler, (Hedge,) Lisa Buckley.
