Your preschooler will love this puppet show about a kindly monster named Jameson who tries to present classic Mother Goose stories, with the help of some friends & the audience.
Description:
The Noah Ginex Puppet Company presents A Monster's Mother Goose, a delightful trod through some of your favorite nursery rhymes. Noah Ginex is a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominated puppeteer & his work has been seen on TV around Chicagoland, & in music videos for Barenaked Ladies and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound.
Your preschooler will love this puppet show about a kindly monster named Jameson who tries to present classic Mother Goose stories, with the help of some friends & the audience.
Description:
The Noah Ginex Puppet Company presents A Monster's Mother Goose, a delightful trod through some of your favorite nursery rhymes. Noah Ginex is a Joseph Jefferson Award Nominated puppeteer & his work has been seen on TV around Chicagoland, & in music videos for Barenaked Ladies and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound.
Join Puppeteer Steve Whitmire for a casual conversation about his life under the fleece & foam of characters he brought to life, such as Kermit the Frog, Rizzo The Rat, Bean Bunny, & Wembley Fraggle.
Description:
Steve Whitmire was afforded a unique opportunity--to grow up watching the Muppets, & then to come of age as part of the Muppeteer family during the golden age. Listen to a casual conversation with Steve, as he recalls his career, playing some of the most memorable characters from movies & television, followed by a brief Q & A.
Learn how to build your own basic shoulder puppet. Andy Swisher will cover design, construction & manipulation of a shoulder companion.
Description:
Shoulder puppets have been a staple in Ren Fairs for many years now. But have you ever wondered how they work? How they move & come to life, just like magic? Well in this seminar you will learn how to build your very own from start to finish. It will cover designing, constructing, & manipulation of the puppet. Materials will be discussed as well as shown during this class. By the end you'll walk away with the knowledge you need to make a basic shoulder companion who can attend GenCon with you for years to come.
How to design dynamic characters and creatures, with a focus on hand/rod puppetry.
Description:
Puppeteer, Noah Ginex, will guide you through designing a dynamic character. With a degree in animation and art, Ginex will teach you what makes a dynamic character/creature. While the focus is on hand/rod puppets, these techniques can be applied to glove puppets, marionettes, or illustrated characters.
Dive into the magical world of tiny felt creatures with Stacey Gordon. Make your own tiny fantasy themed finger puppet. Sewing skills required, more skills taught in class.
Description:
This is for the crafty human who's always wanted to know how to create masterpieces in the tiny world of felt. Participants will create at least one magical realm/fantasy themed finger puppet in class. Some hand-sewing skills are required, maximum sewing skills taught. Bring your reading glasses
Come to make food rod puppets of (almost) all kinds with the help of puppeteer, Stacey Gordon. Don't forget your helpful grown-up!
Description:
This is a food-puppet free-for all! There will be some direction, but for the most part, you'll get to decide what kind food you fancy the most & turn it into a rod puppet! A helpful grown-up is certainly required.
Skills required: sitting respectfully for up to an hour; drawing or tracing detailed patterns; Cutting detail in fabric & other materials using sharp scissors (small curves & sharp angles); accurately using a ruler.
Skills required for grown-up assistants: using a hot glue gun.
One adult admitted free for each paid child ticket (to help said child.)
From his early beginnings in puppetry to what comes next for Steve Whitmire, come learn about the magic & wonder that Mr. Whitmire puts into all of his characters: old, new, & maybe even a debut!
Description:
Steve Whitmire has taken an amazing journey with a bit of fleece & foam on the end of his arm. Learn where he's gone, & where he'll go in this lovely hour-long talk with Steve.
Carroll Spinney is the man who brought Oscar the Grouch & Big Bird to life. Please join us in honoring him with your stories of what his work means to you. This is your opportunity to say thank you.
Description:
With a career spanning more than 50 years, Carroll Spinney's work has touched nearly every person over the age of 2. It's rare that we're able to tell our heroes exactly what they mean to us, but this one-in-a-lifetime event gives us all an opportunity to do so. If you would like a brief story or memory read aloud at the event, please email us, & your story may be selected for the event. All submissions, regardless of selection will be hand delivered to Mr. Spinney to be read by him. You'll be given the email address in the message to registered players when you sign up for the event.
I Married Big Bird: Stories from Debbie Spinney with special guest, Carroll Spinney
Summary:
Debra Gilroy Spinney has been married to Big Bird (aka Carroll Spinney) for nearly 39 years. Learn about their love story & some of their adventures, as she shares her memories & love for Carroll.
Description:
Debra Gilroy Spinney has been married to Big Bird (aka Carroll Spinney) for nearly 40 years. Many of us know her from the documentary I Am Big Bird, in which she delights us with her love & cherishing of the man we know to be the biggest, most lovable yellow bird, & at the same time, the grumpiest grouch on the street. Listen as she recounts her life & adventures with this wonderful man, who will be there as her special guest of honor.