Puppets are making a comeback, which is great news for those of you who grew up on Sesame Street, The Muppets, Fraggle Rock and Dinosaurs.
The success of Jason Segel's 2011 film The Muppets gave way to 2014's Muppets Most Wanted which led to ABC's forthcoming reboot of a Muppets TV show. Even Dracula's Lament (the puppet Dracula song played to a confused karaoke audience in Forgetting Sarah Marshall) was recently performed in full on Craig Ferguson.
Nowhere is it more possible for adults to connect with the wide world of puppetry than here in Atlanta, thanks to the Center for Puppetry Arts. At the Center, visitors can take in puppetry's mature side with artfully composed, thought-provoking performances geared towards adult audiences, or take in the history of Henson at the all new Worlds of Puppetry Museum.
Here are five ways adults can connect with the Center for Puppetry Arts:
See a New Directions' performance (18+)
New Directions performances are for adults 18 and up. The next New Directions performance begins Oct. 14 and runs through Halloween. Entitled "The Ghastly Dreadfuls: Raising Spirits," the show promises a motley band of specters who return to celebrate Halloween with a dreadfully fun ghostly jamboree.
Participate in Xperimental Puppetry Theater
Every year dozens of artists come together in Xperimental Puppetry Theater (XPT), a program that offers professional and emerging artists the opportunity to explore and experiment, creating original and bold puppet theater guaranteed to inspire and surprise adult audiences. 2016 applications are coming soon ; questions about XPT should be directed to xptdirector@puppet.org.
The Center's film series studies puppets in film, diving deeper into the art of puppetry in media. The series features classic films, hidden gems and modern productions. To order tickets call 404-873-3391 or visit puppet.org.
Participate in the Explore Puppetry series
The Explore Puppetry program is built for those interested in the art form in a serious way. There are always educational and professional development opportunities at the Center for Puppetry Arts, and these deep dive classes are offered live at the Center or on recorded playback online. The current study (through Sept. 28) is "Puppeteering in Television and Film."
Tour the Worlds of Puppetry Museum
The Worlds of Puppetry Museum features two galleries: one showcasing a global collection of puppets and historical artifacts, and the second dedicated to Jim Henson, which proudly displays the world's most comprehensive collection of Jim Henson's puppets and historical artifacts. The new museum opens Nov. 14.
