KristyWes

Puppet Up!

Camera phone photos of the "cast"

When AD asked if I wanted to go see an improvised puppet show, I said "Sure thing, lady!"  She had me at "improvised."

But when I learned that the show was created by Brian Henson (son of Jim Henson) and would feature Muppet-style puppets, I was doubly excited.  Who doesn't love the Muppets!?  (Answer: Crazy people, I guess.  Because you would have to be crazy not to love the Muppets.)

Stuffed and Unstrung is currently playing at the Union Square Theatre through the end of May, and if you're in the area, it's worth looking into.  Very, very funny stuff.  Brian and his fellow improvisers use puppets to perform short-form improv - there's singing, dancing, audience participation, and no two shows are ever the same.

Some of the sweetest moments of the show were when the puppeteers recreated original Jim Henson/Frank Oz routines.  Some of the funniest moments were when the cast made up songs based on audience suggestions.

On the night I attended, many audience members seemed to have been drinking in good spirits, and their topic suggestions were often a little bawdy spirited.  No, it's not a G-rated puppet show and it ain't exactly Sesame Street.  But it is terribly funny and immensely creative.  And it made me love Improv (and Muppets!) all the more.