Jim Henson Award for Puppetry Presentation

Jim Henson Award for Puppetry Presentation

Thursday, March 16, 2017. 7PM
Anders Tighe (bottom left), Stacey Carlson (top left), Mark Costello (top right), Nitsan Scharf (bottom right)

Event Attributes

Estimated Length: 
3 hours

The Jim Henson Fund for Puppetry was established to honor the memory of its namesake, creator of the world famous Muppets. This year, four TDPS students have been selected for this prestigious award. Their puppetry work will be showcased in this performance. 

 “The Milkman of Human Kindness” by Mark Costello

In this multimedia puppetry one act, the dependable and good-natured milkman's daily routine is thrown off course when he meets a beautiful woman on his route, forcing him to look inward and reflect upon his happy but simple life. When he is so used to focusing on providing for others, can he help himself? 

Mark Costello is a nationally produced multimedia designer and theater artist working across performance disciplines. He specializes in using live video and interactivity in his work. He received his BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and he is currently an MFA Design candidate at TDPS.

“The Missing Link” by Nitsan Scharf

A creature trapped between the world of man and animal at the advent of human civilization struggles with finding a place in the natural order. A series of harrowing events leads him on a journey to fulfill his place in the universe, whatever that may be. 

Nitsan Scharf is thrilled to be producing, designing, building, directing and performing in a piece he has been working on for two years. He looks forward to future opportunities to channel his passion for puppetry. He is also interested in media design and playwriting. He is currently a BA Theatre student at TDPS.

"The Children of Lir" by Anders Tighe

This fresh, theatrical take on an old Irish fairytale uses movement-based performance, puppetry and mask work, seeking to rekindle the fire of mythology for a modern-day audience. 

Anders Tighe is a December 2016 TDPS graduate who received a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre. When he isn't designing or constructing puppets, Anders spends his time performing seasonally at the Maryland Renaissance Festival and in local productions throughout Maryland. He is a co-founder of the DIY performance troupe Nine Dollar Bill Theatre. 

Stacey Carlson

This puppet piece is a work-in-progress that explores being alone, afraid of the dark and finding the light. Metamorphosis and life transitions are underlying themes in this piece. 

Stacey Carlson is a choreographer, dancer, aerialist who dabbles in storytelling, clowning and puppets currently pursuing her MFA in Dance at TDPS. She carries a BFA in Dance from Webster University and is certified in Pilates and Anti-gravity yoga.

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