Under The Puppet

4.9 (36)
PERFORMING ARTS
UPDATED MONTHLY

Since 2017. Under The Puppet is a monthly show that is preserving puppetry through the personal stories of professional puppeteers. Guests include puppeteers from The Muppets, Sesame Street, The Jim Henson Company and more. The show also covers other forms of puppetry such as marionettes, shadow puppetry and Bunraku . Hosted by puppeteer Grant Baciocco (The Jim Henson Company, Mystery Science Theatre 3000).

MAR 1

The Puppeteers of Pee Wee's Playhouse Live

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - On February 2, 2025, Under The Puppet along with past show guest Christine Papalexis, the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry and Bob Baker Marionette Theater held a live episode recording celebrating the puppeteers of Pee Wee’s Playhouse. This event sold out in less than 10 minutes and is, as of this recording, the fastest sell out Bob Baker Marionette Theater has ever had. And how can it not be when you bring together Wayne White, Ric Heitzman, George McGrath, Alison Mork and Kevin Carlson who are responsible for bringing to life some of the most beloved television characters of all time. I’m incredibly happy to present the audio recording of that evening on this episode of Under The Puppet. We'd also like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of Lynne Stewart who played Ms. Yvonne on Pee Wee’s Playhouse. This event was recorded before her passing on February 21, 2025 but as you'll hear, she meant a lot to those who worked on the show. We send out our thoughts to Lynne Stewart’s family and to all who knew her and were lucky enough to work with her. She is, was and always will be the most beautiful women in puppet land. Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia to help create more episodes like this. Thanks to Wayne White - https://www.waynewhiteart.com Ric Heitzman - https://richeitzman.com George McGrath - https://www.instagram.com/itsgeorgemcgrath/ Kevin Carlson - https://www.instagram.com/kevincarlson1962/ Alison Mork - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0605817/ Christine Papalexis - https://www.christinepapalexis.com Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry - https://www.laguildofpuppetry.org Bob Baker Marionette Theater - https://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com Alex Evans, Winona Bechtle and Mary Thompson Volunteers: Sally Phillips, Nick Leonard, Stef Choi, and Tony Candelaria Videographers: Dylan Young and Sean Goodwin Photographer: Angel Origgi - https://www.instagram.com/angeloriggi Stagehand: Jessica Gonzales. Puppeteers: Ginger Dunca, Nova Odette, Caden Healander, and Hannah Watanabe-Rocco. "At The Playhouse Door" Written by Wayne White Performed Live by Wayne White, Alison Mork & Kevin Carlson Discussed on the show: Pee Wee's Playhouse - https://shoutfactory.com/products/pee-wees-playhouse-the-complete-series-deluxe-limited-edition Pee Wee Herman - https://peewee.com Beauty is Embarrassing - https://buy.beautyisembarrassing.com Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2025 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

59 min
FEB 1

Sharon Johnson (Grace & Grins)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Sharon Johnson is the puppeteer creator of Grace and Grins, a puppet company that produces puppet shows that educate, entertain and spread kindness. Her shows are interactive, tailor made to each audience and promote good social and emotional learning practices. I talk to Sharon Johnson about Grace and Grins, her path to puppetry and much more on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Sharon Johnson by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron. Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Sharon Johnson: Website - https://graceandgrins.org Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/graceandgrins/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Graceandgrinspuppetshows Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/graceandgrinspuppets Discussed on the show: Kids on the Block - https://www.barberinstitute.org/about-community-resources-kids-on-the-block Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2025 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

52 min
JAN 1

Nicolette Santino (Coldplay's Angel Moon, The Muppets, Earth To Ned)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Nicolette Santino is a puppeteer who has worked with The Muppets, The Jim Henson Company and on the shows The Barbarian and the Troll and Earth To Ned. She also has the ‘gig of a lifetime’ puppeteering Angel Moon on stage with Coldplay as they tour the world. I sat down with Nicolette to discuss her career in puppetry, improvisation and much more on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Nicolette Santino by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron. Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Nicolette Santino: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nicolette.santino IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5201200/ Discussed on the show: Barbarian & The Troll - https://saturdaymorningmedia.com/2021/11/utp-65/ GLOP - https://saturdaymorningmedia.com/2024/02/utp-92/ Wooby & Fotty - https://www.woobyandfotty.com Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2025 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

53 min
12/01/2024

Keith Shubert (Toybox, America's Favorite Cartoon Witch, The Wham, Bam! Puppet Slam)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Keith Shubert is a puppeteer, puppet festival director, toy maker and champion of all things puppetry. Keith also performs as Toybox, America’s Favorite Cartoon Witch whose unique brand of puppet entertainment is in high demand for puppet slams, shows and festivals across the country. I sit down with Keith to talk about his career and thoughts on puppetry for this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Keith Shubert, and support the show, by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron. Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! Connect with Keith Shubert: Website - https://toyboxtheatre.square.site YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TOYBOXTHEATRE Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TOYBOXTHEATRE Discussed on the show: Asheville Relief Efforts - https://www.belovedasheville.com/ Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2024 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

1h 21m
11/01/2024

Aanika's Elephants with Annie Evans, Pam Arciero, Jean Marie Keevins & Marty Robinson

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Aanika’s Elephants is a stage show featuring puppetry that is about a young Kenyan girl who meets a baby elephant at the orphanage where her father works. The show was written by Emmy Award winning Sesame Street writer Annie Evans and directed by Sesame Street and Muppets puppeteer Pam Arciero. Annie and Pam also produce the show along with Jean Marie Keevins who puppeteers in the production as well. I sat down with Annie, Pam and Jean Marie for a discussion about the show and its development. During our discussion we were also briefly joined by Sesame Street Puppeteer Martin P. Robinson who built the puppets for Aanika’s Elephants making this an all hands on deck episode of Under The Puppet. Connect with Aanika's Elephants: Website - https://www.aanikaselephants.com Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver Help us make more shows like this one. Become a patron of Saturday Morning Media and get cool rewards! Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! ©2024 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

51 min
10/01/2024

Russ Walko (Five Nights At Freddy's, The Muppets Mayhem, Mystery Science Theater 3000)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Russ Walko has puppeteered on projects such as Five Nights at Freddy’s, Waffles + Mochi and Mystery Science Theater 3000. He’s also an Emmy Nominated puppet wrangler and builder who has worked with The Muppets and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. His own puppet shop Puppet Garage has built puppets for commercials and films and TV shows such as The Barbarian and the Troll. I talk to Russ Walko about all this and more on this supersized 100th episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Russ Walko by becoming a Bonus Content Patron! Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! Connect with : Website - https://russwalko.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/puppetgarage Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/puppetGARAGE IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2260986 Discussed on the show: Puppet Garage - http://puppetgarage.com Erax - https://www.netflix.com/title/81349232 Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver Help us make more shows like this one. Become a patron of Saturday Morning Media and get cool rewards! Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! ©2024 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

1h 51m
09/01/2024

Cat Rock (Puppet Place, Count Duckula, Coldplay's The Weirdos)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Cat Rock is a puppeteer, filmmaker and puppet builder who lives in Bristol in South West England. Disciplined in many styles of puppetry from hand and rod, to shadow, to table top to giant puppets, Cat is always looking to push the notion of what can be done with puppets. She’s a trustee at puppet place, a workspace for all things puppetry in Bristol and she spearheads the Bristol 48 Hour Film Challenge. Additionally, she’s puppeteered for Coldplay in front of 70,000 people, created a puppet show for a bio-dome and brought the classic animated character Count Duckula to life as a puppet. I talk to Cat about all these projects and more on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Cat Rock at our Patreon Page. Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! Connect with Cat Rock: Website - https://catrock.portfoliobox.net Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/catrockpuppetry/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@catherinerock260 Discussed on the show: House of Funny Noises YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@houseoffunnynoises7458 Puppet Place - https://puppetplace.org Bristol 48 Hour Puppet Film Challenge - https://bristol48hpuppetfilmchallenge.co.uk Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver Help us make more shows like this one. Become a patron of Saturday Morning Media and get cool rewards! Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! ©2024 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

1h 6m
08/01/2024

Luman Coad (Coad Canada Puppets, Teenage Mutant Turtles: The Next Mutation, Stargate SG1)

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Luman Coad is a puppeteer who spent several years as the director of The Storybook Theater at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland, California. He used the skills learned there to found his own puppet company Coad Canada Puppets, that produced over 30 different puppet shows and traveled around the world performing them. He’s worked in TV and Film and is the founder of Charlemagne Press, a publisher that specializes in books about puppetry. I talk to Luman Coad about all this and more on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Luman Coad exclusively on the free Under The Puppet app for iOS & Android! IOS - https://apple.co/2WZ4uZg ANDROID - https://bit.ly/2RwcFev Connect with : Books - https://www.amazon.com/Books-Luman-Coad/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ALuman+Coad IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0167540/ World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts - https://wepa.unima.org/en/coad-canada-puppets/ Discussed on the show: Happy Hollow Park - https://happyhollow.org The Storybook Theater at Children's Fairyland - https://fairyland.org/events-and-performances/puppet-shows/ Charlemagee Press - https://www.charlemagnepress.com Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.com http://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver Help us make more shows like this one. Become a patron of Saturday Morning Media and get cool rewards! Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info! ©2024 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

55 min

See All (100)

4.9

out of 5

36 Ratings

Great puppetry podcast!!

11/29/2018

SweetieRetroGirl

I love listening to this podcast so much & hearing those great interviews from professionals in the puppetry business! Hands down to Grant for finding these amazing people & interviewing them on his show! Keep up the great work!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💯😊
Aspiring Professional Puppeteers Need This

06/26/2018

Jhimesy

This is what I wish I could have found years ago. When I first began my journey to become a professional puppeteer I was thirsty for information and inspiration with no idea where to find it. If you’re in that same boat, here’s what you’re looking for!
Fun podcast

04/18/2018

PaulBarbarossa

I love what you are doing! Keep up the great work
Terrific show

03/08/2018

Capt-Cupcake

For anyone interested in puppetry, this is the show for you Grant gets the best puppeteers in the business!

Since 2017. Under The Puppet is a monthly show that is preserving puppetry through the personal stories of professional puppeteers. Guests include puppeteers from The Muppets, Sesame Street, The Jim Henson Company and more. The show also covers other forms of puppetry such as marionettes, shadow puppetry and Bunraku . Hosted by puppeteer Grant Baciocco (The Jim Henson Company, Mystery Science Theatre 3000).