Whether you think they’re cute or creepy (or both), puppets are a fascinating part of the entertainment industry. There is something magical in seeing a character brought to life using practical effects that you can actually see and touch.
Though popularity in mainstream culture for practical effects comes and goes, puppets always seem to find a way to make a comeback, become relevant again, and delight audiences with a charm that is uniquely their own. 2019 has been an exciting year for all things puppet-related and puppets seem to be trending once again, making appearances across our screens and beyond. If puppets are your thing, keep reading to discover some of the delightful puppet-related awesomeness you can experience today!
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
If you grew up loving Jim Henson’s fantasy epic The Dark Crystal, get ready to return to a world entirely inhabited by beautifully terrifying and terrifyingly beautiful puppet creatures in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a 10-episode prequel series now streaming on Netflix.
(Photo Credit: Netflix)
The original film centered around the last two Gelfling (humanoid, elf-like characters) trying to save their world from the Skeksis (evil turkey dinosaurs) by healing a broken crystal. The prequel series begins in a time long before, with Thra, the name of this world, abundant with Gelfling, as well as many other creatures who will reawaken your childhood sense of wonder. Spoiler alert: The Skeksis are still up to no good, but this time around we get to see more of the mystical world Jim Henson shared with us so long ago.
The Jim Henson Company handcrafted 20 main puppets, as well as 90 secondary puppet characters, for the series and every single prop and set was hand-made to puppet scale. All of the elements have impressively come together to create what Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company (and daughter of the late Jim Henson), describes as “...what has got to be the biggest puppet production ever. This has no humans, so it is a complete puppet extravaganza.”
(Photo Credit: Netflix)
On top of that, the series has an impressive voice cast featuring Helena Bonham Carter, Simon Pegg, Taron Egerton, Jason Isaacs, and Sigourney Weaver. Also, Mark Hamill does an amazing job bringing new life to SkekTek, the Skeksis scientist.
After taking in the 10-episode saga, be sure to check out The Crystal Calls - Making The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a feature-length documentary currently available on Netflix, that is definitely worth watching if you love learning about all of the magic behind the scenes.
Puppets on Broadway
Long-running Broadway shows like Wicked and The Lion King feature some beautiful puppets that enchant audiences every night when they take the stage. Recently, even more puppets have made their Broadway debut in a variety of productions.
Last year, Disney’s Frozen opened on Broadway before kicking off its North American tour (get your tickets now!). The musical, featuring puppets by Michael Curry, includes Olaf the snowman and Sven the reindeer brought to life as a gorgeous suit puppet.
(Photo Credit: King Kong)
Earlier this year, King Kong appeared live before theatergoers featuring a larger-than-life giant gorilla puppet. To bring Kong to the stage, it took a team of 13 performers (10 on stage controlling the beast and 3 off stage at the back of the theatre controlling larger movements, facial expressions, and voice). The massive puppet stood 20 feet high and weighed 2000 pounds. King Kong closed in August, but Kong may always be Broadway’s biggest star.
(Photo Credit: Beetlejuice)
Another adaptation of a famous film that opened on Broadway this year is a musical version of Beetlejuice. The show is filled with spooky fun and also features a giant Sandworm puppet that Beetlejuice rides during the show. And if that weren’t enough giant puppets, Little Shop of Horrors is currently running Off-Broadway starring Jonathan Groff, as well as the man-eating plant puppet Audrey II who wants to take over the world. Audrey II is in for a surprise, though, as it seems puppets have taken over the stage and screen, and you can even get up close and personal with new and exciting puppet experiences in real life!
Disney and Universal Theme Park Puppet Fun
(Photo Credit: Universal Studios)
With a visit to Universal Studios theme parks, expect to encounter some amazing puppet characters. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter features performances from the small choir of Hogwarts who are accompanied by a chorus of Giant Throaty Frog puppets, just like in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Also in the Wizarding World, you can see puppet performances from The Tales of Beedle the Bard including The Fountain of Fair Fortune and The Tale of the Three Brothers.
(Photo Credit: Universal Studios)
Over in Jurassic World, there are a variety of amazing dinosaurs waiting to say hello. Fan-favorite Blue the Velociraptor has been brought back from extinction as an interactive suit puppet who is ready to pose for photos, but there are more friendly dinos wandering the park. Juliette, a gargantuan triceratops suit puppet, wanders freely munching on grass, and Tango, a baby raptor hand puppet, greets park goers in the arms of a handler. The dinosaur puppets were introduced to the park in the summer of 2019, and are a must-see attraction for puppet fans, as well as anyone who wants to meet a dino in person.
More puppet magic awaits at Disney Parks with a variety of experiences ranging from state-of-the art animatronic puppet characters to enduring puppet entertainment with artisan-inspired creations operated by puppeteers.
This year, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom introduced a new Halloween fireworks display, but it is so much more than just the fireworks. Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular features lights, lasers, breathtaking projection effects, and is hosted by the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington. Jack is realized as a unique puppet character that requires multiple operators to perform. In the middle of an effects extravaganza, a practically realized Jack Skellington is a charming addition and a fun callback to the stop-motion puppet character the world has come to know and love.
(Photo Credit: Disney)
Also at Disney World, accompanying a large variety of holiday offerings in the Animal Kingdom, there’s a gathering of life-size, artisan sculpted animal puppets who are sure to impress. Reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more puppet critters to make the season merry and bright can be found on Discovery Island.
(Photo Credit: Disney)
During the fall at Disney’s California Adventure, Miguel performs for park-goers at A Musical Celebration of Coco. Instead of transforming into a skeleton as he did in the film, for this experience, Miguel has become a friendly puppet inspired by Mexican folk art.
(Photo Credit: Disney)
In addition to all of the puppeteered characters throughout the Disney Parks, animatronic puppet characters are abundant, worth checking out in person, and stretch the limits of puppetry, perhaps forming an entirely new genre of character performance. The newest animatronics can be found at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There are droids and aliens such a Hondo Ohnaka and Dok-Ondar present at the various attractions, and there is even a Creature Stall shopping area with plush and puppet forms of popular beasts of the Star Wars series waiting to be adopted. They have plenty of Porg puppets, as well as a Kowakian Monkey-Lizard puppet that can ride upon any shoulder and looks just like Salacious Crumb, who is remembered for being Jabba the Hutt’s pet in Return of the Jedi.
Puppets Far, Far Away
Characters like Jabba the Hutt, Yoda, and even the Porgs have become well known all over the world, but is there room for even more iconic puppet personalities to arise from a galaxy far, far away? With J. J. Abrams at the helm of Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, there is hope.
Abrams utilized puppetry and many practical effects in The Force Awakens, and as more information about the next film is released, The Rise of Skywalker appears to have at least one new puppet character everyone can obsess over.
(Photo Credit: Disney)
Meet Babu Frik. This tiny alien is an Anzellan droidsmith that works on planet Kijimi. Is this character being practically realized as a puppet? Or could it be another Jedi mind trick?
Tricks aside, whether you’re planning a vacation, a trip to the theater, or just plan on chilling at home with Netflix, puppets are everywhere you look. Be it the original stop-motion puppet of King Kong or the new 20-foot tall puppet, the old-school Yoda puppet or the new animatronics at Disneyland, 1982’s The Dark Crystal or 2019’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, puppets always have a way of capturing our imagination. Even though we know how the tricks work, the tricks still work.
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Note From Tongal: “Now Trending: Puppets Are Back!" is part of a series of Tongal Community-written blog posts that were originally sourced in the Tongal Blog Open Call Project. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Tongal. Read more Tongal Community-written posts here and then Pitch us a topic you'd like to write about for the Tongal Blog!
