Puppet Tears: Puppetry Shop Talk

We're celebrating the re-opening of theatre on Broadway and "The 21st Day of the Month of September" with the puppeteer cast of Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors revival — Eric Wright and Teddy Yudain! Together, they perform Audrey II in this production of the Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's cult-classic musical.

Outside of the show, Teddy is a working actor and puppeteer, Eric is the owner and head chef at The Puppet Kitchen. Both artists are alumni of the University of Connecticut and the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center.

We'll chat with the pair about their many responsibilities associated with bringing the iconic antagonist to life, re-mounting the show after shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they have made the role their own while keeping it fresh every night. This is a can't miss episode for any Little Shop fans or creators interested in putting on this show themselves! PLUS: find out what happens when a puppeteer forgets to wear their seatbelt on stage.

For mentions and episode highlights, visit PuppetTears.com/LittleShopNYC

Release date: September 20, 2021 Edited by Matt Bowen Hosted by Adam Kreutinger & Cameron Garrity

For this episode of Puppet Tears, the guys have their yearly check-up with The Godfather of Puppet Tears - Mr. Jim Kroupa. Infamously known for his work as a puppet builder and mech designer, Kroupa has worked on countless films and television shows from Sesame Street and The Muppets Take Manhattan to Helpsters and the upcoming reboot of Fraggle Rock. One program he was heavily involved in - Eureeka's Castle, on which he was a lead character, head builder, and writer - has re-emerged this year, streaming on Paramount Plus.

We talk to Jim about his experiences while bringing Eureeka's Castle to the screen, his recent appearance on Tina Fey's Girls5Eva, and taking a break from puppetry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also get an early look at some groundbreaking applications of his signature mechanism techniques for Apple TV+'s reboot of Fraggle Rock. PLUS: some new Puppet Tear stories not even Adam and Cam had heard before!

For mentions and episode highlights, visit PuppetTears.com/JimKroupa4

Release date: July 12, 2021 Edited by Matt Bowen Hosted by Adam Kreutinger & Cameron Garrity

Here to discuss his decades as a writer and biographer, Puppet Tears welcomes Brian Jay Jones. He has written best-selling biographies on iconic artists such as Washington Irving, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and George Lucas. His 2013 book, Jim Henson: The Biography was written with the cooperation of the Henson family, who granted Jones unprecedented access to the Henson Archives.

We talk with Brian about his journey in creating his acclaimed "book shelf," his admiration for Jim Henson's "creatively restless" work ethic, and how he is forever intertwined with the legacy of his subjects. He also shares the Muppet myths he was most excited to bust in the Jim Henson biography. PLUS: find out which part of the book was his personal gift to the Henson family!

For mentions and episode highlights, visit PuppetTears.com/BrianJayJones

Release date: August 23, 2021 ​Edited by Matt Bowen Hosted by Adam Kreutinger & Cameron Garrity

On this episode, we're celebrating 20 years of ToughPigs.com with the help of Joe Hennes and Ryan Roe! As co-owners of the site, as well as editor-in-chief and head writer, respectively, Joe and Ryan have overseen the evolution of ToughPigs from a little-known fan blog to a robust media outlet for all kinds of Muppet related content.

They each host their own podcast for ToughPigs. Joe oversees The Muppet Fan Podcasts with ToughPigs.com, currently celebrating with a retrospective series ToughPigs at 20. Ryan is the host of Movin' Right Along, where he and Anthony Strand re-visit Muppet movies two minutes at a time; that show is wrapping up its third season, covering The Muppets Take Manhattan.

We talk to Joe and Ryan about the formative moments in ToughPigs's history, how they quantify a successful Muppet production, their experience in breaking the news Matt Vogel's casting as Kermit following Steve Whitmire's departure from Disney, and detail their plans to celebrate 20 years of "Muppet Fans Who Grew Up." PLUS: what Broadway standard did Adam and Cam have to clear so this interview could happen?

For mentions and episode highlights, visit PuppetTears.com/ToughPigs

Release date: August 9, 2021 ​Edited by Matt Bowen Hosted by Adam Kreutinger & Cameron Garrity