How to Audition for the Muppets

[scarylarrywolf]

Two years ago I sent in an audition tape and got a letter back 6 months later. It said Kevin Clash had reviewed the tape and they put me on their "short list of puppeteers they may contact sometime in the future." Since then they haven't responded to me. I was going to try for an internship, but just before I sent my letter they had the whole Disney sale and I thought it best to lay off for a bit so I didn't get lost in the shuffle. I really didn't want to get stuck working for the monster mouse.

Anyway, from what I've noticed, they seem pretty dormant at Henson. Looks like it's not "sometime in the future" yet.

 

[Iokitek]

Maybe you need to keep on sending tapes. I read an interview with ... (the one who played Red in The Fraggles, forgot her name and don't feel like looking it up) and she worked for Pixar on Toy Story for awhile. Then she decided to get back into puppetry. But when she went to the Henson Studios she had to do everything all over again. Send in audition tapes etc. As if they didn't even recognize her anymore. I believe she does Enzo on Sesame Street now though.

So keep on bothering them if you want to get noticed I guess. They tend to be forgetfull. Maybe now they need puppeteers for their Oz project.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

What I think a lot of people don't realize is that the Muppets of 2004 are not the Muppets of circa 1980. I have no idea how they are doing hiring these days, but I'd gather from the fact that a lot of the regular second string Muppeteers are doing other projects (LSOH, Avenue Q, etc.) there's not much work to be had and when there is you're basically competing for a job with people who have 10 years+ more experience than you do. If you're not as good as they are you probably won't get work.

I hate sounding pessimistic, but people need to know the facts. Most people's expectations are based on stories that happened 20, 30 or more years ago. It just isn't the same anymore.

Rick Lyon - someone who knows from puppeteering - has written an excellent article about this called So You Want to Be a Puppeteer.... Rick also has a scan of a residual check he got for BITBBH here that provides a nice reality check for anyone looking to get in to the business.

I'd suggest that people who are really serious about being puppeteers - and it's not the easiest way to making a living - focus first and foremost on becoming good puppeteers. Send the Muppets a tape if you like, but don't hang your hopes on getting a call because you're probably going to be disappointed. There are a lot of opportunities for theatre work and even non-Muppet TV stuff in the U.S. so I'd suggest work towards doing that kind of thing if you want a career and then if you end up with a Muppet gig, well that's just gravy.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of great puppeteers who will never get to work for the Muppets.

 

[PaulyPuppets]

I also got the same letter that "LARRY" got. Before I received the letter, I actually got a phone call from Kevin Clash himself. At first, I thought it was a buddy of mine goofing around. But it really was him. We spoke for about 20 minutes. He told me how much he "really liked my stuff", and would put me on a short list of "direct call" performers. I tried to remain calm and cool, but my heart was beating a mile a minute as he spoke. But like LARRY, I also got this good news 2 years ago, and haven't heard anything since. Kevin Clash DID tell me that "nothing was really happening right now", and they were all filled up over at SESAME STREET. But my hope is that new projects with the Disney folks will open some doors. I read an interview with John Tartaglia somewhere. He said you simply need to be persistent with the Henson group. I send a "touch base" letter to Kevin Clash every six months. But in the meantime, as BUCKY said, there IS other puppeteer work out there, with non Muppet related projects. Like I just puppeteered in that TEAM AMERICA movie that's coming out (worked with some great Henson veterans on that too, who said the same thing John T. said). You just have to do some research on the internet to find these jobs. ....Pauly

http://stores.ebay.com/PUPPETSNSTUFF-PUPPETS​

 

[ravagefrackle]

its the same for puppet builders as well, as a veteran for the workshop i can attest to the difficulties in getting in there, and even once you are there thier are no guarentees that you will be asked back,

its a very fickel industy, and while puppeteers do get a better upfront paycheck than puppet builders.its a very competive feild to be in because its so very small., (residuals are rarely worth the time and effort they put into printing and sending )

however there is other work out there as long as you look in other down other avenues, and even seasoned muppet veterans will say the same thing,

folks dont hang all your hopes and dreams on one goal, sure it would be great if it was 1975 all over again and the muppets were just getting ready to take the world by storm, it just isnt that way, the general public has a short attention span and memory, just look at all the recent movie flops out there remember how big the first matrix movie was????. after all the hype i couldnt even bring my self to watch the sequel, its the same with pop culture icons, so try looking for other work , there is always somebody out there trying to come up with the next big thing, maybe its you, why not try and get your own thing going instead of hoping to maybe be picked a a background puppeter, or puppet builder , when u could be creating your own next big thing

 

[erniebert1234ss]

You guys...

I do a respectable Bert, but my specialty is Beaker and Link Hogthrob. I think that I'd be best to send him some samples of my voices. I'll have to buy a digital recorder to record my voices and burn them to CD. Does that sound good to you guys?

BJ

 

[Ryan]

Henson auditions don't work that way. Also, can't everyone do a Beaker?

 

[erniebert1234ss]

Uh, it takes a special type of voice to do beaker. Steve Whitmire does not (I don't think) have this particular type; Richard Hunt sure did. Point proven.

BJ

 

[Whatever]

I do a respectable Bert, but my specialty is Beaker and Link Hogthrob. I think that I'd be best to send him some samples of my voices. I'll have to buy a digital recorder to record my voices and burn them to CD. Does that sound good to you guys?

BJ

I've heard that it is better to audition with your own puppets. They don't like auditioning by imitating the Muppets. Plus, they would want to see your puppetry skills, not just hear your voices.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Voices are easy, puppetry is hard.