Muppets Auditions Sept 2005+

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

I got a "no thank you" letter as well. Wthout reading backwards in this thread I assume some folks got "yes thank you " letters instead?

-Gordon

wow! what did it say, may i ask?

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

That's a "no thanks," if I ever saw one. I got the same one.

ah i c! thanks for tellin me!

 

[Zack the Dog]

Hi guys! i'm not on too much know a days but wanted to say hi!

Terry Angus came back to talk to some one of the judges the second day, i reconized him but i wasn't sure if it was him, and just then he came over to the group of us and introduced himself. i was like WOW! He remembered me from when i bought one of his amazing e-bay puppets a few years ago and I thank my loving all knowing Mother for buying me a camera last second before I left her to go to the audistion that morning because i got a great photo with him as well as with the puppet he made that i brought along with me! orignaly i wasn't going to bring it, but Mother's know best and that was another suggestion my mom gave me before we left for our trip. I had so much fun, it was a blast! i miss everyone!

 

[wes]

*** Dear Steve, thank you for taking the time to audition with us. We enjoyed having the oppprtunity to abserve your skills and review your qualifications.

After careful review of our openings and their requirements, at this time we are unable to identify a proper match.

We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

The Muppets Holding Company, LLC ***

:

Thats the one I got, I take it as good, I mean they didn't say we sucked!!

 

[Marky]

Thats the one I got, I take it as good, I mean they didn't say we sucked!!

That is definitely the "no thanks" letter. But I'm sure no one sucked. They're just making sure that the quality of their performers is on par with the Muppet legacy.

 

[OverUnderAround]

Hello all! The info below I am posting because so many of you good people auditioned and deserve to know more info concerning the final results of the audition.

News has trickled down to my ears that the Hensons/MHC and Disney did a FANTASTIC job preparing those persons that attended the workshop class at Disneyworld for seven days.

Before departing to Walt Disneyworld (WDW), all nine (yes, only nine) finalist received a loose-leaf notebook and DVD explaining the Muppet history and the character history of the Muppet they are auditioning for. The DVD has clips of Jim and Frank describing proper operation of their Muppet characters.

The character bio of Gonzo now has him listed as a "Whatever" and no longer an alien. It seems they want to get back to something Jim once said; "That Gonzo will always be a 'Whatever.'" So it seems to be official… Gonzo is now back to being a ‘Whatever.’ So we should just believe that Gonzo played a role of an alien, but is not one.

The advance preparation for the select few was impressive.

Courses of study for the week at Disneyworld included meetings that covered:
Muppet History (taught by Jane Henson)
Biography study of main characters and their relationships to each other
The current state of the company
Monitor work
Puppeteering skills/training
Improv

Also two Improv teachers were invited to teach their art.
A fellow from Chicago's Second City comedy improv team, Chris Oyens.
The other being someone who has done improv on 'Whose Line is it Anyway?" named Karen Maruyama.

All puppeteers were given scripts to learn. Chris Oyen’s contributions were to breakdown the script for the puppeteers and find/explore and develop and bring out the best of the character in the script.

Maruyama was there to teach the puppeteers how to express themselves doing improvs in character.


Also attending were:
Jane & Heather Henson
Martin Baker
Debbie McClellan
Jeff Conover (Disney’s puppeteer trainer)

And a whole assortment of Disney personnel and executives.

Of the nine selected:
Some were current Muppeteers
Some were former Muppeteers
Some where Disney puppeteers
And one fellow had never worked with either company.

This workshop was only for specific characters: Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie and Miss Piggy.
1 tried for Gonzo
2 tried for Piggy
3 tried for Fozzie
5 tried for Kermit

That equals more than nine because some puppeteers were allowed to try for two characters.

Personal observation, if only one tried for Gonzo and two tried for Miss Piggy, it makes me believe that they will end up picking only 1 Gonzo, 1 Miss Piggy, 1 Fozzie and 1 Kermit. That's just my opinion.

Perhaps the overall consensus of everyone is that the next Gonzo has been found at this audition. Whenever Dave retires, Gonzo will live on with this amazingly voiced puppeteer.

It seems for those who originally auditioned months ago three different letters were sent out:
-A congratulation letter to those nine
-Sorry you didn’t make the cut
-We liked what we heard from you and will contact you in the future.

Yes, it seems there might be another audition somewhere, someday for the other Muppet show characters. Example, Beaker, Janice, Animal, etc…
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Here’s news that reached my ears that floored me!
The Jim Henson Company does NOT build the Muppets anymore!
Seems they were too expensive for Disney’s pocket book.
So a new company contracted with Disney to make the Muppets.
www.puppetheap.com

The best to Puppet Heap! It seems they employ former Henson puppet builders.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know the final results of the workshop class though.
And the names of the final nine were not provided to me to protect their privacy.

Anyway from what I heard, in the history of the Muppets, there has never been this much audition preparation to select a truly elite bunch that will uphold the quality and tradition of what the Muppet core performers are all about.

I am so happy to have heard the wonderful preparation that the Henson’s, MHC and Disney has done in preparing these puppeteers.

I want to thank a few people for this info and for sharing it with me.
Nothing else to add folks. I don't know anymore.

I guess that's about the end of this long thread... at least for me.

 

[wes]

So I take it that you were At this part, wow I would have loved to be their! One day maybe If they were looking for new charaters I think i could have made it as could alot of people. O well, Que Será, Será!!

 

[OverUnderAround]

So I take it that you were At this part, wow I would have loved to be their! One day maybe If they were looking for new charaters I think i could have made it as could alot of people. O well, Que Será, Será!!

Hi Wes, No I was not there. (Wish I was!) My info is combined from several sources.

I too hope they have another round of auditions someday to try again.

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

wow! great news! thanks for telling us man! i waz wondering what happend since we havn't heard much for the last few weeks... i would lOVE to wish these 9 NEW Muppeteers much LUCK and by the sounds of it know what the Heck there doin! huh... so Disney doesnt have the puppet made at Henson no more huh? well that fine by me... aslong as the puppets STILL look good!

also i just went ot he Puppet Heap site... click on Gallery and then click on Puppets... Bear and Tutter show up from Bear in the bIG blue house! and some Octopus from Hensons/HIT!'s Animal Jam also...

 

[a_Mickey_Muppet]

***The DVD has clips of Jim and Frank describing proper operation of their Muppet characters.***

does anyone else beside me think tHIS my be that old tape Jim Henson made for Disney Imageners back in the early 90's when the Henson Company was gonna get sold to Disney. I reamamber reading here (or maybe one of the MC.com's articles) saying he was making a traning tape for new Muppeteers!