Not big on drinking green beer, but big on puppets, folksy songs and beardy silliness? Consider Echo Park Art Curio this eve to witness Herman Dune; I caught the band in a Design Within Reach of all places in Austin (note the eames chair in the photo bkg), and thoroughly enjoyed the lightweight-but-catchy songs, but more importantly the inclusion of a singing puppet which was fashioned and dressed identically to lead singer David-Ivar. The experience was of course enhanced by the glaring fact that I was listening to Herman Dune while lounging in a Herman Miller. Appears Pitchfork also has a puppet-inclusive review from this last week. $8 suggested donation; doors at 8p.

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Loved for its Muppets and lesser known for its blue comedy, the Henson Company has been performing a live, adult-themed improv puppet show to capacity crowds at festivals all over the globe for the last year. They bring the show home to the Avalon this Friday, in the first of what will become a monthly residence. Behold:

The Jim Henson Company’s renowned puppeteers demonstrate what happens when traditional comedic improvisation is mixed with the uninhibited anarchy of live puppet performance. Not your average night of improv and definitely not for children.

“’Puppet Up! – Uncensored’ is like a high-wire act. It combines the technical challenges of puppeteering with the quick-thinking needed for each sketch – along with the high stakes of performing in front of a live audience. It is quite an adrenaline rush and a lot of fun,“ says Brian Henson, co-CEO of The Jim Henson Company and producer of the show. “We have been thrilled with the excellent response the show has received around the world and we are excited to partner with Avalon Hollywood to bring ‘Puppet Up! – Uncensored’ to a local audience.” (Brian Henson, producer and co-CEO of The Jim Henson Company)

We speak today with Paul Rugg, a founding member of the ACME Comedy Group in Hollywood and a Puppet Up! – Uncensored performer whose non-puppet credits include Animaniacs and Pinky and The Brain. Find out how to win a pair of tickets to Friday’s performance at the end of the article.

Paul, we’re looking to derive a ratio: What’s the amount of time you have been performing Puppet Up! – Uncensored compared the total amount of time you have been involved with puppets in general? E.g., you’ve been working with puppets for 15 years and Puppet Up! – Uncensored for the last year of those 15…your ratio would be 1/15. Whattaya got?
»continue reading Puppet Up! – Uncensored Comes To Avalon: Win Tickets + Five Questions With Puppeteer Paul Rugg