125 - Justin Ward (Draw It Out) - Under The Puppet

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  At just 17 years old, Justin Ward has embraced the world of puppetry full force.  Not only is Justin a puppeteer and builder, he's also the writer, producer and creative mastermind behind the series Draw It Out - a show that aims to help young children develop reading skills through puppetry, animation, and storytelling.  I talk to Justin Ward about his passion for puppetry and creating on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Justin Ward by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Justin Ward: Draw It Out - https://rumble.com/v790i54-draw-it-out-s1-ep1-splattered-paint-pilot.html IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm18052946/?ref_=tt_ov_1_1 Discussed on the show: DefunctTV: Jim Henson Documentary Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLplWWKocAfTYIGzH8eQ0x0kEQgoV9CpYm The Muppets - https://muppets.disney.com/ Sesame Street - https://sesameworkshop.org/ Adam Kreutinger - https://www.youtube.com/puppetnerd Reading Rainbow - https://www.readingrainbow.org/ Rock 'N Learn - https://www.youtube.com/rocknlearn Between the Lions - https://pbskids.org/ The Mr. E Show / Mr. E - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUZWFHZ-TRXfeOCjduck4ZsAKiulw7cYi Jessica Care Moore - https://www.jessicacaremoore.org/ FOX 2 Detroit - Justin Ward Interview - https://thedetroit.org/news/detroit-teen-pulls-the-strings-to-help-kids-learn-to-read Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Artie Esposito began working his puppetry skills at a young age.  Several years puppeteering at Walt Disney World as well as workshops with The Jim Henson Company and The Muppets would propel him to television on shows such as Crank Yankers and Sesame Street.  He puppeteered Baloo the Bear in the live action remake of Disney's The Jungle Book and puppeteers Freddy Fazebear for the film Five Nights At Freddys where he also served as Puppet Captain.  I talk to Artie Esposito about all these things on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Artie Esposito by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Artie Esposito: Website - https://www.puppetsbyartie.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/puppetsbyartie/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ArtieEsposito IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1186819/ Discussed on the show: The Muppet Show - https://shows.disney.com/the-muppet-show The Jim Henson Company - https://www.henson.com/ Ringling College of Art and Design - https://www.ringling.edu/ Walt Disney World - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ Bear in the Big Blue House - https://shows.disney.com/bear-in-the-big-blue-house Festival of the Lion King - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/entertainment/animal-kingdom/festival-of-the-lion-king/ Sesame Street Live - https://sesamestreetlive.com/ Crank Yankers - https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/crank-yankers/ Sesame Workshop - https://sesameworkshop.org/ Muppet Mobile Lab - https://d23.com/a-to-z/muppet-mobile-lab/ The Muppets - https://muppets.disney.com/ America's Got Talent - https://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent D23 - https://d23.com/ Lady Gaga - https://www.ladygaga.com/ Swazzle - https://www.swazzle.com/ Chiodo Brothers - https://chiodobros.com/ The Jungle Book - https://movies.disney.com/the-jungle-book-2016 The Little Mermaid Live! - https://abc.com/show/5800af6c-88bd-4985-921d-29d93f02dba9 Five Nights at Freddy's - https://www.universalpicturesathome.com/movies/five-nights-at-freddys Gabby's Dollhouse Live! - https://gabbysdollhouselive.com/usa/ Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Lee Armstrong is a puppeteer, producer and the co-owner of Images In Motion, a company that specializes in TV Production, puppets and 3D Printing.  Lee worked as a puppeteer on three seasons of Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock and her other screen puppetry credits include Being John Malkovich, Follow That Bird and Mustard Pancakes.  She won a Regional Emmy for her special Land of I and as a lifelong teacher, Lee has taught puppetry to thousands as well as teaching the course "Jim Henson and the Art of the Muppets" at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  I'm excited to welcome Lee Armstrong as my guest on this episode of Under The Puppet. Support the show!  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Lee Armstrong: Website - https://www.imagesmedia.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/images_inmotion/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ImagesinMotionMedia/ IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0035796/ Discussed on the show: Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia - https://mermaidtheatre.ca/ Acadia University - https://www.acadiau.ca/ Mount Allison University - https://mta.ca/ Children's Fairyland - https://www.fairyland.org/ Folkmanis Puppets - https://www.folkmanis.com/ Puppeteers of America - https://puppeteers.org/ Puppetry Journal - https://www.puppeteers.org/shop/ UNIMA-USA - https://www.unima-usa.org/ Canada Council for the Arts - https://canadacouncil.ca/ HB Studio - https://www.hbstudio.org/ Fraggle Rock - https://www.henson.com/fraggle-rock/ Jim Henson - https://www.henson.com/jim-henson/ The Jim Henson Company - https://www.henson.com/ Julie Taymor TED Talks - https://www.ted.com/speakers/julie_taymor The Public Theater - https://publictheater.org/ University of Toronto - https://www.utoronto.ca/ Quigley's Village - https://www.quigleysvillage.com/ James and the Giant Peach - https://movies.disney.com/james-and-the-giant-peach Mattel - https://corporate.mattel.com/ Crayola - https://www.crayola.com/ The San Francisco Music Box Company - https://www.sanfranciscomusicbox.com/ LeapFrog - https://www.leapfrog.com/ Industrial Light & Magic - https://www.ilm.com/ Swazzle - https://www.swazzle.com/ Smokey Bear - https://smokeybear.com/ U.S. Forest Service - https://www.fs.usda.gov/ Adventures with Kanga Roddy - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138998/ Oracle - https://www.oracle.com/ Being John Malkovich - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/ Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_Burkett Mustard Pancakes - https://www.courtneycampbell.com/ Follow That Bird - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089994/ Sesame Street - https://www.sesameworkshop.org/what-we-do/shows/sesame-street University of Connecticut Puppet Arts - https://drama.uconn.edu/programs/puppet-arts/ Black Hills Institute of Geological Research - https://www.bhigr.com/ California Academy of Sciences - https://www.calacademy.org/ Southern Oregon University - https://sou.edu/ University of California, Santa Cruz - https://www.ucsc.edu/ San Francisco Bay Area Puppeteers Guild - https://sfbapg.org/ Center for Puppetry Arts - https://puppet.org/ Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  On Friday, July 21, 2023, I was honored to be asked to host a post-performance question and answer session with ventriloquist Terry Fator at the Puppeteers of America Festival at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.  I was able to chat chat with Terry about performing on America's Got Talent, where his early puppets came from, how much improvisation goes into his act, his singing chops and more.  I'm happy to share a recording of that audio with you on this episode of Under The Puppet. Connect with Terry Fator: Website - https://terryfator.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/terryfator/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@officialterryfator Discussed on the show: Puppeteers of America - https://puppeteers.org National Puppetry Festival - https://puppeteers.org/national-puppetry-festival Sesame Street - https://sesamestreet.org Sesame Street Live - https://www.sesamestreetlive.com America's Got Talent - https://www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent The Jim Henson Company - https://www.henson.com The Muppets - https://muppets.disney.com Kermit the Frog - https://muppets.disney.com/kermit-the-frog Puppet Heap - https://www.puppetheap.com Venthaven Museum - https://venthaven.org UNIMA-USA - https://www.unima-usa.org The Mirage Las Vegas - https://mirage.com Sam and Friends - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_and_Friends Edgar Bergen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen Charlie McCarthy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_McCarthy Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Honey Goodenough is a puppeteer, clown, educator and magician.  She's traveled the United States and the world with her shows Sock Monkey Circus and Word Play and she's been featured at the National Puppetry Slam several times.  She's toured with the Frisch Marionettes and worked with past Under The Puppet guest Nick Coppola performing at Macy's in New York City.  Honey has also founded several grants to assist puppeteers and is the creator of Puppet Pandemic, a nationally touring puppet slam funded in part by Heather Hensons Puppet Slam Network.  Honey Goodenough is my guest on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Honey Goodenough by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Honey Goodenough: Website - https://goodheartedentertainment.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goodhearted_entertainment/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@honeygoodenough304 Discussed on the show: 2001 - Yello Dyno: First professional wrangling Job  https://youtu.be/apMsMF-9wpM?si=UplJL-mTYXkjlnrY 2010 - Sweet Dreams: Marionette Piece https://youtu.be/v8uodD_8DVc?si=zNbPhwhREAnlA66h 2014 - A Dream of ME:  https://youtu.be/qYPWO-RgaZs?si=zGEOXywcnx3b5EQ9 2016 - WORD PLAY: Trailer  https://youtu.be/sc-49YbQD-k?si=KLdz5h4CoAUzVB4O 2017 - Sock Monkey Circus Trailer:  https://youtu.be/9Jsxek_xQ0M?si=nVR8bSMWsAlxR7O0 2015 NYTimes: Robotica The Caring Bear: Boston Children's Hospital https://youtu.be/QwTCmbq9C4o?si=jVViBeyvQrKWc1Gm 2015 - Buzzfeed: I'm a clown but I'm not... https://youtu.be/fLgm4qSc6SA?si=Ipyp-32BKoszSEbM 2015 Wired: Huggable, BCH Boston Children's Hospital https://youtu.be/UaRCCA2rRR0?si=asKcoD33qK7o429x 2009-2014 - Macy's Marionette Theater: Miracle on 34th Street: https://youtu.be/Km61BTxiDyc?si=36fLxLwZaHVw4qs5 2009-2014 - Macy's Marionette Theater: Nearly FULL Show: Miracle on 34th St.  https://youtu.be/_RzvwmwaGMY?si=ZwVaKAFx1gPgveAs Trash Island, By Wonder Spark - Honey made costumes and helped with Puppet Builds.  https://youtu.be/Vor0SiUqtY8?si=rYBhCL5E1YzsDKhk 2013 - The Fuzz: Head Wrangler https://youtu.be/tiTrLy5D8k4?si=LNXTaqlNfIkHaC5A Music Videos 2010 - Sia: Clap your hands:  https://youtu.be/HLA0ofsu0Qg?si=o4nzjggD8nI94Dy7 2026- Mikky and the Dooms: H2Hoe https://youtu.be/Jkb5_e9vuic?si=AnNEUQsg0i4avnzo Mr. Leo's Bus - https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-mr-leos-magic-puppet-bus Word Play at the Puppet Fringe in 2026 - https://puppetfringenyc.com/ Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com - Nicolas Coppola became enchanted by puppetry at an early age.  This enchantment lead to a life of building, performing and running puppet companies that has lasted over 70 years.  He created shows for The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. and had a long standing job creating shows and performing at Macy*s in New York City.  He also created PuppetWorks, a non-profit marionette theater in Park Slope Brooklyn, New York that has entertained families since 1980.  I chat with Nicolas Coppola about his amazing career on this episode of Under The Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Nicolas Coppola by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Nicolas Coppola: Website - https://puppetworks.org Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/puppetworksnyc/ Discussed on the show: Puppetworks History - https://puppetworks.org/blank/ Honey Goodenough - https://www.instagram.com/honeygoodenough/ Vincent Anthony - https://www.unima-usa.org/vince-anthony-tribute Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Jim LoGiudice began his career making props and models for films such as The Abyss, Con Air, The Rocketeer, and Armageddon. He made the move to puppetry though his church and started developing the characters and the show that would become Far Outpost, which performs weekly at Granite Creek Church in Claremont, California. I talk to Jim LoGiudice about the development of Far Outpost, the building of the puppets on the show, their crazy special effects, and more on this episode of Under The Puppet. One quick note.  During my interview with Jim we discuss some of the special effect techniques uses on Far Outpost.  Jim is a Hollywood professional and has trained in creating these special effects.  Do not attempt any of the effect techniques discussed in this interview for yourself. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Jim LoGiudice by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Jim LoGiudice: Far Outpost - https://www.youtube.com/@FarOutpost Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jimbo.logiudice/ IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517754/ Discussed on the show: Granite Creek Community Church - https://www.granitecreek.org The Abyss (1989) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096754/ Con Air (1997) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118880/ The Rocketeer (1991) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102803/ Armageddon (1998) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120591/ Flubber (1997) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119137/ Men in Black (1997) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119654/ Sesame Street - https://www.sesamestreet.org The Muppet Show - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muppet_Show The Muppet Movie (1979) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079588/ Mystery Science Theater 3000 - https://www.gizmoplex.com Joel Hodgson - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0388273 Joel Hodgson's TV Wheel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meqonUzc-pI Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  In July of 2025, an incredible group of people got together at the Amazon MGM studios in Culver City, California on historic stage 15, to shoot a series of shorts called Judge Boing Boing.  I recently sat down with the creative forces behind this project Bill Barretta and Frank Oz to find out how it all came together for this episode of Under The Puppet. Connect with Judge Boing Boing: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/judgeboingboing/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JUDGEBOINGBOING TikTok -  https://www.tiktok.com/@judgeboingboing Discussed on the show: Milton Berle on the Muppets clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POH8xAsuNr4 WIlkins and WOntkins - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K33mMjsjbdA Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com  

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Amanda Maddock is a puppeteer, builder, wrangler, and teacher who has experience working with puppets of all sizes. From the regular puppets of The Book of Pooh, Bear in the Big Blue House, Between the Lions, Sesame Street, and The Muppets to the enormous puppets of Walking with Dinosaurs and How to Train Your Dragon, Amanda's career has taken her across the country and around the world—including to Iceland to work on LazyTown and to Russia to puppeteer in the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Versed in many styles of puppetry, from tabletop to hand-and-rod to the animatronics of the two Five Nights at Freddy'sfilms, she has done it all. It's my pleasure to chat with Amanda Maddock about all these projects and more on this episode of Under the Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Amanda Maddock by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Amanda Maddock: Website - http://www.amandamaddock.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mander_mudduck_puppeterer IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1566555 Sandglass Theater Summer Intensive (Amanda is teaching) - https://www.sandglasstheater.org/summer-intensive Discussed on the show: The Book of Pooh – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Pooh Bear in the Big Blue House – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_in_the_Big_Blue_House Between the Lions – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Between_the_Lions Sesame Street – https://www.sesamestreet.org The Muppets – https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/The_Muppets Walking with Dinosaurs – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_with_Dinosaurs_%E2%88%92_The_Arena_Spectacular LazyTown – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LazyTown 2014 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony Skidmore College – https://www.skidmore.edu University of Connecticut Puppet Arts Program – https://drama.uconn.edu/puppet-arts/ National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center – https://www.theoneill.org/pup Puppets in Prague – https://www.puppetsinprague.eu Sandglass Theater – https://sandglasstheater.org The Henson International Puppetry Festival – https://www.hensonfestival.org The Jim Henson Company – https://www.henson.com Bob Baker Marionette Theater – https://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com

http://www.UnderThePuppet.com -  Geneviève Flati is a puppeteer, producer, and one of the most driven creative individuals I know. Her passion has led to work as Puppet Director, Puppet Captain, and Puppeteer on several nationwide tours, including a role as puppeteer and puppet director for The Maybe Man Arena Tour by pop band AJR. She's performed with the Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! Uncensored, worked on Earth to Ned, and was the Jim Henson Company's youngest female puppet captain on the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live Tour. From commercials to web series to live shows, Geneviève has done it all—and I talk to her about it on this episode of Under the Puppet. Plus, hear more of my conversation with Geneviève Flati by becoming a Saturday Morning Media Patreon Patron.  Visit www.patreon.com/saturdaymorningmedia for info and to help create more episodes like this. Connect with Genevieve Flati: Website - https://www.gflati.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gflati/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@genevieveflati2460 Discussed on the show: AJR's Karma Music Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b86Hx3UdZo AJR - https://www.ajrbrothers.com Jim Henson Company - https://www.henson.com Puppet Up! – Uncensored - https://puppetup.com Earth to Ned - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_to_Ned Disneyland - https://disneyland.disney.go.com Maverick Theater - https://www.mavericktheater.com Backstage - https://www.backstage.com Disney Careers - https://jobs.disneycareers.com Chapman University - https://www.chapman.edu Kevin Clash - https://saturdaymorningmedia.com/2020/10/utp-52/ Alan Trautman - https://saturdaymorningmedia.com/2017/09/utp-007/ Connect with the Show: http://www.instagram.com/underthepuppet https://www.facebook.com/underthepuppet http://www.twitter.com/underthepuppet Connect with Grant: http://www.MrGrant.comhttp://www.twitter.com/toasterboy https://instagram.com/throwingtoasters/ Art by Parker Jacobs Music by Dan Ring Edited by Stephen Staver ©2026 Saturday Morning Media - http://www.saturdaymorningmedia.com