Recently, I took a trip through New England, and as luck would have it, I would be in Vermont just as a new puppetry exhibit was opening. So imagine my excitement as I saw some rare Muppets on display! The Henson gods shone down upon me that day, my friends.
The Shelburne Museum is currently hosting an exhibit titled “Puppets: World on a String“, which will run through June 3rd, 2018. And you can’t have a spotlight on puppets without a Muppet or two.
Sesame Street‘s Roosevelt Franklin is there, as well as Featherstone from The Frog Prince and Hey, Cinderella. The third puppet you see in the glass case above is a “Little Girl Puppet” built by Jane Henson in 1955 for Sam and Friends.
Elsewhere in the exhibit is a 30-minute video running on a loop called “Puppet Conference“, which features Fozzie Bear and Grover, along with famous puppets like Lamb Chop, in conversation. This is a pretty rare find, and if you’ve got the time, it’s a really fun video to stop and watch.
We’ve also learned that the museum will be hosting a talk with Muppet performer Martin Robinson and Sesame Street writer Annie Evans on May 4th. And on May 13th, the museum will get a visit from a walkaround Elmo. Be sure to keep an eye on the Shelburne Museum website for more details!
And if you’re planning to be in Vermont over the next few months, stop by and say hello to Roosevelt Franklin!
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by Joe Hennes – Joe@ToughPigs.com
