Muppets (TM), Music & Magic:
Jim Henson’s Legacy
Special Guests
Heather Henson!
Heather is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design in animation and attended The California Institute of the Arts to broaden her expertise in visual spectacles for theatre. She has created numerous nature-based theater performances and has added her designs in puppetry and projections to other productions in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Madison and Providence. Heather continues to produce and showcase other artists in a myriad of venues including film, television, and stage. Curated by Heather herself, Handmade Puppet Dreams is a travelling short film show featuring the work of independent artists exploring their puppet craft specifically for the camera.
In addition to participating in Muppets, Music & Magic: Jim Henson's Legacy, Heather will present Handmade Puppet Dreams: The Highlights at the Cinema Arts Centre and a live presentation of her large-scale theatre piece, “Panther & Crane” for the Town of Huntington. Click HERE for more information on these and other Puppets on the Sound events.
Kevin Clash (Elmo!) 
Kevin Clash, the man who made Elmo famous, first saw Sesame Street when he was 10 years old and knew instantly he wanted to make puppets. He has been with Sesame Street for 26 years and is co-executive producer of Elmo's World. He has won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series and six for his work as co-executive producer of an Oustanding Pre-school Children's Series. Kevin is co-author of My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.
Fran Brill (Zoe!) 
Although she started out as a film actress, Fran Brill has been a puppeteer for Sesame Street almost since its inception in 1969. Her best-known Muppet characters are "Zoe" and "Prairie Dawn," although she has portrayed many different characters, including "Janice!"
Did you know?
The Muppet "Zoe" was originally modeled after Fran herself! The producers of Sesame Street wanted to name the character "Franny," but - in a display of modesty, maybe? - she decided to change the name. Recalling J.D. Salinger's book Franny and Zooey, she suggested "Zoe" as an alternate, and it stuck. Click HERE for Fran Brill's official website!
Dave Goelz (Gonzo!)
A puppet designer and Emmy Award-winning performer, Dave Goelz was picked up by Jim Henson and company to design Muppets in the early 70's. By the time Henson and Frank Oz were beginning work on The Muppet Show, they managed to convince him to come work as a puppeteer. Dave soon began to perform and develop such memorable characters as The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, and Fizzgig and the Skeksis General from The Dark Crystal.
Craig Shemin!
Craig Shemin is a former Jim Henson Company staff writer, and currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of The Jim Henson Legacy. He began his career with Henson as a college intern in 1987 and transitioned into writing, for which he received a Writer's Guild of America Award nomination for The Wubbulous World if Dr. Seuss. Craig curated many of the wonderful programs in Muppets(TM), Music & Magic: Jim Henson's Legacy, including Muppets 101, A Better World: Living in Harmony and Puppetry & The Art of Storytelling. He is married to
Stephanie D'Abruzzo, a talented puppeteer who has worked extensively on Sesame Street and is best known for her performances on the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, where she originated the characters "Kate Monster" and "Lucy the Slut."
Karen Falk!
Karen Falk is an historian who serves as the head archivist for The Jim Henson Company. In the late 1990s to early 2000s, she was the primary contributor to the Ask Henson.com website, answering a multitude of questions about the history of Jim Henson and the Muppets. She has also contributed to a number of non-fiction books, having written an introduction to Jim Henson’s Designs and Doodles, as well as a special section on Jim Henson for the liner notes of Manhattan Research, Inc. Falk holds a seat on the board of directors of The Jim Henson Legacy.
Check back soon for updates!
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