Hot Jam Puppet Slam Contributors

Anthony Selitto-Budney. Pedantic Comedian, Steadfast Puppeteer they/thou Them/thy youtu.be/mP_3tnxkY4E

Christine Dempsey (she/they) is a project manager, puppeteer, and fabricator of the fantastical working throughout New England. For over a decade she has been wearing all manner of hats to bring memorable live experiences to audiences of all ages. They are excited to bring two of her short pieces, Hunger and The Climb, to Vermont in this Slam! Christine is an alumnus of the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, where she has created original short and long form puppet work for many years. One of the pieces to be performed at this slam, The Climb, was developed this past June at the O’Neill under the guidance of Ronnie Burkett, with music composed by Dr. Melissa Dunphy, as part of an intensive exploration of hand puppetry.

CLOUDGAZE Productions is an interdisciplinary ensemble that promotes evolving and generative work. They are supported by Eggtooth Productions and present creative laboratories alongside their annual Immersive Festival “A Happening”. https://www.instagram.com/cloudgazeproductions

Cynthia Parker-Houghton: I enjoy the challenge of turning ideas into material realities and discovering the pattern, meaning and connections in the process. I create art in the hope that it will pass on a spark of joy in the world. https://www.houghtonart.com/

Eva Lansberry is a designer, clown, and puppet theater artist from Brooklyn, NY. She is delighted to join Hot Jam Puppet Slam! Her solo show Sub-Aquatic Suitcase Adventures has been showcased at various variety venues, and open mics in NYC & Baltimore. She has puppeteered for Inkfish Arts, Jane Cathern Shaw & Theodora Skipitaris. Eva has studied the elements of clown with Spy Monkey’s Aitor Basauri, Hilary Chaplain & Red Bastard. Her latest project, Sub-Aquatic Suitcase Adventures of the Deep, is a physical comedy and puppet show that takes the audience on an imaginary ocean adventure. The show is a celebration of imagination and creativity, and it is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Lansberry's work is a reminder that the world is full of wonder, and that anything is possible if you use your imagination. Direction: Aitor Basouri Original Music Composed by William Wright https://www.evamarielansberry.com/current-show https://www.instagram.com/eva_cranky_pantz/ https://www.facebook.com/eva.marie.526875

Prepare to be transported into a world of wonder and enchantment with Madison J. Cripps, a puppeteer whose talent has captivated audiences for over a decade. Madison's dedication to the art form has earned him notable accolades, including an UNIMA citation of excellence in puppetry for his work on the Billy the Liar in 2015. Through meticulously crafted marionettes and mesmerizing storytelling, he creates a unique connection that transcends time and space, leaving spectators spellbound and their imaginations ignited. Madison's performances are a feast for the senses, inviting audiences to rediscover the joy and magic that resides within, and leaving them with a renewed sense of wonder and childlike delight.

Michelle Finston (she/they) is an artist, actor, director, puppeteer, educator, and international performing artist based in New York with roots in Los Angeles and Boston. She has trained at The Eugene O’Neill National Puppetry Conference, Sesame Street Workshop, and Sandglass Institute. Her short form puppet performances have been selected to perform at numerous Puppet Slams and National Puppetry Festivals. They work full time teaching Theater and Creative Arts in the Bronx. When she is not directing or puppeteering, she enjoys hanging upside down doing aerial silks, performing Musical Improv, and looking for the next spontaneous adventure. In this workshop participants will explore various collaborative movement exercises and ways in which to build puppets through manipulation techniques and that everyone has a style and way of moving and looking at the world that is unique to them. Participants will learn how to bring ANY object to life from a spool of yarn to a plastic bag. We will use found and recycled materials to create unique, simple, and effective table top plus puppets. Through various exercises in building and movement we will begin to tap into finding confidence in our own style of bringing any inanimate thing to life. Be prepared to move, make, and create!

Sarah Frechette spends her summers floating on an apple covered creemee dreemee champ lovin island. She is Grade A Fancy and loves to pull all the strings. Sarah will be performing a wood carved marionette known as the “Bad Boy” ~ a figure first brought to life by her mentor and Master Puppeteer Albrecht Roser in Buoch, Germany.

One of a kind caterer offering approachable food for any event, with a feline flair. Find out where Misster will be serving next at Facebook.com/Misster’sCatering Email: [email protected]

Dragon Treasure by Nappy’s Puppets. Handmade wearable Art to add to your hoard. Why should Dragons get all the shiny? linktr.ee/nappys_puppets

Phoenix Leigh (they/she) and Aaron Lathrop (he/him). Your hosts for the evening. Aaron will also be performing his piece, "This Too Too Solid Flesh". Dir: Sarah Bourne, developed as part of the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center. Spouses Aaron and Phoenix have toured the country since 2008, performing in family shows as well as late-night puppet slams. They create and perform original content such as Circus Town (kids’ webseries), Song of Walt Whitman, Our Native Chaos, and Beware the Kraken. P&A have puppeteered for The Jim Henson Company (X.Tink.Shun), Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre, Enchantment Theatre, DragonCon, and more. They co-produced Puppetdelphia Slam in the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival, with Leila and Pantea Productions. They have been resident puppeteers for the Philadelphia Folk Festival since 2016, building and performing the beloved mascot, Smiling Banjo Jo. They are Balloon Handlers in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They settled in Brattleboro in 2022, where Phoenix is the Reception Manager at NECCA.

Playdoh (Zach Kolo, they/them) is a multimedia performance artist exploring contested spaces and animated objects. They work as a prop and puppet maker and performer, creating work that irreverently comments on the way we structure our lives under capitalism, and the ways we try and fail to create and maintain authentic connections with one another. Puppetry performance and adjacent forms are uniquely situated to address how we perform and perceive "realness" within the artificial hells of our bureaucratic and tech-driven world. ​ Playdoh is touring a "Namaslay: a New Puppet Musical" from Atlanta to Quebec and from Quebec to Minneapolis. To book them contact @nosepickah on IG or [email protected] https://www.playdohpuppetproductions.com/about ​ Playdoh has trained with puppetry & theatre professionals such as: Tom Lee (bonraku-style), Blaire Thomas, Roberto Rossi (toy theatre), Jim Kroupa (muppets), Lindsay McCaw, Peter Schumann, Nappy Napolitano (shadow puppets), Kurt Hunter (marionettes), and Antonio Fava (Commedia dell'arte).

OompaPossum Puppets invites you on an extraterrestrial journey in Out of This World. This rod and body puppetry piece was created as a Participant Project by the artist at the 2023 Eugene O’Neill Puppetry Conference. Kim Van Aelst has won numerous awards including two-time recipient of the Kennedy Center VSA Award, CT Office of the Arts Award & World Festival of Puppetry Award. Music created and performed by the ultra talented, Camille Charlier. www.oompapossumpuppets.com

Jenn D./Ponybird (they/them) Singer-songwriter, producer, artist, professor, music fan, First Gen, CT/NYC. Anishinabek Metis & Kelly Lake Cree. Ponybird is the moniker for the alt-folk singer-songwriter Jennifer Dauphinais, who also produces electronic psych music as the project called WEAREBISON. Dauphinais plays regionally as both an acoustic singer-songwriter and experimental electronic artist, drawing from a fifteen-year catalog of original work. https://www.instagram.com/ponybirdmusic/

Singer songwriter, harpist, pianist. Facebook livestreams Monday, Wednesday and Fridays @8pm EST http://facebook.com/seanoreillysongs

Marissa (she/her) learned silk screening in high school and was enamoured by the DIY spirit of the art form. She acquired a kit of her own and has found herself contributing to community-based projects ever since. From an Earth Day shirt for the environmental house in college to the AcroCamp shirts for the annual festival her friends host, Marissa always finds an occasion to design a screen and get to printing! Collaborating with artists, reusing and up-cycling cloth, preserving independent printing services, and empowering others to take up the practice are important to Marissa, and with this she is joining the Hot Jam Puppet Slam!

Stephen Peter Rodgers , is an American singer/songwriter, producer and visual artist. His music career spans 4 decades starting when he was in his early teens as a founding member of underground AltRock band “Mighty Purple”, with whom he toured extensively for 20 years. Stephen’s solo albums are filled with honest, lyrics, lush guitar hooks and a widely diverse Acoustic, folk ,Indie rock sound. Stephen continues to bring his music to listening venues, festivals and house concerts and is currently working on his 5th solo album. Stephen is the former owner/director of Space Ballroom in Connecticut which hosted musicians of all ages and all genres during his 15 year tenure there. Stephen’s music and visual art has been featured in countless print and online publications. His music has been played on radio stations all over North America and can be found on all online platforms. Stephen typically tours as an acoustic duo or trio, his shows are engaging, lively and Stephen instantly builds a warm friendly rapport with every audience. www.stephenpeterrodgers.com

Performers: Alauna, Brian, Jenny, Katharine, and Susan Directors: Laura Lawson Tucker, Darlene Jenson Once upon a time… many years ago in the land of ideas and visions, a group of actors with disabilities dreamed of expressing themselves with a unique mix of costumes, puppets, music, storytelling, and whimsy. Inclusive and inventive Theatre Adventure was born in Southern Vermont. Theatre Adventure's Traveling Troupe has performed in schools, libraries, and for numerous outdoor events including Sandglass Theater's Puppets in Paradise. Come daydream with us! Learn more about our inclusive theater programming: www.theatreadventure.org [email protected] 802-387-0765

Theatre Immediate presents /synesthesia/, an exploration into abstraction of puppetry, movement, and projection. TJ is a Connecticut based artist who sees art as an opportunity for to cultivate sustainability, accessibility, and mindfulness through creative expression - particularly puppetry.

The Dragon and the Wanderer is the first endeavor of Wandering Theatre, the husband-and-wife-duo of Aaron Roberge and Leah Holleran. The European tour of this production in the summer of 2019 doubled as their honeymoon, and this is the very first performance of the revamped version of the show! The Dragon and the Wanderer is a story of courage and friendship; it combines physical theatre, hand puppets, and shadow puppets, and uses no language. Aaron and Leah are thrilled to present this wholly original production—hopefully the first of many they will build together. https://thedragonandthewanderer.com/