The Museum of Broadway gives theater lovers a closer look at the magical world of puppetry with its new special exhibit.
The Museum of Broadway recently unveiled its new special exhibit, Craft of Broadway Puppetry, showcasing the behind-the-scenes magic of theater puppetry. Presented in partnership with the American Theater for Puppetry Arts and The Broadway Legacy Foundation, the exhibit spotlights puppets used in the 2023 production of Life of Pi, including the show’s larger-than-life Bengal tiger.
(Courtesy – Santiago Felipe/The Museum of Broadway)
The display walks guests through the stages of the puppet design and construction process, featuring original concept drawings, prototypes, and videos. Along with the stunning animals from Life of Pi, the exhibit is home to Olaf from the 2018 production of Disney’s Frozen, designed and created by Michael Curry. The lovable snowman is accompanied by a video, which gives viewers a close look at Curry’s puppet studio in Oregon.
(Courtesy The Museum of Broadway)
There are also puppet additions sprinkled throughout the museum, including early puppets from Tony Sarg, the father of modern American puppetry, and Paul E. Walton and Michael O’Rourke, masters of string marionettes. Guests can also get a close look at puppets from Avenue Q and The Lion King, as well as James Ortiz’s Milky White from the 2022 production of Into the Woods and Phillip Huber’s Pudgy from Boop! The Musical.
The exhibit — curated by the founder of the American Theater for Puppetry Arts, Darin Johnson — aims to honor an art form that often goes unnoticed.
“ Most people don’t understand that it takes weeks, months, sometimes years to create and innovate these puppets,” Johnson told guests during the exhibit’s opening reception. “I think what’s been really interesting since I’ve been involved in the puppetry world is just how fascinated and intrigued people, young and old, are about puppetry. Because we’re able to take an inanimate object and bring it to life, and we offer the opportunity for audiences to believe in that. And so I think that’s a pretty special opportunity.”
The special exhibit is on view through Labor Day.
