Brunch & Puppets

It has been so fun sharing iGeneration with my good friend Tara Hewlett from As Long As It's Fancy this month. Tara's Muppet party boards were smart, colorful, and are making me think that I need to bring these boards to life sometime soon.

I continued the puppet birthday fun on my actual birthday with mi amiga, Anuja. We started our morning with brunch and then headed over to Puppet Kitchen for a puppet making workshop. I wish I could spend every Sunday eating brunch and making puppets. Puppet Kitchen, known in part for building the puppets on Johnny and the Sprites, has a beautiful, little studio in an old school kitchen. We were there to make fuzzy hand monsters. I was nervous...how would we make these things? Would I need to sew?! Eek!

There were 8 of us in the workshop, the perfect amount of people to fit in the space comfortably. Our instructor was warm, encouraging, and knowledgeable. We started with pre-cut fabric, and then our instructor glued a mouth plate on for us while sharing some information about the company and all the "chefs" that work there. 

Sewing the puppet was a lot easier than I thought. The furry fabric probably helped make the stitches less noticeable.

Decorating the puppet was my favorite part. We all started with blank, furry canvases. 

It was interesting to see how each participant decorated their puppet friend and brought it to life. I absolutely recommend the workshop for anyone interested in what happens before the puppet hits the hand. Though the workshop is fun, it's probably best for kids over the age of 10, due to the stitching that's involved. I recommend taking the workshop with a side of brunch! For more information, check out their website!

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Prettying Up Your Puppet Party

By Tara Hewlett of As Long As It's Fancy

Now its time to dress up our party.  Let's start with our table decor, to ensure that all of the goodies we baked have an equally pretty backdrop!  Our centerpiece flowers get the Muppet treatment by borrowing some beakers and test tubes from Beaker and Dr. Honeydew.

vase 1, vase 2, vase 3, vase 4, vase 5

Next, let's add some fun to our chairs.  All we needed were a few pieces of paper and some string.  We cut a decorative edge on a large piece of card stock and attached to the chair back with ribbon.  Next, we printed a film frame and a still from our favorite scene of a Muppets show.  Finally, we glued this scene onto the card stock and we have dressed up the chairs for our party!

 I loved some of the modern artwork I found of the Muppets.  Need to let guests know at which home to stop for the party?  Try blowing up some of the graphic artwork and cut into streamers for the porch! 

artwork here 

An accent wall in your entry will get guests in the Muppet party mood immediately.  The best part about this accent wall?  It's temporary!  These wall decals get an extended life after the party by moving them to the playroom or bedroom.

wall decal

I used the cute Muppets alphabet to create garland.  String this anywhere around the party where you feel it's not looking festive enough. 

 
alphabet artwork

We definitely want our guests to remember how much fun they had celebrating this month, so make sure they grab a Muppets favor bag on the way out.  Fill the bags with treats and decorate with some contemporary Muppet artwork and bow!

 

 favor artwork

It's time for the finishing touch on our decor - the theater!  Not sure how to put it together, check out the instructions here.    Don't forget about the personalized Muppets we made during game time.  This is the perfect setting to show them off.  Just make sure that you set up your theater in a prominent place so that all of the guests can see the show!

theater

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Games for Party Animals

By Tara Hewlett of As Long As It's Fancy

Miss Piggy is the ultimate fashionista.  Make sure she looks her best with a game of "Miss Piggy Bank Dress Up."  Start out with some plain piggy banks then grab some of Miss Piggy's favorite accessories such as pearl stickers for a necklace or earrings.  Lipstick and nail polish can be used as makeup or substitute paint for the same effect.  Finally, Miss Piggy loves a boa.  You can secure with a bit of hot glue.  Now you have the perfect spot to save up for your own fashionista accessories!

nail polish, lipstick, pearl stickers, piggy bank, boa

Gonzo has the most perfectly shaped nose for a game of ring toss!  Let's hang gonzo from the ceiling, grab a few rings and see which party guest has the best aim!

gonzo puppet, rings

Animal loves to play the drums, but some of our guests might have other talents.  At our music station we can make guitars, drums and tambourines.  We just need some cardboard, tacks and string for our guitar.  We need some embroidery hoops, bottle caps and tape for our tambourine.  Finally, to make Animal's favorite instrument we need some lollipop drumsticks, a coffee can and fabric.  After we're finished making and decorating our instruments we can even record our own song!

guitar, animal, tambourine, drum

Beaker wanted to join in on the musical fun as well, so he came up with a fun experiment.  He filled up a few beakers (or glasses if you want to simplify) with some water and added food coloring for fun.  With the water at different levels in each beaker he has created a range of different tones! 

beaker

And what Muppet party or Christina party would be complete without some puppet making!?  If you're feeling fancy you could head on over to FAO Schwarz before the party and have everyone make their own Muppet!  Christina is on the left sporting her signature glasses and a statue of liberty outfit to represent New York.  I am on the right with my red hair and cheerleading outfit from college!

whatnots

If you are a bit far from the famous toy store you can still make your own Muppet using paper bags or socks.  Any of these options are fun and leave all of our guests with their very own personalized Muppet!

 birds, giraffe, sock, panda

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Puppets, The Beach Boys, and Hipsters

Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of seeing my very first Puppet Slam. I had heard about these pseudo-underground events from several sources and was continuously encouraged to attend. They were started by Heather Henson a few years back and happen across the country. Puppet Playlist is a very popular puppet slam event in New York. Each month, the Playlist highlights a different band/musician and encourages local puppeteers to develop new works around their music.

When I saw that January's featured band was The Beach Boys, I impulsively started putting a scene together but then began to hesitate. I knew nothing about these slams. I wanted to know what I was getting myself into first and move forward from there.

via
I eagerly attended on Tuesday night and was so happy to see a friend perform an interesting interpretation of the song I Know There's An Answer. I have to note that the entire vibe of the venue was light and supportive, something unique to small, New York theater. I was pleased as punch when local bands performed Beach Boys' covers in between each scene. My favorite was a very Portland, folksie version of Be True To Your School. If only my life could be set to modern Beach Boys' covers...sigh.

So how can we kids' media people learn from this? The Puppet Slam Network has it right. They provide a safe, fun environment for creatives to explore work within set limitations (theme and time). What if we start doing this? What if we have monthly screenings of kid shorts or pilots developed under financial, time, and maybe even talent limitations. Maybe it would force us to think outside of the box a bit more.

I'm hoping to put myself out there and submit a scene idea or song cover for the next Puppet Playlist. I hope to see you there.

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My (Ideal) Creative Space

The energy of a single space can inspire and encourage development and creativity. As I’m in the midst of an apartment search, I'm considering what my ideal workspace would look like. Fingers crossed for an oversized walk-in closet!

I want the room to accommodate my office space needs and reflect my interests and industry. Children’s media is particularly challenging to reflect in design. I'd like my space to pop and mirror the excitement of learning and discovery, while maintaining calm.

1. I think the circus tent panels from Big Top Fitness would make excellent curtains!
2. 'Good Morning' finger puppet poster by Egg Press
3. 'Have Fun' finger puppet poster by Egg Press
4. 'Good Night' finger puppet poster by Egg Press
5. Colorful Mid-Century desk
6. Ideas and inspiration cork board
7. Bookcase for DVDs and child development books
8. File cabinet to hide the clutter
9. Colorful swivel chair for work and seated swing dancing
10. The Neighborhood Trolley

What does your ideal workspace look like?

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Cassie Meets John Tartaglia

I knew that if I was going to make good on this new year’s resolution to have more puppetry experiences, I would have to make some serious commitments to it. I recalled my evening out at Puppet Palooza last October and wondered (dreamed) if it’d be possible to work with John Tartaglia. John has been a performer in a number of Broadway and children’s television productions. Most notably, he played Princeton and Rod in Avenue Q and hosted his own program, Johnny and the Sprites, on Playhouse Disney. This is a clip from one of my favorite pieces of his work:



Before arriving at his studio for my lesson, I thought about what I really wanted to learn. I thought about my Monday night puppet sessions with Sabrina and Audrey in Massachusetts. I had so much fun working with them and bringing Cassie to life, but I never felt confident in giving Cassie a voice. This became my ultimate goal for my lesson.

At 12pm sharp, John opened the door to his studio for me. His workspace is a dream! It’s filled with shelves of puppet creations and building materials, posters from his production Imaginocean, and large windows for fantastic natural light. He sat with me, and we really had an opportunity to discuss goals, tricks of the trade, and who this Cassie lady really is….seriously, we talked A LOT about Cassie. Approximately an hour into the lesson, I had an Ah-Ha moment (is it necessary to credit Oprah when this phrase is used?). By simply removing myself from a mirror when working with Cassie, I was able to let go and let the character come to life. I literally had to get myself out of my own way….or out of her way.

I was so excited to meet someone who genuinely loves what he’s doing and yearns to share his craft with others. John was incredibly supportive and thoughtful in his instruction and feedback. He provided me with some great resources to look at and ideas for practicing at home. It wasn't until I was reviewing an exercise this evening that I realized, "Oh my God. I sang the ABCs with John Tartaglia and freakin' Cassie!"

This is an unbelievable start to 2012, and it’s inspired me to continue to move forward, have fun, and trust my instincts more. Perhaps the greatest piece of advice John shared with me was to surround myself with people who are joyful and joy-makers. Sometimes that can be pretty hard to do in New York, but I'm up for the challange.

Find out more about John and his amazing work here www.JohnTartagliaPuppetry.com!

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A New New Year's Resolution

Goals, resolutions, dreams…call them what you will. To me they’re almost all the same. If I set out to do something, I know with great certainty that I will accomplish it. I’ve learned that not everyone feels the same way. Goals are sometimes completely unattainable, resolutions can be broken, and dreams, for some, remain just that. That being said, I know I haven’t been the best at coming up with an idea every day during 2011 to complete my #2011ZagsIdea resolution. I tried really hard, though! Most importantly, I learned a lot along the way. More about that here.

I’m excited to announce my New Year’s resolution…#2012ZagsIdeas. Kidding.

This year, I’ve decided to more formally cultivate my puppet passion. I’m planning to take lessons, attend building workshops, see more performances, and even develop and perform my own piece. It’s a much more flexible resolution with room for interpretation. I have no idea what it will look like four, eight, or 12 months from now.

Stay tuned for the adventure…I’ll be posting about my experiences here!


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Love, Cassie & Chrissy

I've been so excited to share Cassie and my holiday card this year. It's a tradition I started up in Boston, and she insisted we do it again this year.

I debated it. I don't know how I feel about being that girl that sends out Christmas cards with her puppet. When making the decision, I thought about one of my heroes, Jim Henson. He would totally send out a card with puppets on it, and, actually, he did! The Henson Company posted this fantastic blog about some of these cards and holiday party invites. A Jim Henson holiday party? Now that's my kind of bash!

Happy holidays!

Love,
Cassie and Chrissy


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See you at: Voice 4 Vision Festival

The Voice 4 Vision festival kicks off this week! I'll be there this weekend to support Spica Wobbe's production "I Laid An Egg."

Hope to see you there!

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The Muppets Take Fashion

November is Muppet Month this year, I'm convinced. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Jason Segal, the emotional support of the Henson Company, and the financial support of Disney, we get our Muppets back. The best part of Disney's ownership? The merch! In addition to the Green Album, the Muppet Movie soundtrack, and the new Walter plush, the Muppets are getting serious attention in the fashion world.

This craze seemed to kick off at Fashion's Night Out, where Opening Ceremony hosted a Muppet carnival gaming booth and sold pricey Muppet Oxford shirts.

I was so excited to see my favorite swine gracing the pages of InStyle's November issue sporting couture creations by some of the fashion industry's finest.

I'm currently in the process of hunting down these new OPI Muppet-inspired nail polish colors. Rainbow Connection, you will be mine!

via alllaquedup

Lastly, I just learned about Miss Piggy for MAC. I thought it was pretty smart of them to develop three pieces to create the perfect Miss Piggy eyes. I wish MAC had used better branding for the products. I think they'd be much more likely to sell.

via Makeup and Beauty Blog

Let's not forget the Threadless tee and the Mighty Fine contest winners!

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Puppet Palooza at The New Victory Theater

To the world of theater for young audiences, The New Victory Theater Gala is second only to the Tony awards. I missed the event twice while living in Massachusetts, and I was so excited to return this year to honor the work of Cheryl Henson, arts advocate, puppeteer, and president of the Jim Henson Foundation. Cheryl has helped shepherd countless puppet projects to international audiences, and has supported many projects at The New Victory. I first met her in a puppetry Family Workshop at the New Vic several years ago. Of course I was working with my favorite puppeteer, Spica Wobbe, but who was I to share puppets with the daughter and grandchildren of Jim (freakin’)Henson?! Cheryl was kind and encouraging throughout the workshop, and it was clear then, as it was on the night of the gala, how important the artform is to her.

The evening was hosted by John Tartaglia and included performances from Arias With a Twist, directed by Basil Twist, War Horse, The Little Prince at The New Victory Theater, IBEX Puppetry, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph & Lolly, and Marty Robinson & Telly. The show opened with a procession of music and masks/puppets by Ralph Lee. Ralph is well-known for his giant puppeteers made most famous in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. He also happens to have been my masks and puppetry instructor while studying at NYU. When Bill Irwin, who was honored last year, introduced Big Bird, I nearly fell to the floor. How much better could it get? It was an unforgettable night.

I was able to take a sneak peek at the dinner setup downstairs. Oobie eyes on the wineglasses?! Brilliant! Check more pictures out here.

The evening ended with all the performers sharing a bow on stage. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Heather Henson, who performed in the gala, marveling at Joey, the horse from War Horse. You could tell she was examining his construction, his movement. Perhaps that simple look of joy and awe in the eyes of an artist was the best part of the night. I’ve seen that same look in the eyes of children watching live and televised puppet performances. To me, that’s what art is all about.

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Photograph from The New Victory Theater Facebook page

Threadless Muppet Tee!

I recommend you purchase this shirt and purchase it now. Threadless hosted a design contest with Disney for a Muppet shirt. The result? Together Again. Check. It. Out.

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iRead: 10-Minute Puppets

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Noel MacNeal earlier this summer. I had heard about his puppetry work and new book from a comedic puppeteer and was excited to see his artistry in action! Meeting him reminded me that I had to check out his book 10-Minute Puppets. The book reads like the perfect guide for a boring, summer day or stuffy snow day. I could picture my mother using it with my sister and me on one of those occasions and helping us build a puppet theater and cast of characters for an after-dinner family performance.

I appreciate that the book opens with a section on which materials are needed. MacNeal repeats this practice for each puppet. It's always helpful for children (and adults) to have a clear idea of what will happen before starting the project. A novice cook would not make a recipe without the ingredients!

The book is organized into six chapters. Chapters 1 through 4 provide specific kinds of puppets (fingers, shadows, etc.), while 5 and 6 provide information on how to build a puppet theater and create your own puppet show. It's truly a one-stop shop! My favorite was Chapter 3: Cutouts and Shadows. Each example in this section could easily be imitated by a child. Overall, I think most of these projects require adult supervision and assistance. The shadow puppets, however, could be done by a child alone or with a friend.

Other favorite parts of the book include: the "Peekaboo Present" puppet (page 69), the large "Dinosaur" puppet (page 58), each project's "If You've Got More Time" section, and the "Puppet Parts and Templates" appendix, which will allow you to either trace, photocopy or color and cut right out of the book and onto your puppet! Brilliant! This book would be oodles of fun for kids of all ages. Under 6 may need adult assistance!

MacNeal is great fun to follow on Twitter @NoelMacNeal. You can buy the book here.

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The Voice 4 Vision Puppet Festival

The Voice 4 Vision Puppet Festival is happening in New York this December 8th through the 18th! The festival considers itself grassroots and artist-driven. It hopes to support continued innovation in the art form.

I'm most excited about their call for video submissions and hoping to prepare something for the festival. I'll definitely be there and may be volunteering. I hope you'll join me!

Find out more about the festival on their website.

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iRead "My Life as a Furry Red Monster"

Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of catching a screening of the documentary Being Elmo at the Independent Film Festival Boston. The film tells the tale of Kevin Clash, the talented Muppeteer and the man who has made Elmo famous. Fortunately, Clash, Elmo, and the team behind the film were there for a question and answer session after the film. What started as a brief few minutes with Kevin and a few minutes with Elmo, turned into over an hour of interaction between Elmo and the audience. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience! The screening inspired me to read Clash's book My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Being Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love, and Laughing Out Loud.

I found the book to be extremely similar to the film. This is refreshing, though. Clash's story and rise to fame are clear and inspiring. My favorite part of both the book and the film is his relationship with puppet-builder Kermit Love. Love mentored Clash, assisting him in refining his puppet-building techniques and his networking within the business.

Moments such as Clash's experience as a substitute puppeteer on the Sesame Street float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade are vivid and detailed. As a reader, you can feel Clash's enthusiasm and youthful awe.

The book is organized by Elmo's well-known, pro-social characteristics: Love, Joy, Creativity, Tolerance, Courage, Friendship, Cooperation, Learning, Optimism. The reader learns how important Elmo and Sesame Street have been in Clash's development and acquisition of these qualities.

The central themes of both the book and the film are to dream big and work hard. Again, the book and film are incredibly similar. If you had to pick one, I would recommend the film. In it are home videos of Clash and his family, footage of his early performances and television programs as well as an exclusive look at an early encounter with Kermit Love.

You can find the book here.

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Where have all the puppets gone?

I'm a huge advocate of quality, live-action television. I love me some animation, but there's something about the human connection made between characters on-screen and young viewers at home. I briefly discussed this issue in my Master's thesis and considered a research study conducted by Longo and Bertenthal (2009). They measured children's imitations to a human hand and a non-human (computer generated) hand. They found that "the amount of mirroring is reduced-but is not eliminated-for non-human actors" (2009, p. 742). When considering imitation, it seems as if children are more likely to imitate a human on-screen rather than an animated character.

I wonder if Longo and Bertenthal would consider live puppets as "non-human" or "human?" This would be a study in and of itself, and learning how children respond to animation vs. live-action would take a great deal of research.

For now, I ask, "Where have all the puppets gone?" I could rattle off a list of programs with puppets that I watched as a child. Below is my brainstormed list of current puppetry programs broadcast for children in the US. Please feel free to add on in the comments section!

1-Sesame Street
2-

That's all I got, people. So where are the puppets? It's possible that the expense of making puppets is discouraging for producers and broadcasters. Happily, it seems like puppeteer Noel MacNeal is working on a new program for PBS. This gossip is straight from some vague details on his Twitter feed. Let's hope this new program brings more puppetry back to television.

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iRead "The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch)"

About two years ago, I saw Caroll Spinney and a slew of other Sesame Street stars as part of a panel discussion to celebrate their 40th season. An audience member asked him to do the voices of both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, the characters he had been playing since the pilot episode of the program. On the spot, he transitioned from one Muppet into the other. It was astounding! I remember being shocked at how different each character voice was, yet you could hear Spinney in both of them.

I finally had a chance to read The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch. In the book, Spinney reflects on both characters and how they have impacted his career and personal life. The book reads like a fast and fun autobiography. Spinney's life truly does run parellel to the program he has been with for so many years. He shares stories about his wife (who he met while working on the "Street"), working with Jim Henson, and the experiences that he has been afforded because of his roles on television.

Each chapter begins with some words of wisdom from either Big Bird or Oscar the Grouch. My favorite was a Big Bird quote, "Don't be afraid to lay an egg." I think that is really about transition and the fear of change when you choose to do or create something. I can't leave Oscar out, though. In his ultimate wisdom, Oscar shares, "Always start the day with a smile-that way you get it over with." Hilarious. I can just hear him saying that. It's a beautiful example of good writing and brilliant character portrayal.

I enjoyed reading about Spinney's puppeteering experience, how he met Jim Henson, his reluctance to join the cast of Sesame Street at first and the ultimate decision to do so, which changed the course of life. It was refreshing to hear about the moments in his career before and during Sesame Street that didn't go so well. The book is a testament to sticking it out and taking the job you love over the job that pays better.

What I found interesting and unique about Spinney is his mostly singular Muppeteer role. He's pretty much a Sesame Street guy, rarely working on other Henson projects. Big Bird's popularity must have made it really difficult to do much other work. What a wonderful burden to have had! Spinney's "About the Author" says it all, "He has traveled the world as Big Bird, won Grammys and Emmys, and has been named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress."

This the perfect short and fun read for creatives and lovers of Sesame Street or The Muppets. The book is no longer in print, but you can snag an inexpensive, used copy here. I got mine for $.01 plus shipping!

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Another Pair of Eyes

One day Josh Selig had an idea. I'm pretty sure this happens a lot. Selig is the President of one of my favorite production companies, Little Airplane Productions, with a bundle of Emmy-awards for his writing on Sesame Street. In addition, he's created a bunch of children's programs including The Wonder Pets and 3rd and Bird.

In 2004, Selig's show Oobi debuted on Noggin (Nick Jr.). The show's characters are all bare-hand puppets. The origin of these puppets is the set of practice eyes that Muppeteers use to rehearse scenes. Those darn Muppets are way too heavy to practice with for hours on end, so simple eyes were created to be placed on one's hand. I can almost see Selig come up with the idea for Oobi as he watched performers rehearse scenes on Sesame Street.

I've seen these eyes created in three different ways:
1- Two ping pong balls with holes punched through for a piece of elastic to slide through and be wrapped around the palm. Eye pupils are drawn on with marker. I've been told this is the authentic Muppeteer way of doing it.
2- Two small styrofoam balls held together with a toothpick, which has a rubber band on either end so you can slide your hand through. Eye pupils for these are dark dot stickers. These are a Spica Wobbe classic!
3- Plastic eyes just like the ones on Oobi. These are worn like a ring on your middle finger.

Pupil placement is super important because it can impact the rehearsal of puppet focus in the camera. You have to make sure the placement is just right or intentionally off!

I was introduced to the plastic Oobi eyes by one of my favorite people, Sabrina. Through her I discovered OobieEyes.com where you can purchase many different eyes and accessories. I have spent hours practicing with the eyes and keep them on my desk as inspiration and to fill "in-between" moments. I have several pairs and love giving them as gifts!

There's something so simplistically beautiful about Oobi as a television show and the process of using the eyes to practice and play. I encourage you to look up clips of the program if you're not familiar with it!

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Frank the Ladybug

This June, I received an adorable, knit ladybug finger puppet as a gift from my head teacher. I knew there was a character in that little puppet, and I hoped to put together a short video piece for this month on the blog. However, I realized I wanted to do a little testing with the puppet first. I had to do some ladybug research, see what educators were already doing with ladybugs, and try the puppet out in my summer camp classroom. We spent last week investigating bugs, and it was the perfect time.

I learned that ladybugs are beetles who are called ladybirds in England. For whatever reason, I found it surprising that there are male ladybugs as well as females. I'm 26...I should have thought about that before. The name is really deceiving, and I didn't want my students to go through life thinking ladybugs were cute, girly bugs. They are kick-ass flying beetles who sometimes create infestations...that's big stuff!

I named my ladybug Frank and gave him a gruff, cab driver voice. This surprised the children and made them giggle. Though Frank was on my finger the whole time, the children maintained strong eye contact with the character and seemed to differentiate when I was talking as Christina and when Frank was talking.

Frank introduced a new song to the group. I found this tune on YouTube, and I promise it sounds much cuter when Frank and I sing it. I found it was successful with the children because the "repeat after me" style helps them sing and recall the lyrics.



Oh, ladybug! Oh, ladybug! Oh won't you be my friend?

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Muppets Movie Trailers

I couldn't help myself. With all the spoofs and teasers of The Muppets floating around, I wanted to try to get all of them in one place. Below are the trailers in order of release, from oldest to most recent.









Thoughts?

I have to admit, I'm a little sad to see the original title of the film, The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made, go to the wayside. It seems like Disney wants to reintroduce the newly-acquired characters (relatively speaking) to audiences. Jason Segal, though? I was re-watching The Great Muppet Caper this weekend in addition to a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother. I have full confidence in Segal and am so interested to see how someone who grew up with the Muppets creates for them as an adult. This is a prime example of how the media children watch can impact their lives long-term.

Disney's participation can guarantee us a few things:
1- High production value.
2- Some spectacular cameos.
3- Awesome merchandise.

Included in the Muppet movie madness is the soon-to-be-released album of Muppet covers The Green Album. This was supposed to be released a year and a half ago under the title Muppets Revisited. It seems like it will be worth the wait, though!

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