Feathered, Furry, and Human Guests Celebrate Puppetry at "Puppets for Puppetry" Fundraiser Honoring the Esteemed Puppeteer Caroll Spinney

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, May 5^th, celebrities and puppet VIPs showed their support for puppetry when The Jim Henson Company hosted the second "Puppets for Puppetry" on its historic Hollywood lot. The event raised funds for the Atlanta-based Center for Puppetry Arts, and honored the esteemed puppeteer Caroll Spinney, best known to fans around the world as the performer of the iconic Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. The unique live performance was hosted by comedian Chris Hardwick (The Wall, Talking Dead) and featured special guests Jack McBrayer (30 Rock, Wreck It Ralph), Bobby Moynihan (SNL, Inside Out), and Grammy Award-winner Jason Mraz ("I'm Yours").

The unforgettable evening raised well over $225,000 for the Center and included tribute music and sketches from Sesame Street cast members Matt Vogel, Eric Jacobson, David Rudman, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, Ryan Dillon, and Jennifer Barnhart.  Brian Henson, Heather Henson, Bill Barretta, and other special guests also gave puppet performances. 

"We are so grateful to our corporate sponsors, Joan Ganz Cooney, Sesame Workshop, Tyler Perry Studios, and of course The Jim Henson Company, for creating an unforgettable tribute to the iconic Caroll Spinney," said Vince Anthony, The Barbara and Bill Wylly Executive Director at the Center for Puppetry Arts. "What a night!  Hilarious moments with special guests and iconic characters, heartwarming music from Jason Mraz, and all those wonderful puppetry performances ably wrangled by our wonderful host Chris Hardwick made for an incredible and memorable event for our guests."

The Center for Puppetry Arts' mission is to inspire imagination, education and community through the global art of puppetry. The Atlanta-based nonprofit is the nation's largest and only resource of its kind, featuring a worldwide puppetry collection, a vibrant theatre space and the development of puppetry talent through workshops and performances. Also, the Center for Puppetry Arts uses the latest technology to offer its award-winning Distance Learning programs for PreK-adult through videoconferencing.  The arts-infused workshops and interactive puppet performances are conducted via videoconferencing and are tailored to specific classroom topics and curriculum. The programs complement national curriculum standards in language arts, social studies, science, math and other areas and serve schools nationwide.  The Center's two permanent exhibits, the Jim Henson Collection and the Worlds of Puppetry Global Collection, together represent the most definitive display of both Henson puppets and other puppetry traditions from around the world.

About the Center for Puppetry Arts
The Center for Puppetry Arts is supported in part by: Fulton County Arts Council • City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs • Georgia Council for the Arts • National Endowment for the Arts • The Jim Henson Company. For a complete list of the Center's major supporters, visit www.puppet.org/about/sponsors.

Center for Puppetry Arts® is a unique cultural treasure—a magical place where children and adults are educated, enlightened, and entertained. Since 1978, the Center has introduced millions of visitors to the wonder and art of puppetry and has touched the lives of many through enchanting performances, curriculum-based workshops, and the hands-on Museum as well as Distance Learning and Outreach programs. Center for Puppetry Arts is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization and is supported in part by contributions from corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals. The Center is a member of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA/ASSITEJ) and also serves as headquarters of UNIMA-USA, the American branch of Union Internationale de la Marionnette, the international puppetry organization.

Press Contact
The Jim Henson Company
Yannina Diaz
[email protected]
323-802-1667

SOURCE The Jim Henson Company