MMA and MPB Conduct Puppetry Workshop for Local Students

JACKSON, Miss. - In anticipation of the exhibition “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” opening at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) on December 19, 2009, 11 Mississippi students are getting their creative gears going by participating in the Henson School Film Project sponsored by the museum and Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB).

Spencer Davis, Devin Flowers, Donreal Walton and Emanuel Williams from Greenville Renaissance Scholars; Katelyn Napier, Rachel Norman, Andy Robinson and Raleigh Thornhill from Madison Central High School; and Aubrey Palermo, Kristen Price, and Krystyne Rawls from the Mississippi School of the Arts recently met at the MPB studios in Jackson for a one-day workshop.

Led by Karen Wing of MPB, Keri Horn of MPB and Len Stanga of Len Stanga Productions, the puppeteers-in-the-making began learning the mechanics of creating a puppet show from the crafting of the script to the building of the puppets, props and sets.

Instructors Wing, Horn and Stanga work together on numerous projects including “Between the Lions,” the 2009 winner of the national Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series” and the 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award. Horn recently earned the 2009 national Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series” for her writing contribution to “Between the Lions.”

Wing, MPB art director, commented, “It was so exciting to share what we love doing with these great students. Seeing their creativity come alive as they worked together with kids from other schools was truly inspiring.”

The groups will return to MPB on December 10 to have their original puppet shows filmed and edited. The completed mini-movies will be five to seven minutes long and will be shown at the museum during MMA’s Spring Family Day on March 6. The student film project is one of many exhibition-related programs the museum is planning to complement the Henson exhibition.

“Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” which runs through March 14, 2010, features 100 original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards that illustrate the Mississippi native’s talent as a storyteller and visionary. Among the variety of the exhibition objects are puppets, television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video productions, including excerpts from Henson’s early career and experimental films.

“The museum is so excited to be presenting ‘Jim Henson’s Fantastic World’ in December, and this partnership with MPB and these three student groups is the perfect way to highlight Henson’s creative legacy,” said Lianne Takemori, MMA curator of education and studio programs. “We have so many talented students in our state, and it is a pleasure to be able to shine a spotlight on some of them through programs like this.”

An installation of MPB’s history of puppetry in children’s shows from series such as “Clyde the Frog” in the 1970s to “Dr. Tick-Tock” in the 1990s to the current “Between the Lions” will run concurrently with the Henson exhibition at MMA.

For more information about MPB, visit www.mpbonline.org. To learn more about MMA and “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” visit www.msmuseumart.org.

MMA and MPB Conduct Puppetry Workshop for Local Students

C-U-T-L-I-N-E:

In anticipation of the exhibition “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” opening at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) on December 19, 2009, 11 students statewide participated in a puppetry workshop at the Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) studios in Jackson as part of the Henson School Film Project sponsored by MMA and MPB. Top row (l to r): Devin Flowers, Donreal Walton, Aubrey Palermo, Kristen Price and Greenville Renaissance Scholars executive director Julia Melle. Middle row (l to r): Madison Central High School art teacher Summer Nation, Rachel Norman, Katelyn Napier, Krystyne Rawls and Emanuel Williams. Bottom row (l to r): Mississippi School of the Arts visual arts instructor Robert Bonilla, Spencer Davis, Raleigh Thornhill and Andy Robinson.

Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) provides relevant instructional and public programming to Mississippians through its statewide television and radio network. MPB enhances the work of educators, students, parents and learners of all ages through quality programs, resources and services that educate, entertain and enlighten. Children’s programs constitute a major portion of the daytime and weekend morning schedules. Since 1970, MPB has won more than 350 national and regional awards, including Emmys® and Parents’ Choice Awards, for its productions.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Kathy Broom
October 26, 2009	601.432.6683
MMA and MPB Conduct Puppetry Workshop for Local Students Students from three Mississippi schools are creating puppet shows for film
JACKSON, Miss. - In anticipation of the exhibition “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” opening at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) on December 19, 2009, 11 Mississippi students are getting their creative gears going by participating in the Henson School Film Project sponsored by the museum and Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB). Spencer Davis, Devin Flowers, Donreal Walton and Emanuel Williams from Greenville Renaissance Scholars; Katelyn Napier, Rachel Norman, Andy Robinson and Raleigh Thornhill from Madison Central High School; and Aubrey Palermo, Kristen Price, and Krystyne Rawls from the Mississippi School of the Arts recently met at the MPB studios in Jackson for a one-day workshop. Led by Karen Wing of MPB, Keri Horn of MPB and Len Stanga of Len Stanga Productions, the puppeteers-in-the-making began learning the mechanics of creating a puppet show from the crafting of the script to the building of the puppets, props and sets. Instructors Wing, Horn and Stanga work together on numerous projects including “Between the Lions,” the 2009 winner of the national Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Pre-School Children’s Series” and the 2009 Parents’ Choice Gold Award. Horn recently earned the 2009 national Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Writing in a Children’s Series” for her writing contribution to “Between the Lions.” Wing, MPB art director, commented, “It was so exciting to share what we love doing with these great students. Seeing their creativity come alive as they worked together with kids from other schools was truly inspiring.” The groups will return to MPB on December 10 to have their original puppet shows filmed and edited. The completed mini-movies will be five to seven minutes long and will be shown at the museum during MMA’s Spring Family Day on March 6. The student film project is one of many exhibition-related programs the museum is planning to complement the Henson exhibition. “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” which runs through March 14, 2010, features 100 original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards that illustrate the Mississippi native’s talent as a storyteller and visionary. Among the variety of the exhibition objects are puppets, television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video productions, including excerpts from Henson’s early career and experimental films. “The museum is so excited to be presenting ‘Jim Henson’s Fantastic World’ in December, and this partnership with MPB and these three student groups is the perfect way to highlight Henson’s creative legacy,” said Lianne Takemori, MMA curator of education and studio programs. “We have so many talented students in our state, and it is a pleasure to be able to shine a spotlight on some of them through programs like this.” An installation of MPB’s history of puppetry in children’s shows from series such as “Clyde the Frog” in the 1970s to “Dr. Tick-Tock” in the 1990s to the current “Between the Lions” will run concurrently with the Henson exhibition at MMA. For more information about MPB, visit www.mpbonline.org. To learn more about MMA and “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” visit www.msmuseumart.org. C-U-T-L-I-N-E: In anticipation of the exhibition “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World,” opening at the Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) on December 19, 2009, 11 students statewide participated in a puppetry workshop at the Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) studios in Jackson as part of the Henson School Film Project sponsored by MMA and MPB. Top row (l to r): Devin Flowers, Donreal Walton, Aubrey Palermo, Kristen Price and Greenville Renaissance Scholars executive director Julia Melle. Middle row (l to r): Madison Central High School art teacher Summer Nation, Rachel Norman, Katelyn Napier, Krystyne Rawls and Emanuel Williams. Bottom row (l to r): Mississippi School of the Arts visual arts instructor Robert Bonilla, Spencer Davis, Raleigh Thornhill and Andy Robinson. Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) provides relevant instructional and public programming to Mississippians through its statewide television and radio network. MPB enhances the work of educators, students, parents and learners of all ages through quality programs, resources and services that educate, entertain and enlighten. Children’s programs constitute a major portion of the daytime and weekend morning schedules. Since 1970, MPB has won more than 350 national and regional awards, including Emmys® and Parents’ Choice Awards, for its productions.