Heather Henson

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Heather Henson
Born
Heather Beth Henson

(1970-12-19) December 19, 1970 (age 52)
New York City, U.S.
Alma mater Rhode Island School of Design
OccupationPuppeteer
Years active1971–present
Board member of Jim Henson Foundation, The Jim Henson Company, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
Parent(s) Jim Henson
Jane Henson
Relatives Lisa Henson (sister)
Cheryl Henson (sister)
Brian Henson (brother)
John Henson (brother)

Heather Beth Henson (born December 19, 1970) is an American contemporary puppet artist, the daughter of Jim Henson. She serves on The Jim Henson Company, The Jim Henson Legacy, and the Jim Henson Foundation Boards of Directors. She is also a Trustee of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. [1]

Contents

Early life

Henson was born on December 19, 1970, in New York City, the youngest child of Jim (1936–1990) and Jane Henson (1934–2013). [2] She has four siblings: Lisa Henson (born 1960), Cheryl Henson (born 1961), Brian Henson (born 1963), and John Henson (1965–2014). [3]

Career

Henson is a graduate of George School [4] and the Rhode Island School of Design, and attended the California Institute of the Arts. [3] Her on-screen appearances include the Number Three Ball Film and The Muppets Take Manhattan , The Storyteller episode "Hans My Hedgehog," the role of Prince Kermit in The Frog Prince , [5] as well as Frank Oz's film Little Shop of Horrors. [6]

Heather is the owner of IBEX Puppetry [7] which is an entertainment company dedicated to promoting the art of puppetry in all of its various mediums, including stage, cinema and gallery exhibitions. IBEX projects include Handmade Puppet Dreams, [8] The Orlando Puppet Festival, [9] The Puppet Slam Network [10] [11] and environmental spectacles including "Panther and Crane," a drama about preserving the Florida ecosystem in modern times. [12]

Related Research Articles

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James Maury Henson was an American puppeteer, animator, cartoonist, actor, inventor, and filmmaker who achieved worldwide notability as the creator of the Muppets. Henson was also well-known for creating Fraggle Rock (1983–1987) and as the director of The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1986). He was born in Greenville, Mississippi, and raised in both Leland, Mississippi, and University Park, Maryland.

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Brian Henson is an American puppeteer, director, producer, voice actor and the chairman of The Jim Henson Company. He is the son of puppeteers Jim and Jane Henson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Jim Henson Company</span> American entertainment company

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Animal Cracker Conspiracy Puppet Company, or Animal Cracker Conspiracy (ACC), is a contemporary hybrid puppet company co-founded by Iain Gunn and Bridget Rountree that is invested in pushing the boundaries of kinetic performance, creating performances that "decenter expectations, open new avenues of thought, and invoke the uncanny." Their ongoing practice is based on a shared interest and exploration of where fine art, puppetry, performance art, circus, dance, film, and mixed media intersect. They perform nationally and internationally out of a multiplicity of venues such as La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California, where the company resides. ACC specializes in inclusive multimedia performances that encourage difficult discussions and foster community through local theater, Street Parades, and national tours.

References

  1. "Board of Trustees". The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  2. Burke, David (January 23, 2009). "Beyond the Muppets: Jim Henson's daughter creates a new generation of puppets". Quad City Times. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "The Henson Family". Henson.com. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  4. "Heather Henson '89 Hosts Student Puppetry Workshops". February 26, 2020.
  5. "Jim Henson's Red Book". Henson.com. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  6. Mancini, Mark (September 17, 2015). "11 Bloodthirsty Facts About Little Shop of Horrors". Mentalfloss. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  7. "Heather Henson Presents". Harbor Front Center. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  8. "HANDMADE PUPPET DREAMS VOL VII". Festival of Animated Objects. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  9. Shepherd, Lindy T (October 21, 2009). "Performing Arts: Orlando Puppet Festival". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  10. "Performance Calendar". Windham Arts. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  11. "Puppet Slam Network". hausofmarsian. October 8, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  12. Martinson, Ken T (September 12, 2008). "Henson blends winter guard with puppetry in Panther & Crane". Marching.com. Retrieved May 9, 2017.