Category Archives: Blog

Bucket Gulch or BUST!

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Bucket Gulch or BUST!

Bucket Gulch or BUST!  Wump Mucket Puppets western-themed puppet show Tales from Bucket Gulch is ready to hit the road, with the cast members very excited to be performing a new show for our fans this summer.  We are thrilled to be featuring a new puppet star too, Sarsaparilla the Cow!  The show opens with a lively tune and a tall tale about biscuits told by Miss Jacqui the Jackalope.  Next Unka Unka and Kitty will be digging for gold.  What will he find?  This is followed by the story of The Cow Who Wouldn’t MOO, starring Coleman, Reg, and Sarsaparilla.  There’s even a funky dance break for everyone to dance too!

Sassy, as we like to call her, recorded an interview with fellow cast member Coleman the Sasquatch at Cincinnati’s NPR radio station 97.1 WVXU last week.  Be sure to listen to it on the “Around Cincinnati” program, Sunday June 3rd at 7 PM.  We think that you will get a kick out of this radio interview, it was LOTS of FUN to record with host Jim Stump.  Listen to the program online at: WVXU.org

Our puppets will be on TV too!  Be sure to watch Coleman, Sassy, and their puppeteer Terrence Burke, as studio guests on Good Morning Cincinnati at Local 12 WKRC TV.  We’ll be LIVE on Tuesday June 5th at 9:40 AM.  Watch the fun as we chat and MOO about our performances at local libraries in June.  These appearances are always exciting, with Sassy looking forward to be making her Cincinnati live television debut.  Don’t miss it!  You can watch online at: Local12.com/watch

Be sure to come and see Wump Mucket Puppets this summer.  We have many FREE shows to attend throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, even New England!  Tales from Bucket Gulch is a great family show, perfect for children ages 3-10 and the young at heart too!  Our complete tour schedule can be found right here.

Be sure to get one of our new coloring pages drawn by artist Lara Rumizen.  These are only available at the puppet shows.  When you have colored it in, please share your art with us on the official Wump Mucket Puppets Facebook page.

See ya at the puppet show buckaroos!  Bucket Gulch or BUST!

Bee Happy at Rockdale Academy

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Bee Happy at Rockdale Academy

Wump Mucket Puppets had a great time performing our Bee Happy puppet show at Rockdale Academy, which is an elementary school within the Cincinnati Public Schools system.  Our show was part of the school’s Global Conservation Day.

I wrote “Bee Happy” during the Winter/Spring of 2017, to perform it throughout the Summer at libraries, schools, and special events.  I was inspired by my mother, who is retired and keeps bees at her home in New Hampshire.  While speaking with her on the phone, we agreed that children are often afraid of bees, and should learn more about how they are very important to our world.

I cast our super space princess G’Wizzl (see above photo) in the featured story, having her land on Earth to meet a worker bee who tells her how helpful bees are, she is then invited back to the bee hive to meet Q.B. the Queen Bee.  During the later part of the story, G’Wizzl invites the audience to stand up to do a bee dance with her.  It was a better idea to have the 250+ students stay seated, and “dance along” by clapping and moving along to my electronic “bee music”.  The children were fantastic “bee dancers”.

I am very pleased that the show fit in with the school’s curriculum “BEE-utifully”.  Both the faculty and students told me how much they enjoyed the show.  This is very pleasing for me to hear, because it means that my puppetry is both entertaining and educational.  This was my second time performing for the Cincinnati Public Schools this year, and based upon this experience, I am looking forward to “buzzing” this fun puppet show throughout the school system and beyond.

What is a little ironic, is that I was terrified of bees as a boy.  Now I am helping educate children about the many benefits of bees, how they help us, and how we can help them.  

To close out this blog post, I wish to quote my original song that G’Wizzl sings towards the end of the show, “Be happy let your smile shine!”

The Aftab Pureval Duck flies again

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The Aftab Pureval Duck flies again

I had the pleasure to shoot another as the puppeteer of The Duck in a video with Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, Aftab Pureval.  He is running for US Congress in 2018.  This will be the second time in almost two years that I have voiced and puppeteered The Duck for  campaign videos for Aftab.  Here is a link to the other videos that I perform The Duck:  CLICK HERE TO WATCH

While it may seem easy, providing the character voice and holding the puppet up into frame for the camera to see, requires me to hide myself behind Aftab while keeping The Duck puppet steady and in the shot.

You may be wondering where The Duck puppet came from.  The puppet was purchased by Aftab’s campain staff a couple years ago when he was running for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts (He WON!).  It was created by puppet builder Steve Axtell of Axtell Expressions.

This particular shoot was made on location at a private residence in Downtown Cincinnati.  Many thanks to the camera crew, and Aftab’s campaign manager Sarah Topy for having me back as The Duck’s puppeteer. I will be certain to share the video when it is posted online.  Best wishes AFTAB!

Here’s Sarsaparilla the Cow

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Here’s Sarsaparilla the Cow

Please say hello to Wump Mucket Puppets newest puppet star Sarsaparilla the Cow, we call her Sassy too.  She will be performing in our brand new show “Tales from Bucket Gulch” this summer.

This is a publicity photo of Sassy and Coleman the Sasquatch, and was taken by Michelle Jellison.  The puppet was build over a couple weeks in March 2018 by Terrence Burke.

Sassy was created with art supplies and fabric that were on hand at the Wump Mucket Puppets studio.  When designing the puppet, it was decided that there are many black and white cow puppets out there, yet not very many bright green and pink stripped cows.  So far the reactions from our pals has been very favorable.

She will be a featured puppet star in the story “The Cow Who Would Not MOO”, which is included in our western-themed “Bucket Gulch” show.  Come see Sassy and her co-stars this summer, and find out why she would not moo.

New puppet in the workshop

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New puppet in the workshop

Here are a few photos of the new puppet that is being built at Wump Mucket Puppets’ workshop.  Can you guess what it will be?

 

Rest in Peace Larry Smith

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Rest in Peace Larry Smith

I wish to share my thoughts about the passing of Cincinnati puppetry legend Larry Smith.

So many children grew up in Cincinnati loving his numerous TV shows and live performances. I regret that I don’t share their memories, watching his signature characters Hattie the Witch, Snarfie R. Dog, and Teaser the Mouse, to mention only a few. I am sure that I would have loved his shows.

When I was getting my puppet act together in the early 2000s, I was welcomed with open arms by the Cincinnati Area Puppetry Guild, which Larry founded in the 1970s. I met him at various guild meetings and events, and would sometimes bump into him around Cincinnati. As I think about him today, I really wished that I got to know him better.

Several years ago, while I was performing in Downtown Cincinnati, a man in his 60s approached me from the audience after my show with a big smile on his face. He looked at me to say, “Man! You are Larry Smith!”. I consider this as a very kind complement, as Larry spent most of his adult life performing puppets.

Rest in Peace Larry Smith. You made children happy by bringing joy and laughter to Cincinnati.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone

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Happy Valentines Day 2018!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  We are very fortunate to have such great fans, clients, and friends.  Thank you for all your love over the years.  What is your favorite valentine’s day candy treat?  Candy hearts?  Fancy chocolate?  

Enjoy this silly photo of Unka Unka the caveman and his pal Kitty Quo Quo Quo Qua with too many candy hearts: 

Unka and Kitty are looking forward to sharing their silliness at our shows next month, we hope that you will join us.  To see where we are performing CLICK HERE

Speaking of Unka and his pal, they are working on their new act for our summer 2018 show “Tales from Bucket Gulch”.  From what we have been told, old Unka is searching for gold!  Will he find it?  Not if Kitty can help it.  We are sure that our fans will love what these two have planned.

PBS TV here come Wump Mucket Puppets

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PBS TV here come Wump Mucket Puppets

We have been informed that our guest segment on “The Art Show” has been picked up for national distribution on PBS television stations in major markets.

In late summer 2016 two TV crews interviewed me for the segment that was included in the CET public television program The Art Show.  CLICK HERE TO WATCH

I am not certain at this time when and where the guest segment will air around the country at this time.  As soon as more info is available, I will be sure to share it.  Many thanks to CET TV producer Don Hancock (who has a few Emmy Awards with his name on them) for letting me know this exciting news.

Valentine’s Day Special Offer

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Valentine’s Day Special Offer

Wump Mucket Puppets ❤ our clients! We are having a Valentine’s Day Special Offer!  SAVE $25 when you book two of our kid-pleasing puppet shows. Book one of our shows to be performed in 2018 and receive a $25 DISCOUNT on our Halloween or Christmas shows, performed in October or December 2018.

This offer is good for shows booked in February 2018.  Travel fee additional , a total will be quoted when booking a show.

It’s a great way to bring quality arts programs to your school, library, daycare center, or special event. Have a question? Call or text Terrence Burke at 513-370-9803 or through our website contact form CLICK HERE

Who wants a Wump Mucket Puppets sticker?

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Who wants a Wump Mucket Puppets sticker?

Our new stickers are here!  5000 of them!  Would you like one?  Join our Facebook page and leave a message.  We will let you know how you too can have a new Wump Mucket Puppets sticker.

This sticker is an updated version of the “puppet burst” artwork that was created by Lara Rumizen a year or so ago.  The new stickers really show the detail of Lara’s art. The Wump Mucket Puppets logo has been tweaked a little bit, adding a shadow and glow to the words to make them more readable.

Wump Mucket Puppets sticker

Wump Mucket Puppets sticker. Art by Lara Rumizen, logo by Terrence Burke