Introducing Unka Unka the caveman!

Our newest cast member Unka Unka the caveman!

We are very please to announce that Wump Mucket Puppets has brought a new puppet character to our stage, Unka Unka the caveman!

A couple of years ago my daughter Eleanor said, “Daddy, you need a caveman in the show.”  She is a big fan of the classic Scooby-Doo cartoons, and really enjoyed the episode that has a “caveman” chasing Mystery Inc. around.  This silliness inspired her to make up her own “caveman” word “unka”.  An idea was planted.

Some time later this doodle found it’s way to my studio desk:

Unka Unka doodle by Eleanor

This made me want to try my hand at creating a puppet head sculpted from clay:

Unka head sculpted by Terrence Burke

Time past.  I was able to see many incredible paper maché puppet heads at the 2013 National Puppetry Festival.  It was time to get this puppet rolling!  It had been decades since I worked with paper maché, and I took my time to learn as I built the puppet.  There were a couple of setbacks, which will now be known as learning experiences.

Unka Unka’s new paper mache head observes his clay remains.

More time past.  Shows were being booked, songs were written, skits were being created.  The puppet was coming along slowly but surely.  Many thanks to fellow puppeteers Rick Morse, Mathieu René, Michael Schwabe for advice and tips.  A HUGE HUG and THANK YOU to my fantastic wife Lara Rumizen!  She really helped this puppet “get his act together”.  Many thanks to my father-in-law Jim Rumizen for shooting these photos.

Cyril and Unka Unka inspect a prop for our newest skit “Elvis and The Shoemaker”

We hope our audience and fans will join us in welcoming Unka Unka to the silly stage of Wump Mucket Puppets.  Please visit out Facebook Page to view more photos of the building of this puppet.