Ep316 - John Tartaglia: How Jim Henson Started It All

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

John Tartaglia believes everything happens for a reason, and his career trajectory is a testament to this. He lets us into the world of puppetry and theatre as he shares his experiences, and how he got started in pursuing his “dual dream” of becoming a successful puppeteer and performing on Broadway. He talks about the influence of Jim Henson in his career, how devastated he was when Jim died, and how one earnest letter he sent Jim when he was eight years old led to working for “Sesame Street” as a puppeteer at the age of 16. He reflects on the profound impact of puppetry on audiences, recalling heartwarming moments from doing shows. He also talks about the process of creating characters for shows like “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock”, and finding the balance between practical puppetry and CGI. John offers advice to young puppeteers and performers, encouraging them to trust their passion, ignore naysayers, and being as certain in your dreams as possible.

John Tartaglia is an Emmy and Tony award nominated actor who began his professional career at age 16 as a puppeteer for “Sesame Street”. His Broadway debut in “Avenue Q” earned him a Tony nomination for originating the dual roles of Princeton and Rod. His other Broadway credits include Lumière in “Beauty and the Beast” and originating Pinocchio and the Magic Mirror in “Shrek The Musical” on Broadway. He has received eight Emmy Award nominations for “Johnny and the Sprites” on Disney Junior, a show that he created, executive produced, and starred in. John is also an executive producer, director, writer, and radio personality. He most recently wrapped filming season two of “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock”, and this time he is also the creative supervisor for the whole series.

Connect with John:

• Website: www.johntartagliaproductions.com
• Instagram: @johnnytartags
• Facebook: @John-Tartaglia
• Cameo: www.cameo.com/johnnytartags/book

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