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{{Infobox stage production
| name           = Puppet Up!
| image          = 
| image_size     = 
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| company        = [[The Jim Henson Company]] (2006, 2019-present)<br>[[The Jim Henson Company#Henson Alternative|Henson Alternative]] (2007-2019 (uncredited))
| genre          = [[Improvisation]]<br>[[Puppetry]]
| type           = Touring
| premiere       = {{Start date|2006|03|08}} 
| finalshow      = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
| location       = 
| creatortitle1  = Creator
| creatorname1   = [[Brian Henson]]<br>[[Patrick Bristow]]
| website        = https://puppetup.com
}}
'''''Puppet Up! – Uncensored''''' is a [[Adult puppeteering|adult]] [[Puppet show|live puppet musical show]] produced by [[The Jim Henson Company]] combining [[puppetry]] and [[improvisational comedy]] created by [[Brian Henson]] and [[The Groundlings|Groundlings]] performer [[Patrick Bristow]]. The show is advertised for "adults only" and as "uncensored". However, one rare and "exclusive" set of shows "for children" were held in Edinburgh in 2006.

The sketches in the live show are not pre-planned and the shows contain all true improv. The [[puppeteer]]s in the Henson improv troupe trained with [[Patrick Bristow]] for nine months to perfect their improv skills prior to their first show. Just like the Groundlings, the Henson improv sketches are performed based on audience suggestions.

==History==
===Puppet Improv (March–May 2006)===
[[Brian Henson]], producer of the show, recalled the genesis of the show in a 2006 interview stating, "we began doing puppet improv workshops to hone our comedy skills and realized that we were having so much fun that audiences might enjoy watching too."{{Citation needed|date=July 2007}} In the fall of 2005 a show was performed in the sound stage of [[Charlie Chaplin Studios|the Jim Henson Studios]] for friends and invited industry guests. The two shows were so successful that the group was invited to the 2006 [[HBO]]’s [[U.S. Comedy Arts Festival]], where it made its public debut. ''Jim Henson's Puppet Improv'' was performed at two shows featuring Henson, [[Bill Barretta]], [[Julianne Buescher]], [[Leslie Carrara-Rudolph]], [[Drew Massey]], [[Paul Rugg]], [[Allan Trautman]] and [[Victor Yerrid]]. [[Willie Etra]] was the musical director and operated the keyboards.

===Puppet Up! (June–October 2006)===
In June 2006, ''Jim Henson’s Puppet Improv'' began performing under a new name, ''Puppet Up! - Uncensored'' The troupe performed four shows over three nights at [[The Improv]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]].

In August 2006 ''Puppet Up!'' traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for 30 shows. Two versions of the show were performed: the regular "adult only" version and, for the first time, a family-friendly "for kids" show.

===Puppet Up! - Uncensored (November 2006 – November 2009)===
''Puppet Up!'' performed two shows at [[Caesars Palace]] in November 2006. These shows were filmed as part of [[HBO]] and AEG Live's The Comedy Festival. [[HBO]] and [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]] produced a 1st and only hour-long television special from these shows that aired five days later on TBS. TBS also ordered 30 web-exclusive episodes of "Puppet Up!" for their "Laugh Lab" video service on TBS.com. The web series debuted on TBS.com on March 7, 2007.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" performed at the Anahein Grove on March 4, 2007.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" found a home at the historic Avalon theatre for several months out of the year between 2007 and 2009.

===Stuffed and Unstrung (April 2010 – April 2013)===
In April 2010, the show was brought to [[New York City]] under the title ''Stuffed and Unstrung'', featuring all new technical effects and original music and staging. 

"Stuffed and Unstrung" pays tribute to [[Jim Henson]] with re-creations of two of his most famous routines from "[[The Tonight Show]]" and some of the variety shows:
* "[[I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face|I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face]]" features a female puppet (which resembles the earlier version of [[Kermit the Frog]]) singing the classic song to another puppet (who resembles a rebuilt Yorick) who scarily changes features.
* "Java" depicts a violent brawl between two creatures trying to dance to the rollicking [[Al Hirt]] instrumental track.

Bobby Vegan and Sampson Knight from the pilot to Henson Alternative's ''Tinseltown'' appear as the fictional executive producers of "Stuffed and Unstrung." Bobby and Sampson appear in a pre-taped video introduction and segments for the show as well as being featured in the show's promotional material.

They performed 10 shows under the new name at the San Francisco Sketch Fest in August 2011.

===Puppet Up! - Uncensored 2.0 (August 2013 – March 2022)===
In August 2013, they were invited back to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and resumed their previous name, "Puppet Up! Uncensored"

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" toured Toronto, Canada in October 2013.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" did a show at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, CA in February 2014.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" did a brief US Tour in March 2014 including UT, PA, IL, MI and WI before heading out internationally to do the Melbourne Comedy Festival in Australia at the end of the month.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" performed at the Pasadena Playhouse in July 2014.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned to San Francisco to perform several shows at the Marine Memorial Theatre in November 2014.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" did a few more shows at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, CA in 2015 and early 2016 before heading to Las Vegas, NV.

On July 21, 2016, ''Puppet Up! - Uncensored'' began performing monthly shows at Venetian Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It closed on September 17, 2016.<ref>[https://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/entertainment-columns/kats/short-lived-puppet-up-faces-sept-17-closing-at-venetian/ Short-lived ‘Puppet Up!’ faces Sept. 17 closing at Venetian]</ref>

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned to its original home at the historic Jim Henson Company lot in Hollywood, to perform weekend shows on 3/11/2017, 6/17/2017, 1/27/2018, 7/28/2018, 11/3/2017, 6/8/2019, 1/25/2020, 7/31/2021 and 3/4/2022.

On January 27, 2020, "Puppet Up!" became ''Celebrity Puppet Up! - Uncensored''. "Celebrity Puppet Up!" is a game show that began performing at the [[Jim Henson Company Lot]] right after the Weekend shows.

The Worldwide Pandemic of the COVID-19 virus put the shows on a major hiatus after the January 2020 shows.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned to do 4 shows on the weekend of July 31, 2021 at the historic Jim Henson Company lot in Hollywood, following all the 
CDC and LA County guidelines for live events, therefore requiring all guests to wear face masks to protect against the spread of the COVID-19 virus for the duration of each 90 minute show.
====Halloween Horror Version====
''Puppet Up! - Uncensored'' performed at [[Knott's Scary Farm]] for the event's 2019 season, from September 20 to November 2.

"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned to perform shows at [[Knott's Scary Farm]] for the event's 2021 season, from September 16 to October 31.

===Puppet Up! - Uncensored 3.0 - 4.0 (August 12, 2022 – present)===
"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned and performed all the shows at the Jim Henson Company lot in Hollywood. These five performances will also feature two new interpretations of classic sketches with an all-new early [[Kermit the Frog|Kermit]] puppet originally created by Jim Henson until February 20, 2023, to onwards.

====Halloween Horror Version====
"Puppet Up! Uncensored" returned to perform shows at [[Knott's Scary Farm]] for the final event's 2022 season, from September 22 to October 31.

==Miskreant Puppets==
Early on, the improv show featured many puppets recycled from past projects from The Jim Henson Company. As the show grew, new and original puppets were created that joined the show. In 2006, new ''Puppet Up!'' puppets were designed by [[Julianne Buescher]] and [[Drew Massey]]. The puppets were built by Julianne Buescher, Drew Massey, Patrick Johnson, and Sean Johnson with help and guidance from veteran Muppet designer/builder Jane Gootnick. These puppets have been labeled as the '''Miskreant Puppets'''.

==Puppeteers==
Alongside Bristow and Henson, among the puppeteers who have performed in ''Puppet Up!'' are:
* [[Anthony Asbury]]
* Grant Baciocco
* [[Jennifer Barnhart]]
* [[Bill Barretta]]
* [[Tim Blaney]]
* [[Julianne Buescher]]
* [[Tyler Bunch]] (June 2006 - September 2016)
* [[Kevin Carlson]]
* [[Leslie Carrara-Rudolph]]
* [[Brian Clark (puppeteer)|Brian Clark]]
* [[Marcus Clarke (puppeteer)|Marcus Clarke]]
* [[Melissa Creighton]]
* [[Stephanie D'Abruzzo]]
* [[Dorien Davies]]
* [[Alice Dinnean]]
* [[Peggy Etra]]
* Genevieve Flati
* [[James Godwin (puppeteer)|James Godwin]]
* [[Patrick Johnson (puppeteer)|Patrick Johnson]]
* [[Sean Johnson (puppeteer)|Sean Johnson]]
* Brian Michael Jones
* [[Donna Kimball]]
* [[Karen Maruyama]]
* [[Drew Massey]]
* [[Jess McKay]]
* Ted Michaels
* [[Alison Mork]]
* [[Sarah Oh]]
* [[Michael Oosterom]]
* [[Carla Rudy]]
* [[Paul Rugg]]
* Stoph Scheer
* Colleen Smith
* [[Allan Trautman]]
* [[Russ Walko]]
* [[Vanessa Whitney]]
* [[Victor Yerrid]]

==Other appearances==
''Puppet Up!'' was featured in an episode of ''[[Celebrity Apprentice]]''. Like [[Sesame Workshop]], some of the puppet characters from ''Puppet Up!'' have appeared in other series, including ''[[Simian Undercover Detective Squad]]'', ''[[Neil's Puppet Dreams]]'',  ''[[That Puppet Game Show]]'' and ''The Glorious Ladies of Puppetry''. They often appear as different panelists on the news satire series ''[[No, You Shut Up!]]''. Most of the show's puppets also appeared in ''[[The Happytime Murders]]'', a North American [[Nintendo]] commercial for ''Star Fox Zero'' & [[Coldplay]]'s [[Biutyful]] music video.
===International versions===
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; line-height:1.3em;"
|-
!Country
!Local title
!Network
!Premiered/ended
|-
| [[Portugal]]
| ''[[Jim Henson's Creature Shop#Selected filmography|The Weirdos]] (aka. Os Esquisitos)''
| [[Televisão Independente|TVI]]<br>[[YouTube]]
| {{Start date|2023|5|17}} - {{end date|2023|5|21}}
|-
|rowspan=2| [[United Kingdom]]
| ''[[That Puppet Game Show]]''
| [[BBC One]]
| {{Start date|2013|8|10|}} - {{end date|2014|1|5|}}
|-
| ''[[Jim Henson's Creature Shop#Selected filmography|The Weirdos]]''
| [[BBC]]<br>[[YouTube]]
| {{Start date|2022|3|18|}} - {{end date|present}}
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Live stage production
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Award Ceremony
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Nominee
! scope="col"| Result
|-
! scope="row"| 2019
! scope="row"| [[45th Saturn Awards|Saturn Award]]
| colspan="2"| [[Saturn Award for Best Local Live Stage Production]]
| {{won}}
|}

==See also==
* [[The Muppets#1950s|The Early Muppets]]:
** [[The Tonight Show#Hosting history|The Tonight Show]]
*** [[Sam and Friends|Sam and Friends segments (1955-1961)]]
* [[Avenue Q]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://puppetup.com/ The Official Puppet Up! website]
* [http://www.henson.com/alternative.php?content=puppetup Puppet Up!] at Henson.com
* [http://muppetnewsflash.blogspot.com/search/label/Puppet%20Up Puppet Up! news blog]
* {{IMDb title|id=0898318}} - 2006 television special

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before = [[The Muppets]]
| title = [[Puppet Up!]]
| years = March 8, 2006 - present
| after = None}}
{{s-end}}

{{The Jim Henson Company}}
{{The Muppets}}

[[Category:Improvisational television series]]
[[Category:The Jim Henson Company]]
[[Category:Web series featuring puppetry]]