Jim Henson's Fantastic World Takes Manhattan

We mentioned awhile ago that the extremely popular touring exhibit, Jim Henson's Fantastic World, was making its way to the Museum of the Moving Image in New York. The exhibition opens in all its fuzzy glory on July 16th and closes on January 16, 2012, so Muppet fans have plenty of time to visit the exhibit and its numerous special programs. What special programs, you ask? Well, the answer is simple, thanks to the handy calendar of events provided by the Museum online yesterday. Let's take a look, shall we?

• Saturday, July 16 at 1:00pm: Screening - The Muppet Movie with Austin Pendleton in person (Max)
• Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31 at 1:00pm: Screening and Special Event - "Muppet History 101" presented by Craig Shemin, president of The Jim Henson Legacy
• Saturday, July 30 at 3:00pm: Special Event - "Hands Up! Heads Down!" An Inside Look at Puppetry for Television presented by Craig Shemin and Stephanie D'Abruzzo, veteran Sesame Street performer
• Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14 at 1:00pm: Screening and Live Event - The Dark Crystal with puppeteer Kathy Mullen (Kira, Mokey Fraggle) in person
• Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21 at 1:00pm: Screening and Live Event - The Muppets Take Manhattan with production designer Stephen Hendrickson and costume designer Calista Hendrickson
• Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 at 1:00pm: Screening and Live Event - The Storyteller, "The Soldier and the Death" with puppeteer Fran Brill
• Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 at 3:00pm: Family Workshop - Puppet Building with Noel MacNeal
• Sunday, September 18 at 4:00pm: Screening and Live Event - An Afternoon with Jane Henson: "Look Both Ways and Go"
• Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 at 1:00pm: Screening - Muppet Music Moments: A Weekend Celebration of Jim Henson's Birthday with music consultant Larry Grossman

To view a complete calendar of all screenings, workshops, and events be sure to check out the Museum's website for the special events coinciding with Jim Henson's Fantastic World.

If you're in the New York area, be sure to check out some of these special events and the absolutely amazing exhibit that is Jim Henson's Fantastic World! A chance to meet Fran Brill, Noel MacNeal, Austin Pendleton, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Craig Shemin, and the one and only Jane Henson is presented for you... take advantage of it if you can! I promise it's worth it!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, ryguy102390@gmail.com

Muppet Meet-Up in NYC

Every once in awhile, the stars align and ardent supporters of the Muppets find themselves gathered in one place discussing the Muppets and acting like complete weirdos (as everyone would expect). These rare, interstellar events have become known in fan circles by many names: Muppet Meet-Ups, Knitting Circles, Doll Wiggling Conventions, and, most recently, "The Muppet Vault" Fan Fest hosted by ToughPigs and The MuppetCast.

That's right, our good friends the burly swine and the casting pod are hosting their first ever Muppet fan gathering at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, July 25 at 2:00 pm. The main event includes screenings of loads of rare Muppet clips and sketches that are extremely difficult to find (hence the "rare" in the sentence). Tickets cost a mere $5 and there will be food, games, sing-alongs, prizes, trivia, frogs, and dogs, and chickens, and things.

Unfortunately, I live nowhere near NYC, so I won't be able to attend (probably for the best... having that many Muppet fan-site owners in one place wouldn't be good for anyone), but if you or a Muppet fan you know is near Brooklyn, New York on July 25th, there will be nothing better for you to do than to visit Joe, Ryan, and Steve at "The Muppet Vault"!

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier