Grey Seal News

The Emperor's New Clothes at Children's Theatre of Charlotte!

2012-01-04T15:34:00.000-05:00

Project Runway look out, we have a pig on a fashion mission. Come join Grey Seal Puppets at Children's Theatre of Charlotte for a weekend of performances on January 14 and 15. Hans Christian Andersen's timeless tale of satire and deception comes to life in the Wells Fargo Playhouse. Check out Children's Theatre's Website for all the details! Tell all your friends and bring the whole family. We're going to have a blast! http://www.ctcharlotte.org/Emperors_New_Clothes.html

Off to The Detroit Institute of Arts!

2011-12-14T08:08:00.001-05:00

It's becoming a Grey Seal Puppets' holiday tradition! This will be the third consecutive year that we will perform at the amazing Detroit Institute of Arts for three days after Christmas! Come join us for "Tangle of Tales" on December 26-28 at 2:00PM! For more information, check out the DIA's website: http://www.dia.org/calendar/event.aspx?id=2828&iid=

AND! Stick around! After we leave, our good buddy Mr. Hobey Ford will arrive for performances of his fantastic show, "Animalia!" Hobey's show runs Dec. 29-31!http://www.dia.org/calendar/event.aspx?id=2934&iid=

Grey Seal Puppets with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra this Saturday!

2011-10-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

We are so jazzed to be guest of the super-awesome Charlotte Symphony Orchestra this Saturday, October 29 at 11:00am, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center! Come join us as the Symphony performs some amazing pieces while "The Professor" seeks to create his ultimate monster, "The Phantom of the Lollipop! Except he has a few trials and tribulations along the way! Ticket info at the Symphony website, http://www.blumenthalarts.org/default.asp?blumenthal=59&objId=2819

Making A Mascot!

2011-10-24T15:10:00.000-04:00

Check out this wonderful piece on Charlotte Viewpoint by producer Donald Devet. It chronicles our mascot character design and construction process: http://vimeo.com/30922194

On to Detroit!

2011-10-01T20:01:00.000-04:00

We'll be at The Detroit Institute of Arts tomorrow, Oct. 2 at 2:00pm for a performance of Salsa Cinderella! http://www.dia.org/calendar/event.aspx?id=2858&iid=

Salsa Cinderella at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ohio!

2011-09-30T19:17:00.000-04:00

We are looking forward to our performance tomorrow, Oct. 1 at 11:00am at the super-cool Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ohio! Come join us! http://dublin.oh.us/recreation/dcrc/brochure/fall/files/assets/downloads/page0010.pdf

Foothills Arts Council Performances!

2011-09-29T14:07:00.000-04:00

We've had a great time performing with the Foothills Arts Council this week! Check out the awesome performance photos that Leighanne Wright posted at the Foothills Arts Council site! Fantastic folks and awesome students in Jonesville, Boonville and Elkin! Thanks for having us! http://foothillsartscouncil.org/grey-seal-puppets

The Emperor's New Clothes at Children's Theatre of Charlotte in January!

2011-09-26T11:26:00.002-04:00

Get your tickets while they last! http://www.ctcharlotte.org/Emperors_New_Clothes.html

Super Cool Project with Carolina Voices' Singing Christmas Tree!

2011-08-29T18:56:00.000-04:00

Also a super cool way to help fund it! Check this out!

http://power2give.org/charlotte/Project/Detail?projectId=177

Grey Seal Puppets Wins Award from Arts a la Mode!

2011-08-22T09:31:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to Charlotte's own super cool "Arts a la Mode" for giving us one of their annual awards! http://artsalamode.com/AALM_Spotlight_TheatreAwards11.html

The Emperor's New Clothes in Lancaster, SC on August 28!

2011-08-18T13:47:00.002-04:00

http://allevents.in/Lancaster/The-Emperors-New-Clothes---Sunday-Matinee/198782043519356

Grey Seal Puppets heading to Gaston County, NC!

2011-06-24T15:00:00.002-04:00

http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/public-58567-company-gaston.html

Grey Seal Puppets in Vero Beach, Florida for Spring Fiesta!

2011-05-17T09:09:00.001-04:00

We are excited to return to Riverside Children's Theatre in Vero Beach, Florida for a performance of "Salsa Cindrella" this Saturday, May 21, at 11:00am! Check out all the activities here: http://www.riversidetheatre.com/rct_show_SpringFiesta.php

Grey Seal Puppets at North Charleston Arts Festival

2011-05-03T12:16:00.000-04:00

We are excited to return to the North Charleston Arts Festival on May 4 at 11:00AM for a performance of Tangle of Tales! Check out all the cool performances at http://www.northcharleston.org/visitors/events/artsFestival.aspx

Cashore Marionettes in York County!

2011-03-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

The super cool, super awesome Cashore Marionettes are coming to our area! Don't miss them! The performance is spectacular!
http://www.yorkcountyarts.org/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=7&extmode=view&extid=627185&tmpl=component

Grey Seal Puppets at The Puppet Co. Puppetry Slam!

2011-02-23T14:27:00.001-05:00

Here's Drew on stage at the awesome Puppet Co. Puppetry Slam performing "Rumpelstiltskin Revisited." Eric Brooks curated an awesome night of puppets for grownups! Hooray for all the awesome folks at The Puppet Co. in Glen Echo, Md! Photo by Bruce Douglas.

Grey Seal at The McLean Community Center, McLean, Virginia!

2011-02-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

We are excited to return to McLean, Virginia this Saturday, February 12, for a 1:30 performance of Tangle of Tales!
Kathleen Herr at the McLean Community Center is a great advocate for puppetry and we appreciate her and everyone at the Center for their continued support. We're excited to see our friends Heidi and Sam of Barefoot Puppets who will be performing there too! For more information on this day of puppetry go to
http://www.mcleancenter.org/kids-teens/childrens-events.asp#puppetry_festival and we hope to see you there!

The Puppet Co. Playhouse Puppetry Slam this Friday, 2/11/11!

2011-02-07T10:05:00.000-05:00

We are jazzed to be a part of The Puppet Co. Playhouse Puppetry Slam this Friday! Check it out at http://www.thepuppetco.org/schedule/slam/

Calling All Foam Bookers!

2011-01-25T11:37:00.001-05:00

If you use "The Foam Book" to create your puppets and have a hard time finding the 3M Spray Adhesive #74, here's a great source for it and all of the 3M spray adhesives. Order it today and you'll have it tomorrow! And you can order just about anything else you need too. Check it out
http://www.mcmaster.com/#3m-spray-adhesives/=aqu05j

Salsa Cinderella Review by Arts A La Mode

2010-08-25T14:30:00.001-04:00

Ann Marie Oliva recently wrote a lovely review of Salsa Cinderella for the online publication Arts a la Mode. In it she says:

It’s always a wonder to see how Drew Allison can create a small world using various voices, and manage the puppets and changes by himself. The audience, even the young children, was attentive and responsive.

Read the whole review at their website. Thanks to Arts a la Mode!

Salsa Cinderella in The News

2010-08-19T11:52:00.000-04:00

Check out theater critic Lawrence Toppman's article in today's Charlotte Observer about Salsa Cinderella. In it, he calls the show "nacho traditional rags-to-riches story." We always have liked our nachos best with cheese. Be sure to check out the whole article on their website!

Salsa Cinderella will be at ImaginOn this Saturday and Sunday. Ticket information is available at the Children's Theatre website.

Salsa Cinderella Comes To Children's Theatre of Charlotte!

2010-07-28T09:18:00.005-04:00

It's been a long hot summer-- but we know just how you can cool off and spice things up at the same time! Come see Grey Seal Puppets perform Salsa Cinderella at Children's Theatre of Charlotte August 21-22!

This classic tale of love and footwear is told with a spicy twist! All the familiar characters are re-imagined as ingredients in a jar of salsa! Peppers, onions, garlic, and of course, tomatoes, all make up the ingredients of this spicy cast!

The salsa thickens when the stubborn Prince refuses to change the way he has always danced, despite the many different styles of dance going on throughout his kingdom. His way of dancing is the only way he recognizes. Until the big Palace Fiesta, that is. It’s there that Cinderella inspires the Prince to try other types of dancing. Cinderella learns that a certain amount of tradition is always a good thing too. And then the Bell Pepper tolls midnight. . .

Experience this timeless classic re-told with Latin American flavor! An original musical score by Charlotte composer John Alexander will have you fighting the urge to mambo in the aisles. A dazzling array of rod puppets and shadow puppets all join in the quest to find the foot that fits a simple sandal made out of tortilla chip. This show is sure to delight the salsa fan in everyone! Pass the nachos, please!

Tickets are available through the Children's Theatre website.

What a Nice Surprise!

2010-06-03T10:11:00.003-04:00

We are honored and humbled to report that our show Tangle of Tales, performed by Drew Allison, won the Creative Loafing 2010 Theatre Award for Best One-Person Show. Thanks to Perry Tannenbaum and the staff of Creative Loafing for such a fine honor. To see a full list of the winners, please visit Creative Loafing's website.

Interview with Drew on the Port City Puppet Fest Blog!

2010-05-18T09:48:00.002-04:00

Have you heard? The Southeast Regional Puppet Festival is in Wilmington, NC this summer, and it's going to be a blast! It's the Port City Puppet Fest, and it's happening July 15-18 on the campus of UNC Wilmington!

Our own Drew Allison is one of the artistic directors for the festival. Gina Gambony, festival director, recently did an interview with Drew on the festival blog. Have you ever wondered how Drew got started in puppetry? What was his first job out of college? (Hint: it wasn't as a puppeteer.) His favorite places to eat in Wilmington? Then head on over to the festival blog to check out Gina's interview.

And don't forget to send in your festival registration! We'll see you there!

Aw, Shucks!

2010-05-13T09:41:00.003-04:00

We've gotten some awfully nice letters from our clients this week. We don't like to toot our own horn, but we wanted to share some of the kind words that we received.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the people at Grey Seal for applying their creative abilities in bringing my life's work to a realistic completion.

My sincerest thanks,
Lenny Friedman

I would like to thank you for your performances at Pines Elementary School and Creswell Elementary School. Our students and staff are still raving about your performance and the dialogue that it created when they returned to class about the importance of virtues. Some of the teachers have taken advantage of the lesson plans from your website and they have had great success in the classroom with these resources.

Your show, "A Show of Virtues" was truly inspirational. Although our students may not have been familiar with the words perseverance or tolerance, they understood the message through your puppetry.

Victoria Fields
Washington County Schools

How can I say thank you properly? Every year you share your talents and make our Dia de los Ninos event a hit with children and parents. It is a pleasure working with you and we appreciate you working with our families. We always receive positive feedback about your show.

Meryle A. Leonard
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

We are so humbled and honored by your feedback. Thanks so much!

A Funny Thing Happened on Drew's Way to the Forum

2010-03-31T14:47:00.000-04:00

Funny things are bound to happen when Drew addresses members of the Charlotte Senior Forum next Thursday, April 8th. The Charlotte Senior Forum was formed over 32 years ago for retired and semi-retired executives, professionals and community leaders with diverse backgrounds and experience.

Drew will be talking about his career in puppetry, demonstrating some of the puppetry styles that we use, and explaining our approach to performance on stage and on camera.

Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month in the fellowship hall of Covenant Presbyterian Church on Morehead.

Bathtub Pirates Sails Into Charleston

2010-03-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Grey Seal is excited to be a part of the North Charleston Arts Festival! The festival runs from April 30 to May 8th at various locations around North Charleston. This celebration of the arts features something for everyone—concerts, theater & dance presentations, exhibits, childrens activities, Art Walk, art & craft vendors, demos & workshops, and more!

Grey Seal Puppets will present "Bathtub Pirates" at Otranto Road Regional Library on Wednesday, May 5, at 10:30am. For more information on the festival, visit their fan page on Facebook! And while you're at it, become our fan on Facebook, too!

Fire Station 2 From a Dog's Point of View

2010-03-23T10:34:00.005-04:00

Fire Station 2 From a Dog's Point of View

2010-03-22T12:41:00.003-04:00

Recently, Drew Allison lent his time to a worthy project whose goal is to preserve an historic fire station in Charlotte. The video, produced and directed by former Grey Seal puppeteer Donald Devet, features a dalmation whose great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great... great grandfather served as mascot at Fire Station 2. You can view the video at Donald's website, Now and Then Video.

Clothing Drive Begins!

2010-01-26T11:22:00.002-05:00

The Emperor's New Clothing Drive has started! Thanks to the kids at Sardis Presbyterian, we have a super cool drop off box for the clothes to go in! Thanks, Sardis kids!

More on The Emperor's New Clothing Drive

2010-01-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Starting next Tuesday, you can drop off your new or gently used clothing donations at ImaginOn for The Emperor's New Clothing Drive. The clothes will all be donated to Crisis Assistance Ministry and will benefit needy families in the Charlotte area.

From Crisis Assistance Ministry's website:

We accept items of clothing for men, women and children, as well as household items such as blankets, kitchenware and personal care products. Please be mindful of providing clothing items that are clean and wearable.

Please note that we prefer in-season clothing, given our limited storage space.

We'd like to thank our partners at Sardis Presbyterian Church for their help with this clothing drive.

Join us and help make The Emperor's New Clothing Drive a success!

Newsflash: Saturday and Sunday shows Sold Out!

2010-01-19T14:45:00.001-05:00

Our Saturday and Sunday performances of The Emperor's New Clothes at ImaginOn are sold out, but tickets are still available for Friday night! Contact the Children's Theatre box office for your tickets today!

Tickets Still Available!

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

Don't miss your chance to see The Emperor's New Clothes at Children's Theatre of Charlotte January 29th-31st. Tickets for the Saturday performance are sold out! Contact Children's Theatre for more information.

Here are clips from a performance of The Emperor's New Clothes:

Pig Out in Charlotte!

2010-01-12T09:43:00.005-05:00

What's big and fat and pink and loves to dress up in fancy clothes? Give up? It's the Emperor in our adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes! We'll be presenting The Emperor's New Clothes at ImaginOn January 29-31. Tickets are available through the Children's Theatre's website. Don't delay-- seats are filling up fast!

You can read more about The Emperor's New Clothes on our website. And don't forget about The Emperor's New Clothing Drive that we're sponsoring in conjunction with the show. More details will be available soon!

The Emperor's New Clothing Drive

2010-01-08T10:22:00.004-05:00

The Emperor has too many clothes-- so he's giving them away! You should, too. Join us the last week in January for The Emperor's New Clothing Drive. We're collecting new and gently used clothing to benefit needy families in the Charlotte area.

We'll be collecting clothes during our run of The Emperor's New Clothes at Children's Theatre of Charlotte. Stay tuned for more details on how you can help!

Ahoy! Bathtub Pirates Sails Into Detroit!

2009-12-22T20:25:00.003-05:00

If you're in the Detroit area and are looking for something to do after Christmas, head to the Detroit Institute of Arts! Drew will be there the weekend after Christmas to perform Bathtub Pirates. It's the perfect way to unwind after the holiday!

Kids can also check out this really cool article about the show from Yak's Corner, a publication of The Detroit News. There's even a little pop quiz, just to see if you are paying attention!

For more information, please visit the Detroit Institute of Arts' website.

2007 Singing Christmas Tree, Part Five

2009-12-11T09:20:00.002-05:00

By the way, the gentleman in the background playing checkers with Tenor is none other than "Mac." He's a stagehand at Ovens Auditorium and is legendary in these parts.

And here's the show's finale!

2007 Singing Christmas Tree, Part Four

2009-12-10T10:03:00.000-05:00

2007 Singing Christmas Tree, Part Three

2009-12-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

2007 Singing Christmas Tree, Part Two

2009-12-07T10:59:00.002-05:00

Here's the second part of our video series from the 2007 performance of the Singing Christmas Tree. It's not too late to grab your tickets for this year's Singing Christmas Tree! Performances of the Singing Christmas Tree are this Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3PM and 8PM, and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3PM. In addition, the Singing Christmas Tree for Kids takes place Saturday Dec. 13 at 11AM! There's something for the whole family! Ticket information is available through Carolina Voices' website.

The Ghost of Singing Christmas Trees Past

2009-12-04T09:44:00.002-05:00

We're excited to be a part of the Singing Christmas Tree next week for our 27th consecutive year! The Singing Christmas Tree takes place at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC. You can find out ticket information on Carolina Voices' website.

For our 25th Singing Christmas Tree in 2007, the puppets staged a revolt and took over the show. Here's the first of five video segments we produced for the Tree that year. We'll add more next week!

New Giveaway for the Holiday Season!

2009-11-20T08:59:00.006-05:00

We have an exciting giveaway, just in time for the Holiday Season! If you purchase a copy of The Foam Book DVD between now and December 31st, you will be entered into a drawing for a free Puppet Kit!

The Puppet Kit contains everything you need to build one polyfoam puppet! It includes:

One Can of Design Master Color Tool Spray Paint

Three Square Feet of 1/2" Polyfoam

Three Square Feet of 1" Polyfoam

One Square Foot of Fake Fur

One Pair of Craft Eyes

Three Yards Craft Velour

And much more!

So hurry over and order your copy of The Foam Book DVD today!

One entry per customer. Kit does not include a copy of The Foam Book or The Foam Book DVD. No Purchase Necessary.

Drew Gets Scholarly

2009-11-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

The Senior Scholars of Charlotte will be getting a taste of the Grey Seal philosophy when Drew Allison addresses them on November 17th. The Senior Scholars, founded in 1973, is an organization for seniors and retirees where members meet weekly to hear a prominent speaker on interesting and diverse topics.

Drew will be talking about his career in puppetry, demonstrating some of the puppetry styles that we use, and explaining our approach to performance on stage and on camera.

Meetings are held at 10:00 AM in Shalom Hall at Myers Park Baptist Church’s lower level, 1931 Selwyn Avenue. Visitors may attend free of charge.

Monster Mash!

2009-10-30T14:58:00.001-04:00

Here it is... the Monster Mash with Facebook Fan Gina Gambony!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Become our fan on Facebook!

GSP and Destination Imagination

2009-10-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

Drew recently had the opportunity to meet and inspire a group of students from Destination ImagiNation. DI is an exhilarating educational activity in which students work in teams to solve Challenges and present their solutions at Tournaments. Teams are tested to think on their feet, work together and devise original solutions that satisfy the requirements of the Challenges. Participants gain more than just basic knowledge and skills- they learn to unleash their imaginations and take unique approaches to problem solving. Annually, 72,000 children in morethan 6,000 schools participate in DI. This year DI expects to have 15,000 teams in 50 states and 30 countries around the world. (From their website.)

The students are all making a puppet this year as one of their challenges. They had a great time meeting Drew and got lots of great ideas!

Drew was featured in the NC Destination Imagination newsletter. You can read the article on their website.

We wish the students from Destination Imagination the best of luck in all their puppetry pursuits! And don't forget to send us pictures!

Monster Mash with Grey Seal!

2009-10-14T00:11:00.000-04:00

Halloween is one of our favorite times of year at the Grey Seal studio. We've been known to dress up, play our Halloween music incessantly, and we've even thrown a Halloween party! This year we'd like to bring you in on the fun. We want you to do the Monster Mash with us-- and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your computer chair!

Become a fan on our Facebook page between now and Friday October 23rd. We'll randomly select one of our fans to star with us in a Monster Mash video on JibJab! Then we'll debut the video the week of Halloween!

It'll be a Graveyard Smash!

GSP on Voice of America!

2009-10-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

Our friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts (Atlanta, GA) were featured last week on the broadcast Voice of America. Voice of America is heard internationally, and the special on the Center was featured as one of their Special English programs which is designed to help teach English to those who are not native English speakers. Cool!

As part of the broadcast, Grey Seal was honored to be featured as one of the artists that are invited to perform at the Center. They even used an audio clip from our show Bathtub Pirates! How cool is that?

To hear the broadcast or read a transcript, please visit their website!

Puppets Go International!

2009-09-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

There are many performances throughout the year that we look forward to, and the International Festival at UNC Charlotte is one of the top ones on that list. We have had the privilege of performing at the International Festival for many years, and every year there is something new to see and do. There's great food, great entertainment, and a slew of great arts and crafts from around the world. It's fun for the whole family!

Come out to see us perform at the International Festival this Saturday, September 26th! We'll be at the Barnhardt Student Activity Center performing Tangle of Tales at 1:00 and 3:00. Visit their website to see a full schedule of events. Admission is free! We'd love to see you there!

Getting our Friends at the NBA Ready for the New Season!

2009-09-22T10:22:00.000-04:00

Fall is always a busy time around the Grey Seal workshop, as we help our NBA clients get ready for their new season. Right now we are hard at work getting our friend Hugo from the New Orleans Hornets in top shape so that he can greet his fans! (Um, Hugo? Do you always greet your fans by hanging them upside down?)

By the way, have you seen the new team color that the Hornets debuted last year? You can check it out on their official website. Hugo is now looking good in Creole Blue!

We're also getting our hometown hero Rufus Lynx of the Charlotte Bobcats ready for his debut.

Rufus is one of the coolest cats we know, and he's got some cool surprises up his sleeve for his fans this Fall! Keep an eye out here and we might be able to give you a little glimpse of what you might see at one of the Bobcats games!

Interested in having a character designed for your organization? Contact us today at workshop@greysealpuppets.com or give us a call at 704-521-2878. Let us show you that our characters mean business!

Fall Schedule is Filling Up!

2009-09-18T10:54:00.002-04:00

Fall is in the air! School is back is session, and it's the perfect time to book Grey Seal for an appearance!

Grey Seal Puppets performs over 250 shows a year in schools, theatres, and libraries. Our repertoire includes everything from familiar stories to original works—each uniquely staged and presented. Interested in having us come to your school? We have teachers’ study guides available for all our productions.

Grey Seal Puppets performs nationwide at such prestigious theatres as The Smithsonian Institution, The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. We've also been honored with the N.C. Theatre Arts Award, the Puppeteers of America President’s Award, and three UNIMA-USA Citations of Excellence in Puppetry.

You can find a list of all our current touring shows on our website. Why wait another minute? Contact us today at info@greysealpuppets.com or give us a call at 704-521-2878!

Summer Ends With A Bang!

2009-09-15T11:45:00.000-04:00

Whew! It was a busy summer for Grey Seal!

The workshop was hopping all summer finishing a big project for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. RCCL is launching a brand new ship this Fall called Oasis of the Seas. There will be several parades on board ship, and Grey Seal had the opportunity to help construct props for one of those parades. Stay tuned to our blog to see some photos!

Drew spent the first week of July at PuppetFest Midwest in Trenton, MO. PuppetFest Midwest is an independent puppet festival in an intimate setting, where puppeteers can study in-depth techniques such as performance and puppet building, as well as see performances by some of the best puppeteers around.

Drew performed The Emperor's New Clothes and led a workshop called "Advanced Adventures In Polyfoam Puppet Construction!" Participants built their own "Nip and Tuck" puppet heads, as well as learned how to make moving eyes and other moving puppet features. It was a great way to start off the month!

The following week found us tucked into the charming Downstairs Theatre at Atlanta’s phenomenal Center for Puppetry Arts for a week-long run (17 performances!) of our adaptation of the Andersen classic, The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Grey Seal’s Drew Allison did three performances a day and hoped his voice and arms and shoulders would survive the run. Survive they did as we enjoyed sold-out audiences throughout the week. Everyone on the Center Staff was simply amazing to work with and Drew was particularly thankful for his great stage manager for the run, Gillian, who was always so upbeat and wonderful and made the shows a pleasure to perform.

The National Puppet Festival was also taking place in Atlanta, at nearby Georgia Tech. Drew took advantage of this awesome opportunity and made his way over to the Festival each evening in time for dinner after the final performance of the day at the Center. Drew saw an amazing array of wonderful performances throughout the week. He also caught up with longtime puppeteer friends and made some new ones as well.

July wrapped up with a week of performances in Fairfax County, Virginia. Drew performed Salsa Cinderella 13 times in four days at libraries all over the county! Whew! Drew said it was a challenge to do three performances with three different setups and strikes each day, but the performances were well-spaced out and all went well and it was a lot of fun. He had great audiences who were very multi-cultural and savvy. It was a great week!

But there's no rest for the weary at Grey Seal! This Fall promises to be a busy one. Keep up with all our latest news by subscribing to our news feed. It's easy-- just click on subscribe in the column on the right. You'll be glad you did!

Tangle of Tales Earns Three MTA Nominations!

2009-09-12T10:38:00.004-04:00

We're so honored that Tangle of Tales has been nominated for three Metrolina Theatre Awards! The categories are Special Event: Outstanding Original Play, Special Event: Outstanding Production, and Special Event: Other Exemplary Performance/Element for Drew Allison (Puppeteer). You can see a full list of nominees at the Metrolina Theatre Association's website.

The Metrolina Theatre Association, representing more than 50 organizations, along with hundreds of theatrical artists, directors, and producers in the Charlotte region, will hold the sixth annual Metrolina Theatre Awards, recognizing excellence in theatre.

The show will be presented on Sunday evening, September 20, in the McGlohon Theatre in Spirit Square. More than 350 people attended the 2008 awards event. This year’s awards ceremony will feature scenes from some of the top-rated shows of the past theatre season.

The Metrolina Theatre Awards recognize outstanding performances and creative elements in 7 categories (Drama, Comedy, Musical, Regional–North, Regional–South, College/University, and Special Event). This year, there will be around 90 recipients. MTA organizes more than 80 peer nominators; this year, MTA nominators attended 105 adjudicated shows, submitting thousands of nominations. They then complete a preliminary ballot to select the award nominees. The final vote is certified by an independent accountant, and winners are announced at the awards ceremony.

A visit from the stork...

2009-05-11T22:44:00.009-04:00

Grey Seal has a new cub! Workshop coordinator Vania Reckard (along with husband Chris) welcomed second daughter Elisabeth Rose Reckard into the world on May 6, 2006. She was healthy 8 lbs, 3 oz with a full head of dark hair! Four-year-old Sophie is delighted to be a big sister. We're very proud of our new family member. Way to go, Vania!

More to See on our YouTube Channel!

2009-04-01T15:40:00.004-04:00

We've just added clips from several of our touring shows to our YouTube channel! You can now see excerpts from Bathtub Pirates, Elves and Trolls, The Emperor's New Clothes, A Show of Virtues, and Tangle of Tales.

We've got even more in store for our YouTube channel, so stay tuned!

Foam Book Giveaway!

2009-03-25T14:33:00.007-04:00

Here's your chance to win your very own copy of The Foam Book! All you have to do is register as a member of our Foam Book Community between now and April 30th. Everyone who is registered for the Foam Book Community will be automatically entered for the drawing. The winner will be drawn at random and will win a copy of The Foam Book!

The Foam Book Community is a great place for puppet builders, whether beginners or advanced, to come together and discuss puppet building The Foam Book way. In our forums you can share tips, ideas, and photos of the characters that you've built. You can also discuss puppet performance and staging-- everything that goes into a puppet performance.

Don't be shy-- come join in the fun at the Foam Book Community!

We Create Character!

2009-03-04T11:02:00.004-05:00

We've been working with the University of Virginia Athletics Department for the past several months to not only revise their iconic mascot Cavman, but to add new characters to their mascot family!

Meet Sabre, Cavman's newest co-hort! He's the coolest horse around, and he wears the UVa colors with pride! So keep your eye out for Cavman and Sabre, and go Hoos!

If you'd like more information on our custom character design services, please contact our workshop at workshop@greysealpuppets.com!

Reviews are In for Tangle of Tales!

2009-02-02T09:52:00.003-05:00

Review from Arts a la Mode:

Puppeteer Drew Allison, founder of the Grey Seal Puppets, performs this friendly, low-key, 60 minute one-man show consisting of three folk tales from around the world. In between are swaying/jumping/bouncing characters called Blockheads and Wobblies who entertain by moving creatively to background music.

The first tale is “The Frog Prince” from Germany which is a familiar story. The lesson being: keep your promises. The second tale is from Scandinavia, “Three Billy Goats Gruff”, where a troll living under a bridge is outsmarted by three brother goats. The third and, by far, most popular folk tale is “The Three Little Pigs” from England where the industrious pig’s brick house survives the huffing and puffing of the wolf, who proves more popular than scary with the kids.

The simple set with traditional puppet stage has Mr. Allison hidden beneath holding up the various puppets. He uses a microphone and is quite a voice actor speaking the dialogue of all the characters in the show, as well as managing the sound effects. This non-threatening performance is well-paced and age-appropriate for younger children (ages 5 and up) who have no trouble listening attentively or accepting and relating to the puppets as real, even interacting with the stage characters. It is clever enough so it can also be appreciated by adults willing to sit back let the inanimate objects come to life.

After the performance Mr. Allison came out to meet the audience and explain the types of puppets used (rod, string, and hand puppets). The variety of puppet styles adds to the fun, and is even more impressive when the attention to detail becomes more evident. The Grey Seal Puppets perform nationally and Charlotte is fortunate to have these high-caliber puppet performances to appreciate. Review by Ann Marie Oliva

Ann Marie Oliva is an award-winning playwright. She is the producer/editor of ARTS à la Mode and a judge for the National Youth Theatre Awards. Ann Marie is a member of the Dramatists Guild.

http://www.artsalamode.com/AALM_TheatreReviewARCHIVE.html#tangletales

JLC Puppet Theater Makes Headlines!

2009-01-21T14:29:00.005-05:00

The latest issue of "The Crier," the Junior League of Charlotte's quarterly magazine, features a cover story on the JLC Puppet Theater. Grey Seal's Drew Allison worked in close collaboration with the Junior League of Charlotte to develop a puppet show based around the Junior League's Healthy Child Initiative. The show is called, "You Are What You Eat!" and features a game show where contestants answer questions about healthy food choices.

The JLC Puppet Theater's schedule is already full, with appearances planned at preschools and elementary schools throughout the Charlotte area, as well as appearances at Levine Children's Hospital.

Drew Allison demonstrates puppet performance to members of JLC Puppet Theater.

If you're interested in developing a custom puppet program, give us a call! Grey Seal Puppets has worked with theatres, churches, and civic organizations to bring their puppet dreams to life. Put us to work for you!

Upcoming Performances: Tangle of Tales at Children's Theatre of Charlotte

2009-01-09T09:59:00.003-05:00

Three favorite folks tales from around the world come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, "The Frog Prince" from Germany, "Three Billy Goats Gruff" from Scandinavia and "The Three Little Pigs" from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom.

In between each of the tales there’s a whole menagerie of zany characters to see and enjoy. Tangle of Tales is fun for everyone!

Tangle of Tales will be presented at Children's Theatre of Charlotte January 31-February 1st. Visit the Children's Theatre website to buy your tickets today!

Father Time Ushers in New Year at First Night Charlotte

2009-01-05T11:30:00.003-05:00

Grey Seal Puppets' Cheralyn Lambeth took Father Time out for a night on the town New Year's Eve in Charlotte, NC. Father Time was the showstopping star of the First Night parade! Despite heavy winds, Father Time soldiered through, interacting with the crowd and celebrating the New Year in style. For a gallery of images from First Night, visit the Charlotte Observer's website at www.charlotteobserver.com/436/gallery/446092.html. Read the article here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/446357.html.

Merry Christmas - Can You Dig it?

2008-12-19T13:30:00.001-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

ITube, YouTube, EverybodyTube!

2008-12-10T10:41:00.004-05:00

Grey Seal Puppets now has a YouTube Channel!

We're adding new videos all the time, so be sure and subscribe to us!
http://www.youtube.com/greysealpuppets

Two Parades, Three Different Kinds of Puppets, All in One Day!

2008-12-01T12:43:00.007-05:00

Grey Seal was excited to be part of two big parades this Thanksgiving Day-- the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Carolinas Thanksgiving Day Parade! And the characters that were featured in each parade really showcased how different kinds of puppets can be used very effectively!

The past few years we've had the honor of working with the Cartoon Network on puppets for their Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends float in the Macy's Parade. The characters that we built for them include Bloo, Cheese, Fluffernutter, and Jackie Khones, who you can see here:

Our hats are off to the Cartoon Network for pulling off the greatest RickRoll of all time!

In our own hometown of Charlotte, NC, Grey Seal Puppets' characters dominated the Carolinas Thanksgiving Day Parade. Many of the mascot characters that we've built were there, including Rufus Lynx from the Charlotte Bobcat, LugNut from the Lowes Motor Speedway, and a mascot version of our very own Seemore Goodstuff from WTVI-42! Seemore appeared with his on-air counterpart, Beverly Dorn-Steele.

We also built a huge Father Time parade puppet, which was used to advertise the upcoming First Night Charlotte, a New Year's Eve festival.

Here, Cheralyn Lambeth tests out Father Time outside the Grey Seal Puppets studio. Cheralyn also puppeteered Father Time in the parade.

Three different kinds of puppets, but each a perfect tool to reach their audience. What can puppets say for you?

You Are What You Eat

2008-11-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

Grey Seal Puppets has had the pleasure over the past year to collaborate with the Junior League of Charlotte on a new show-- You Are What You Eat! The show, designed for children aged 4-6, emphasizes healthy eating habits. You Are What You Eat is a game show, where contestants like Jack B Nimble and Little Miss Muffett have to answer questions about good food choices. But watch out for that nefarious villain, Junk Food Jake!

WSOC-TV's Debi Faubion did a great story on the show, which you can see on their website at http://www.wsoctv.com/video/17847377/index.html. The Junior League will be performing You Are What You Eat all around the Charlotte area. For more information, visit the Junior League's website at http://www.jlcharlotte.org/upcomingevents.

Grey Seal on Facebook!

2008-11-03T11:16:00.003-05:00

For those of you on Facebook, you can now make Grey Seal Puppets one of your friends! Visit us at www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/profile.php?id=527398374!

New Site Design! New Blogs!

2008-10-06T20:14:00.003-04:00

We're so excited to finally unveil our new website design. We have some brand new features to our website which we'll be guiding you through in the coming weeks. But the first exciting feature is the addition of our Grey Seal News and Hey Puppetman! blogs. Now you can keep up with the latest news from Grey Seal Puppets by subscribing to our RSS feed in your favorite feed reader. You can also sign up for our e-mail newsletter on our website. These are just a couple of the surprises we have in store for you!

Thanks for visiting the all-new greysealpuppets.com!