BAM Presents Muppets ™ , Music & Magic: ’s Legacy , November 20-21, a weekend festival of movies, TV shows, workshops, and more at BAM Rose Cinemas

Morning and afternoon screenings feature films for the entire family

Evening programs focus on experimental work and films for adults

Celebration also features Q&A’s with Muppet writers and performers, -making workshops, and a book signing with , performer of ™ ’s, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch

BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Ave.)

Brooklyn, October 13, 2004— From November 20-21, BAMcinématek, the repertory film program at BAM Rose Cinema and BAM’s Education & Humanities department present Muppets , Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy , a weekend festival of movies, TV shows, workshops, and more. In conjunction with The Jim Henson Legacy and Muppet co-founder , BAM pays tribute to Jim Henson, one of the world’s most inspired and innovative film and artists. A visionary TV producer, film director, and world-class who created indelible characters, Henson brought his unique combination of childlike wonder and adult sophistication to his groundbreaking work for children and adults. Muppets, Music & Magic will explore all facets of this prolific performer’s output, including rarely seen projects (like the Storyteller series) and old favorites (Sesame Street, ). Time Magazine said of Jim Henson “[he] had the most profound influence on children of any entertainer of his time.” Morning and early afternoon screenings feature films for the entire family and kids of all ages, while evening programs focus on Henson’s experimental work, rarities, and films for adults. The program also includes Q&A’s with Muppets contributors and puppet-making workshops.

BAM Rose Cinemas “offers one of the most civilized movie-going experiences in the city,” according to The New York Times. General admission tickets to BAM Rose Cinemas are $7 per screening for children thirteen and under; $10 for adults; $6 for BAM Cinema Club members. Tickets are available at the BAM Rose Cinemas box office, by phone at 718.777.FILM (order by “name of movie” option using program titles), or online at www.bam.org.

Puppet making workshops

As part of , Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy celebration, puppet-making workshops will be led by Jim Henson collaborators. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Tickets are general admission, priced at $7 for children thirteen and under; $10 for adults (only one adult per child.) Tickets are available at the BAM Rose Cinemas box office, by phone at 718.777.FILM (order via “name of movie” option and use workshop title), or online at www.bam.org. For more information, call 718.636.4100. For press information, contact Fatima Kafele at 718.636.4129 x4 or [email protected].

Saturday, November 20 at 10:30am Sock & Spoon Puppet Workshop with

Based on ’s Workshop and the book Muppets Make by Cheryl Henson, president of The and a director of The Jim Henson Company, this workshop teaches children how to make simple puppets out of everyday household objects such as socks and spoons. The workshop will also cover some of the basics of puppet manipulation and character development. For ages 4-7.

Saturday, November 20 at 12:30pm, 2:30pm

Sunday, November 21 at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm

Puppet Mania!

John E. Kennedy, author of the popular book Puppet Mania! and puppeteer for Sesame Street, Muppet movies, and many other Henson projects will show participants some of the secrets of making puppets come alive in a workshop that provides hands-on experience in puppet-making, creating characters’ personalities, and performance. For ages 8-13.

Muppets, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy schedule

Saturday, November 20 at 10:00am*, ages 4 and up

Muppet Music Moments (shorts program)

Music was always an integral part of The Muppet Show, and we have assembled a collection of some of the classic music numbers interpreted as only the Muppets can. This compilation features a wide range of musical genres, including performances by guest stars Harry Belafonte, Elton John, and Linda Ronstadt.

*Introduced by , head writer of The Muppet Show

Saturday, November 20 at 10:15am*, ages 2-6

Sesame Street Presents Follow that Bird (1985)

Directed by Ken Kwapis

After an adoption agency lures Big Bird away to live with a bird family so he can grow up “with his own kind,” he quickly becomes homesick. As he returns to Sesame Street, a couple of unscrupulous and bumbling carnival owners scheme to put him in their sideshow. In the end Big Bird realizes who his real family is—the wonderfully diverse community of Sesame Street.

*Q&A and book signing by Caroll Spinney, (Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch), author of The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Side of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers

Saturday, November 20 at 10:30am*, ages 4 and up

A Muppet Family Christmas (shorts program) Directed by Peter Harris

The Muppets, Sesame Street regulars, and the Fraggles all get together in this rare gathering of the extended Muppet family. Even Jim Henson himself shows up to celebrate. The program includes clips from other Christmas specials, which include some of the best Muppet moments.

*Introduced by Jerry Juhl, writer

Saturday, November 20 at 11:30am*, ages 4 and up

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Directed by Jim Henson

Intrepid reporters Kermit, , and go to London to interview fashion designer Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg), whose jewels have been stolen. When the jewel thieves strike again and Holiday’s secretary, , is accused of the crime, it’s Kermit and friends to the rescue. Memorable eccentrics like John Cleese and Peter Falk join in the fun, but the scenes with Miss Piggy on a motorcycle steal the show. “ A combination of A.A. Milne, Busby Berkeley, and a small bit of Blake Edwards.”— The New York Times

*Introduced by Jerry Juhl, writer

Saturday, November 20 at 12:15pm* and Sunday, November 21 at 12:15 pm*, ages 4 and up

A Better World: Living in Harmony (shorts program)

Fraggle Rock (1983)

Directed by Jim Henson

An episode of the rarely seen Fraggle RockTV series that contrasts three communities—the musical Fraggles, the industrious Doozers, and the giant Gorgs, who all co-exist in a carefully balanced underground world—with those mysterious creatures who live above ground, the humans. Despite their differences, the groups are interdependent, demonstrating the ideal of harmony and peace in the world.

*Saturday: Introduced by Kathy Mullen, performer of Mokey Fraggle, and Michael Frith, conceptual designer. *Sunday: Introduced by writer Jerry Juhl and performer of Gobo Fraggle

Followed by

The Song of the Cloud Forest (1989) , ages 4 and up

Directed by Jim Henson, Art Direction by Cheryl Henson. This beautiful evocation of the rainforest with stunning color graphics focuses on the story of a golden toad that must avoid the “uprights” (humans) trying to capture him.

*Sunday: Introduced by Cheryl Henson, designer

Saturday, November 20 at 1:30pm*, ages 4 and up

Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

Directed by

When the Muppets’ college show is a big hit, they decide to take it to Broadway, which brings adventures that could happen only in the Big Apple. Cameos include Mayor Koch, Gregory Hines, Liza Minelli, and others. The movie ends with a wedding between Kermit and his porcine love, which is part of the show within a show—or could it be for real? Muppets Take Manhattan is “ a genuinely fun confection of old-fashioned entertainment.”

— Variety

*Introduced by Martin Baker, producer

Saturday, November 20 at 4:30pm*, ages 6 and up

The Muppet Movie (1979)

Directed by James Frawley

From ’s humble origins in a swamp, to the entire gang being hired by studio head Orson Welles, is an absolute delight. As Kermit makes his way to fabled Hollywood, he assembles his team of like-minded individuals, including Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo the Great, and others. The movie includes Kermit’s heart-tugging “,” and the film ends on a surprisingly existential note.

*Introduced by original and head Muppet writer Jerry Juhl

Saturday, November 20 at 6:50*, ages 13 and up

Commercials & Experiments (shorts program)

This program is a collection of experimental shorts, crazy commercials, and other rarities from the Henson vault. Highlights include: a legendary commercial and industrial film for Wilson’s Meat that must be seen to believed, excerpts from Henson’s experimental television programs The Cube and Youth 68: Everything’s changing...Or maybe it isn’t, and , an 8-minute experimental masterpiece from 1965 that showcases Henson’s talent for making music out of everyday sounds.

*Introduced by Muppet Writer & Historian Craig Shemin, and Henson Company Archivist Karen Falk, and a Q&A with Muppet co-founder Jane Henson and Muppet writer Jerry Juhl Saturday, November 20 at 9:30pm*, ages 8 and up

Labyrinth (1986)

Directed by Jim Henson

With Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie

Henson returns to the land of fantasy, this time creating a modern-day Alice in Wonderland (with conceptual design by illustrator Brian Froud). Connelly plays Sarah, a young girl who must travel through the Labyrinth to save her baby brother from the Goblin King (David Bowie, “perfectly cast”— The New York Times). Full of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop’s typically imaginative creature design, the film’s eye-popping sets, including the M.C. Escher inspired castle, create a wholly believable world existing just behind the facade of reality. “The script, by Terry Jones, co- creator of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, is witty and slightly zany—a good combination to entertain both children and adults. The result, a fabulous film about a young girl’s journey into womanhood that uses futuristic technology to illuminate a mythic-style tale, is in many ways a remarkable achievement.”— The New York Times.

* Introduced by producer Martin Baker

Sunday, November 21 at 10:00am*, ages 4-7

Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (shorts program)

Directed by Jim Henson

This is the heart-warming story of Ma Otter and her son who both secretly enter a talent contest to win money for each other’s Christmas presents. The rowdy Riverbottom Gang and their wild hard rock band The Nightmare challenge them. In contrast to the typical Muppet style of puppetry, the loveable river animals are portrayed realistically. The program also includes a selection of highlights from other Christmas specials.

*Introduced by Jerry Nelson, performer of Emmet Otter

Sunday, November 21 at 10:15am*, ages 2-6

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999)

Directed by Gary Halvorson

Elmo loves his fuzzy blanket so much that he gets into a tug-of war over it with his friend Zoe, losing it in far-off Grouchland. Nothing will deter Elmo from retrieving his treasured possession, plunging himself into a series of adventures including a battle of wits with the Queen of Trash (Vanessa Williams). His Sesame Street buddies come to the rescue and help him learn a valuable lesson about sharing and friendship.

*Appearance by , performer of Elmo; Fran Brill, performer of Zoe; and Stephanie D’Abruzzo, performer of Grizzy

Sunday, November 21 at 10:30, ages 2-6*

Muppet Fairytales (shorts program)

The Frog Prince (1971)

Directed by Jim Henson

What happens when you kiss a frog? No one can better tell that classic fairytale than Kermit and his friends.

The Elves and the Shoemaker (1994)

Directed by David Grossman

What if the elves that come to the aid of the shoemaker are actually Elvises? If Rapunzel appeared on Sesame Street, what twists on the story would you expect? See these classic tales through the eyes of the Muppets in this program of rarely seen shorts.

*Introduced by Jerry Nelson, Muppet performer

Sunday, November 21 at 11:30am*, ages 6 and up

Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

Directed by

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure gets the full Muppet treatment in this musical version with Kermit’s captain pitted against the villainous Long John Silver (Tim Curry) and his band of eccentric pirates in a search for buried treasure. Miss Piggy shows up as the island’s love goddess.

*Introduced by Martin Baker, producer

Sunday, November 21 at 1:30*

The Art of Puppetry and Storytelling(shorts program) , ages 6 and up

Go behind the scenes to witness the magic of the Muppets in this compilation of rare footage of the variety of puppetry created by Jim Henson. See a classic episode of The Muppet Show (1979)directed by Philip Casson. A special moment in the program, Harry Belafonte sings an African song with puppets derived from traditional masks. Another kind of puppetry is used in The Storyteller: The Heartless Giant (1989)Directed by Jim Henson. In this episode of the remarkable TV series based on classic folk tales, an evil giant—who has hidden his heart so he will feel no emotion—tricks young prince Leo into releasing him from his dungeon. Consumed with guilt, Leo searches for the heart and learns about friendship and betrayal.

*Introduced by Muppet writer Craig Shemin and Bonnie Erickson, Muppet designer Sunday, November 21 at 4:30pm*, ages 8 and up

Muppet History 101 , (shorts program)

This unique program of rarities examines the origins of the Muppets. Includes early live TV appearances, unusual commercials, guest spots on the Jimmy Dean and Dick Cavett Shows, and much more. Plus, this program contains excerpts from the rarely seen pilot for what would become The Muppet Show, The Muppets: Sex and Violence featuring a tribute to the Seven Deadly Sins.

* Hosted by Muppet Writer & Historian Craig Shemin and Muppet Show head writer Jerry Juhl

Sunday, November 21 at 6:50pm*, ages 8 and up

Dog City (1989)

Originally shown on the Jim Henson Hour, features one of the most fully realized Muppet universes—an entire 1940s film noir city populated entirely by dogs (all incredibly detailed and realistic puppets). With Muppet favorite Rowlf the dog (voiced by Henson) narrating from a piano, the action and in-jokes come at a furious pace.

Followed by

Storyteller: The Soldier and Death (1987)

Directed by Jim Henson.

One of the finest episodes produced for this landmark TV series ( “ ingenious”— Time ), The Soldier and Death recounts the tale of a soldier returning home from war being given three magic objects, which he uses to outwit a pack of demons, leading to his encounter with Death himself. Written by Oscar-winner Anthony Minghella.

*Introduced by and Muppet performer Fran Brill

Sunday, November 21 at 9:30pm*, ages 8 and up

The Dark Crystal (1982)

Directed by Jim Henson, Frank Oz.

Mixing Brian Froud’s conceptual design and elements of traditional fairy tales, Henson and longtime collaborator Frank Oz create a fantastic world ruled by the hulking dragon-like Skeksis, where an elf-like orphan must venture forth to defeat them. Using a mix of puppetry, marionettes, modern special effects, and more, Dark Crystal creates a visual world rarely equaled in any fantasy film while remaining true to its basis in universal myth.

*Introduced by Landstrider and Skekis, performer Robbie Barnett & Cheryl Henson . About Jim Henson

Jim Henson started performing with puppets in high school, and had his first television appearance during the summer before college. From the beginning, he decided to refer to his puppets as Muppets. Henson’s interests soon turned to film and in 1964 he made the Academy- Award nominated short Time Piece, which he wrote, directed, and produced, and starred in. Around this time he also made The Cube and Youth ’68 (cited by Variety as one of the year’s best films), which were aired in segments on NBC’s Experiments in Television. By 1969 the Muppets had firmly established themselves after guest spots on various variety shows and hundreds of commercials. Henson received his big break when his company signed a deal to provide puppetry services to PBS’ Sesame Street.

The success of his puppetry on Sesame Street led to the opportunity to create The Muppet Show, which became the most widely watched variety show in the world during the 70s. Henson went on to make three feature films starring the Muppets: The Muppet Movie, , and Muppets Take Manhattan. Time magazine said of his creations: “The beauty of the Muppets, on both Sesame Street and their own show, was that they were cuddly (but not too cuddly) and not only cuddly. There is satire and sly wit; Bert and Ernie quarrel; Miss Piggy behaves unbecomingly; Kermit is sometimes exasperated. By adding just enough tartness to a sweet overall spirit, Henson purveyed a kind of innocence that was plausible for the modern imagination. His knowingness allowed us to accept his real gifts: wonder, delight, optimism.”

By the early 80s Henson turned his attention to his other interests and stopped producing The Muppet Show. In 1982 he released , an ambitious fantasy film that showcased the further developments he was making in puppetry and animatronics. He said of the film: “With The Dark Crystal, instead of puppetry, we’re trying to go toward a sense of realism—toward a reality of creatures that are actually alive and we're mixing up puppetry and all kinds of other techniques. It’s into the same bag as E.T. and Yoda, wherein you're trying to create something that people will actually believe, but it’s not so much a symbol of the thing, but you're trying to do the thing itself.”

Henson had not, however, completely turned his back on the Muppets and continued to produce numerous television specials. In the early 80s he started two more ongoing television series, “Fraggle Rock” and the animated cartoon, Muppet Babies. In 1986 Henson released Labyrinth, a fantasy film in the same mold as Dark Crystal that combined live actors with puppets.” In 1987 Henson launched the television show The Storyteller, an ambitious program that showed a more dramatic use of puppetry and special effects than his previous television work. At this stage in his career The New York Times said Henson, “ uses the art of puppetry to create visual effects that until very recently were possible to attain only with animation. The result is really quite startling. It removes storyboard creations from the flat celluloid cartoon image and makes them three- dimensional, so that they actually come alive and interact with living people. The technique makes animation seem dull and old-fashioned by comparison, and, in fact, the more exciting fantasy sequences in recent films have been created through special effects and advanced puppetry rather than animation. Mr. Henson’s creations have put him in the forefront of a development that expands the possibilities of imaginative fantasy that can be transferred to the screen.”

Tragically in 1990, while working on the effects for Nicholas Roeg’s The Witches, Henson died of a rare bacterial infection. The Jim Henson Company, now run by Henson’s five children, continues his legacy of innovative entertainment that inspires and delights audiences around the world.

Credits

Support for Muppets ™, Music & Magic: Jim Henson’s Legacy is provided by The Jane Henson Foundation, The Jim Henson Legacy, and U.S. Trust.

Steiner Studios is the presenting sponsor for BAMcinématek. Leadership support is provided by The Joseph S. and Diane H. Steinberg Charitable Trust. BAM Rose Cinemas is named in recognition of a major gift in honor of Jonathan F.P. and Diana Calthorpe Rose. BAM Rose Cinemas would also like to acknowledge the generous support of The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, Richard B. Fisher and Jeanne Donovan Fisher, James Ottaway, Jr., Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and Bloomberg Radio AM 1130, and Grand Marnier Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Liman Foundation and The Grodzins Fund.

MUPPET, MUPPETS and the Muppets Characters are registered trademarks of

Muppets Holding Company, LLC. All rights reserved. (c) Muppets Holding

Company, LLC. For Muppets materials.

Big Bird, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch are trademarks of . All rights reserved.

™ & © Sesame Workshop. Sesame Street is a trademark of Sesame Workshop. All rights reserved.

™ & © 2004 The Jim Henson Company. JIM HENSON’S mark & logo, characters and elements are trademarks of The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.

General information

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, BAM Rose Cinemas, BAMcafé, and Shakespeare & Co. BAMshop are located in the main building at 30 Lafayette Avenue (between St Felix Street and Ashland Place) in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn. BAM Harvey Theater is located two blocks from the main building at 651 Fulton Street (between Ashland and Rockwell Places). BAM Rose Cinemas is Brooklyn’s only movie house dedicated to first-run independent and foreign film and repertory programming. BAMcafé, operated by Great Performances, also features an eclectic mix of spoken word and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. A $21 three-course dinner at BAMcafé is available Thu-Sat for BAM Rose Cinemas ticket holders (day of screening only). BAMcafé is open Thursday-Saturday from 5pm-closing. Additionally, BAMcafé is open two hours prior to all Howard Gilman Opera House and Harvey Theater performances.

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy® nominated “,” “,” “Wilson & Ditch: Digging America” and “Pajanimals.” Features include “The Dark Crystal,” “Labyrinth,” “MirrorMask,” and “” and television productions include “Fraggle Rock” and the sci-fi cult series “.”

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand has recently launched the national tour of “Stuffed and Unstrung,” a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 “Best Stage Shows of 2010” by Entertainment Weekly. http://www.henson.com Join us on www.facebook.com/hensoncompany and follow us at www.twitter.com/hensonparents.