Sea Beast Puppet Company
PUPPET MELTDOWN 2018 PROGRAM
Angry Young Men Ltd "Thing from Another World"
Angry Young Men Ltd is a stagger of puppeteers. They've been around since 2007. They are from Milwaukee (Wisconsin, eh?). AYMLtd can probably drink your puppet troupe under the table. They have strong opinions about running zombies (i.e. that they suck). They would call themselves "Imagineers", but they'd probably get sued by Disney.
Connor Asher/Creventive Studios "Play Dead"
Connor Asher is the founder and artistic director of Creventive Puppet Company. Overseeing all sides of the company's direction and productions.
Outside of his work, Connor is the president of the Chicagoland Puppetry Guild and volunteers his time at the Kiwanis Club of Oak Park River Forest where he has done multiple hospital visits to children with his puppet characters and built costumed wheelchairs for children with disabilities.
In addition to Creventive, Connor has performed as a puppeteer for Opera In Focus, Sea Beast Puppet Company, The Field Museum, Jabberwocky Marionettes, Jeannie McQueenie Productions, and more.
Connor has also been fortunate to teach the art of puppetry at Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts camp as the head of the puppetry shop in 2017. In addition, he began offering educational puppet performance and building workshops for the public, teaching at libraries, schools, public events and conventions which has allowed him to travel throughout the USA.
In 2017, Connor was awarded the Mike and Frances Oznowicz Young Adult scholarship to attend the Puppeteers of America’s National Puppetry Festival in Saint Paul, MN.
Connor hopes to continue exploring and pushing the boundaries of early childhood education through the art of puppetry in the future.
Jill Frederickson “The Truth Fairy”
Jill grew up in Michigan and attended Cranbrook Kingswood where she began her art addiction. She has a Bachelors of Art in European History from Northwestern University and also studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Jill currently is a member of Seabeast Puppet Company and runs the Little Puppet Company. She has been creating masks and puppets professionally for almost 25 years. She has been a voiceover actor since 2003. Additionally, Jill has worked in a variety of industries including dental insurance, real estate, film (yes, she has an IMDB listing), renaissance faires and theater. She has lived in Michigan, Chicago, Los Angeles, Taos, New Mexico and currently resides in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Jill is married to the wonderful writer and performer Eric Frederickson.
Sarah Goone “Cool Thing”
Sarah Goone is a puppeteer, visual artist, and performer. In addition to two original puppet shows and many puppet slam pieces, she has worked with various puppeteers, puppet companies, and animation studios, including Redmoon Theater, Puppet Showplace Theater, Jabberwocky Marionettes, Foreign Landscape Productions, Bob’s Discount Furniture, and Spiffy Pictures. She also works on the administrative side of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, and as a visual note-taker at Ink Factory Studio.
Allyson Gonzalez "I’m On The Pursuit of Happiness and I Know Everything That Shine Aint Always Gonna Be Gold I’ll Be Fine Once I Get It I’ll Be Good"
Allyson Gonzalez is a Latina Puppeteer, Writer and Multi-Media Artist, with an emphasis on sustainable, eco-friendly practices. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their telescope. Her favorite food is gravy. Stop what you're doing and visit www.allysongonzalez.com to learn where she's performing or publishing next, and be sure to sign up for her newsletter to get the scoop delivered to your inbox!
Chris Heady "The Custer Wolf"
Chris Heady is an Associate Digital Puppeteer (voice of the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup) with The Hershey Company. He’s also portrayed the Conductor of the Hogwarts Express in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Puppeteered for Walt Disney World and Angela Beasley's Puppet People. He received his Digital Puppetry training from The Jim Henson Company. He earned a Guinness World Record for being the first to adapt a Graphic Adventure (video game) into a Stage Play. His film THE CUSTER WOLF premiered at XPT through The Center for Puppetry Arts last May.
Kevin Hogan "Just to have the chance to be with you"
Kevin Hogan is a Chicago based visual designer, comedian, writer, and director. Bringing over seven years of stand-up, sketch, and improv experience, Kevin's comedy reflects on human condition: from childhood triumphs & let-downs to navigating a stunted adulthood. Kevin has trained at io Chicago, Second City Chicago, and Annoyance NY. As a stand-up, Kevin has performed all over the Midwest, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. Kevin recently produced a highly successful super-villain puppet show (With This I Will Takeover the World) at the Annoyance Theatre Chicago. On the off time Kevin is not trying to take over the world, he enjoys making/playing with puppets, Dungeons & Dragons, going on life adventures with his wife, and planning his next show.
Alissa Hunnicutt "Note on a Subway Wall"
Alissa Hunnicutt has made a name for herself as a singer/storyteller of alternative folk music. She draws from her acting and musical training to bring new life to songs with her thoughtful and emotional ukulele arrangements. Warning: she loves sad songs; bring a tissue. Alissa holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in vocal performance and is endorsed by Ohana Ukuleles and PHD Strings.
Alissa Hunnicutt has made a name for herself as a singer/storyteller of alternative folk music. She draws from her acting and musical training to bring new life to songs with her thoughtful and emotional ukulele arrangements. Warning: she loves sad songs; bring a tissue. Alissa holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music in vocal performance and is endorsed by Ohana Ukuleles and PHD Strings.
Mary Kate Jenkins "The Stygian Pigeon"
Mary Kate Jenkins is a Chicago area freelance puppet builder and puppeteer with a BFA in Drama from New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing. She has worked with several New York area production companies such as Basil Twist and Encyclopedia Pictura, where she worked on Bjork's music video for "Wanderlust." Props Design credits include “Buddy Holly” at Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace, “Sylvia” at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center, and “Iolanthe” at Light Opera Works. Her television puppetry credits include puppeteering for the children's eco-based television pilot "Mr. Furry Fur Fur and His Friendly Earth Friends." She currently works as a founding member of Sea Beast Puppet Company.
Kevin Kammeraad "Siblee's Traveling Puppet Show"
Kevin Kammeraad is an award-winning artist, performer, and the author or co-author of several books, including “The Tomato Collection” and “Spinach Dip Pancakes.” He also has released several acclaimed children’s CDs, twice receiving the Parents’ Choice Fun Stuff award. He was named Grand Rapids’ On The Town Magazine’s best local visual artist as part of the 2015 Townie Awards and has performed across the United States – from the National Children’s Museum in Washington D.C. to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Hawaii. The Grand Valley State University graduate grew up in Holland, MI and now lives in Grand Rapids, MI with his wife and family.
Dana Kogan "Doctor Rita's Free Health Advice"
Dana Kogan is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, University of Chicago educated nerd, and unverified puppet enthusiast. Dr. Rita's free health advice began in 2017 as a last minute camp talent show act and has evolved ever since. Grateful to my puzzle piece and incredibly supportive family and friends.
Kat Pleviak "Inspector Banana"
Kat Pleviak is the founder and Artistic Director of Sea Beast Puppet Company in Glen Ellyn, IL.
Under Kat’s direction Sea Beast has initiated a number of exciting puppetry projects including a series of original works such as “The Shadow Puppet Conspiracy," "The History of Light, " and "Méfiez-Vous de la Vache-Garou" which won best in show at the Chicago Fringe Festival in 2013.
Kats work has been featured in such venues as the Art Institute of Chicago, The Field Museum, The Detroit Institute of Arts, and Skirball Center in Los Angeles California. Festivals she has been featured in include The Chicago Humanities Festival, The Chicago Improv Festival, numerous Puppeteers of America Festivals all over the country and the UNIMA International puppetry conference in Perth Australia. Kat is a regular contributor to The Puppetry Journal and was a featured artist in Puppetry Internationals 40 Under 40 list.
Pam Severns "Between the Fleece"
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Pam started writing and performing puppetry during a stint in Boston where she got involved with Puppet Showplace Theater and the local comedy scene, as one does.
Upon her return to her homeland on the West coast, Pam was a producer for PBS on In Their Own Words, a documentary on the life and work of Jim Henson. For TV, she has worked on shows with Amazon, IFC, MTV, and NBC. She also performed on ABC's revival of The Gong Show and doesn’t want to talk about it.
Her aesthetic is influenced by the vintage and old-timey; with flavors of old Hollywood, top notes of crooners, MGM, and a vaudeville finish. Best enjoyed with a fun-size bag of M&M’s. She performs frequently in LA and beyond at locales that have included Brookledge Follies, Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen, Largo at the Coronet, Puppets for Puppetry at the Jim Henson Company, the San Francisco Comedy Festival, and the Seattle Moisture Festival.
She is preparing to shoot a short film with Heather Henson's puppet film company, Handmade Puppet Dreams, that is based on her live piece Bunny Love, which was also chosen to be part of the 2018 National Puppet Slam in Atlanta.
