Virtual Museum

Bringing the wondrous world of puppetry to audiences since 1980

Robert's Virtual Museum. From childhood through today.

Frog

Leopard Creature

After learning to sew, Robert made this puppet for Mrs. Grey's 6th grade class production of "The Frog Prince." Although he wanted to be the prince, somehow Robert's teacher thought he was better suited for comedy relief.

This crazy guy took shape with a bit of fabric found with Robert's mother's sewing supplies, an old

Leopard Creature

This crazy guy came to life with a bit of fabric found in Robert's mother's sewing supplies, an old sock cut into strips, a rubber ball sliced in half and an inverted plastic cup.

Goggle Guy

Leopard Creature

Green Giant

Time has not been kind to this fellow. Painted plastic bottle lids and brown yarn, now worn and tangled, once made him look "cool." Hard to believe he was made about 60 years ago.

Green Giant

Portrait from Imagination

Green Giant

A young artist has to start somewhere and with whatever he's got. The shirt was a gift from Robert's grandfather, the eyes are two halves of a ping pong ball, and this "giant" is adorned with some black furry eyebrows.

Portrait from Imagination

An early sculpture made during the high school years. The head is comprised of layers of papier mache, then mounted on a tennis ball stuck on a dowel. It's no one in particular. Just a product of a student's imagination.

Little Boy

Portrait from Imagination

A college experiment. This simple hand puppet, inspired by "Kukla," one of Burr Tillstrom's famous television characters has a stuffed and painted fabric head, cardboard ears and a mouth quizzically left out.

Monkey

Tramp Clown

Monkey

Another free-time project away from college studies. Plaster bandage is layered over clay, then removed and applied as a little mask over this little stuffed figure.

Witch

Tramp Clown

Monkey

Another diminutive hand puppet, this example having a mouth that can open and close. Plaster bandage applied to a clay form. The puppet's hands can be manipulated by the puppeteer as well.

In 1976, this puppet was originally sculpted for a student production of the Brecht/Weill "Threepenn

Tramp Clown

As a student, the first show Robert ever designed and directed was a version of the Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill "The Threepenny Opera." Post show, this puppet was repainted to be a clown for another project.

Devil

Harry Parrot

Tramp Clown

From 1980, this is the last surviving, intact puppet that Robert made for his version of a traditional Punch and Judy show. The characters go back hundreds of years, and are an important part of the British culture.

Three Heads

Harry Parrot

Three experimental, broadly comical heads. They were never finished or used for any particular purpose. But they represent attempts to use exaggerated shapes and colors to describe personalities.

Harry Parrot

Although made in the late 1970's, this puppet appeared in a few early comedies that were, frankly, not so successful. But his presence was always bright and strong, and an audience pleaser.

Colorful and whimsical, but far to go.

Court Nobleman

During the early 1980's, this puppet appeared in an adaptation of "The Emperor's New Clothes." What he did and said is in the original script (not memory), contained in a box of many other stories and plays.

Princess

Court Nobleman

The Emperor did not necessarily have a young daughter in Hans Christian Andersen's original story, but somehow, it seemed appropriate to put her in the show.

Witch

Court Nobleman

Fifi and Maurice

A fairytale puppet planned to be part of a repertory cast of characters. This witch made a brief appearance in "Hansel and Gretel." Brief because Robert later constructed a large marionette version of the story.

Fifi and Maurice

These brother and sister hand puppet beagles were the standout characters of a puppet circus that Robert toured through the early 1980's. Although "trained," they were undisciplined and always begged for treats.

Singing Frogs

Fifi and Maurice

Singing Frogs

Bil Baird, the most prominent American puppeteer of the 20th Century had his singing frogs. Robert decided to make his trio as a tribute to the master.

Pirates

Fifi and Maurice

Singing Frogs

The Captain was made in 1977. He actually played Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera." His compatriots, Hercules and Gaffer, came along a couple of years later for a proposed adventure show.

Devil

Skeleton

In the early 1980's, this and the accompanying skeleton, appeared in a play based on the childhood memories of author Shalom Aleichem.

Skeleton

While having a detailed head, carefully sculpted and imaginatively painted, The limbs and ribs and hands are stuffed cloth.

Death

Skeleton

Albert Einstein

In the early 2,000's, made for a production of "Hamlet," this puppet was used by the troupe of actors who were called upon to stage a show within the show.

Albert Einstein

1990's, developing portrait skills and using a combination of a plaster mold and latex casting painted with acrylics.

Opera Singer

Albert Einstein

Opera Singer

Not a definitive version of an opera singer, this portrait originally appeared as the "mother" in "The Legend of Pecos Bill." She was reworked to appear in a symphony orchestra concert.

Funny Man

Albert Einstein

Opera Singer

Sometimes working from a photograph, but not worrying about accuracy, leads to something unexpected yet pleasant. But he has yet to make his "mark" on the stage.

Robert's take on Myths and Fairy Tales.

Beauregard the Dragon

Professor Pennywhistle

A hand puppet from "The Reluctant Dragon," based on a story by Kenneth Grahame, who also wrote "The Wind in the Willows," the book which Robert adapted for his first ever play. That was in 1980. This puppet came about decades later.

Professor Pennywhistle

After three decades of building a repertoire, Robert wrote a play about the adventures of a man who flew around the world in a magical hot air balloon that touched down in the middle of three folk tales in need of a happy ending. Needless to say, he had a knack for bringing them about.

Minotaur

Professor Pennywhistle

Minotaur

From the early 2,000's. A school curriculum oriented show based on Greek mythology. "The Flight of Icarus" featured this character: half man, half bull who lurked in a labyrinth. The head, cast in rigid latex, accidentally left in a mold for too long, was beautiful but too heavy. Oh well.

A popular story - Pinocchio.

The Fox

Villainous Puppeteer

The Fox

From childhood, Robert was haunted by the old illustrations of an early edition of the original story by Carlo Collodi. A bit wilder than audiences expected, it was still very popular. So much so, that some of the puppets had to be rebuilt.

The Cat

Villainous Puppeteer

The Fox

After hundreds of performances spanning the mid- 80's through mid-90's, the Fox and Cat were completely re-sculpted and costumed. Ten years between versions.

Villainous Puppeteer

In the book, the puppeteer who takes advantage of Pinocchio is called the "Fire Eater." Robert named him "Papa Buffoono." This mask was crude to begin with and shows the test of time.

A glimpse of the present - "The Frogs" by Aristophanes.

Xanthias

Pandokeutria

A new marionette production of Aristophanes' Ancient Greek comedy. Xanthias, an obedient but reluctant slave, accompanies his master, Dionysus, on an epic journey to the Underworld.

Pandokeutria

A lovestruck maid at an inn down in Hades, who mistakes Xanthias for Heracles, who she served at an earlier visit.

Euripedes

Pandokeutria

Euripedes

The outspoken poet and playwright, deceased but still quite active down in Hades. A sought after celebrity, who might be brought back to Athens to "save" the soul of the city.

Aeschylus

Euripedes

A traditionalist. Stubborn and just as opinionated as his rival, Euripides, with whom he has a loud debate about the art of the theater.

Dionysus

Aeschylus

Dionysus

The god himself, who is determined to bring back to life the most influential playwright, whose artistry will help restore the glory days of his beloved Athens.

Charon

Aeschylus

Dionysus

The old ferryman, whose job it is to help the newly deceased (and others) cross the River Styx. Usually, a one-way ride.