NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Deep in a cavernous New York City warehouse, the artisans behind some of the world鈥檚 most beloved children鈥檚 characters have been fashioning costumes and puppets for years in relative anonymity.
Now Creature Shop, the workshop founded by the legendary creator of the Muppets, is drawing back the curtain.
This year, the company opened the doors of its Queens workshop to public tours for the first time, allowing fans to meet a puppet builder, see a puppetry demonstration and take photos and videos with beloved and iconic characters.
Jason Weber, the shop鈥檚 creative supervisor, said the tours, which cost $150 a person, are an opportunity to celebrate the unsung craftspeople that bring these to life.
鈥淭here is a level of expertise here that we鈥檙e sharing. It鈥檚 not just going to a pop-up store or something like that,鈥� he said during a recent visit. 鈥淭hings are made one-of-a-kind, made by hand with artisans who have been trained for years and decades.鈥�
Besides Kermit, Miss Piggy and other Muppets, Henson was the creative force behind Big Bird, Cookie Monster and other famous 鈥淪esame Street鈥� denizens, as well as the 鈥淔raggle Rock鈥� characters. He died in 1990.
Henson originally founded the workshop in the 1960s in Manhattan and it has moved multiple times around the city since. It’s been at its current location in Queens since 2009. The company also has a workshop in Los Angeles, though that doesn鈥檛 offer tours.
The 80-minute New York tours take place on Saturdays. Visitors start in a large room specially created for the tour that’s filled with real show props and creations. It鈥檚 also the only spot on the tour where visitors are allowed to take photos and videos, as much of what鈥檚 in the actual workshop are still works in progress or proprietary.
鈥淭he Muppets” are now owned by Disney. Sesame owns the rights to Big Bird and other characters Henson created for the long-running show, which films at a nearby studio.
Among the centerpieces in that first room on the tour is an Oscar the Grouch display where the 鈥淪esame Street鈥� character is in his familiar trash can surrounded by heaps of fake garbage.
There鈥檚 also a menacing black throne from 鈥淭he Dark Crystal,鈥� Henson鈥檚 1982 live-action fantasy film, and a full-sized working puppet of Junior Gorg, a giant from 鈥淔raggle Rock,鈥� which requires multiple performers to manipulate.
The workshop space itself is filled with fantastical creatures in various stages of assembly. There鈥檚 drawers and bins tucked into nearly every corner brimming with colorful furs, textured fabrics and ready-made puppet body parts, clothing and accessories.
鈥淓verything we do is custom. Everything we do is bespoke,鈥� said Melissa Creighton, the shop鈥檚 director.
On a recent visit, staff were busy preparing costumes and other pieces for a range of current projects, including a 鈥淔raggle Rock” musical opening later this month at a theater near Times Square.
The shop鈥檚 past credits include the horror movie 鈥淔ive Nights at Freddy鈥檚,鈥� the children鈥檚 fantasy film 鈥淲here the Wild Things Are” and the 1990s television sitcom 鈥淒inosaurs.鈥�
Sierra Schoening, a senior puppet builder, said working at the shop had been her 鈥減ie-in-the sky鈥� dream job. Her favorite movie growing up was 鈥淭he Labyrinth,鈥� Henson’s 1986 musical fantasy film starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.
鈥淚 just really always wanted to know how those illusions were made,鈥� Schoening said as she took a break from fashioning a set of new creations. 鈥淚 know all the secret sauce, and I鈥檓 making the secret sauce now.鈥�
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