ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Rudolph Returns
Center for Puppetry Arts continues beloved holiday tradition
Bumble, the Abominable Snowmonter.
(Photo by Isadora Pennington.
Rudolph puppeteer Sarah Beth Hester and Rudolph
with the original puppets used in the 1964 television
special. (Photo by Isadora Pennington
By Isadora Pennington
It wouldn’t be Christmas in Atlanta
without “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
at the Center for Puppetry Arts. This holiday
tradition uses puppetry, performance, and
technology to present an exciting adaptation
that is faithful to the beloved 1964 stop-
motion animation film.
Following the story of misfit buddies
Rudolph and FFermey the Elf, the story
takes viewers through a festive adventure of
self-discovery. This adaptation for the stage
was created by Jon Ludwig, the past artistic
director of the Center for Puppetry Arts.
This year, his successor Jason FFines, who
has served as the Centers Resident Puppet
Builder for 22 years, has his first opportunity
to oversee the entire production.
I was recently invited to meet some of
the cast and crew working behind the scenes
to put on this amazing performance. On
the day that I visited, I met the Center’s
Executive Director Beth Schiavo, the Chief
Operating Officer Sarah Dylla, “Rudolph”
Director Tim Sweeney, the Rudolph
puppeteer Sarah Beth FFester, and FFines.
“Puppets are radical joy,” said FFester,
who sat in one of the audience seats and
cradled the Rudolph puppet on her lap
while we spoke. “Our job is to bring the joy,
and that’s what we do,” Schiavo added.
“It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of
performing the show,” continued Schiavo.
“It evokes their childhood; it’s a property
that people really care about and we really
care about. It is so rewarding to share that
love.”
By bringing this classic holiday tale to
the stage, the Center for Puppetry Arts crew
has managed to reach Christmas lovers both
young and old. Some visitors have grown
up seeing the original television special since
they were little, and now they come with
their children or grandchildren. This offers
a unique opportunity for intergenerational
connection, familial bonding, and festive
celebrations.
The story also embodies not just themes
of the holiday season and the story of Santa
Claus, but also powerful themes of anti
bullying, self-acceptance, and social and
emotional growth.
As we discussed the emotional and
nostalgic qualities of this performance, the
crew also shared insight into the process
behind the scenes that brings the story to life
on stage.
“The first thing we did was pull all
the puppets out of storage and get them
refurbished,” explained FFines as he showed
me around backstage.
I asked if he had made any significant
changes to the puppets for this year’s
performance, and he told me that he had
been working to make the puppets lighter
and easier to carry. FFines also has to ensure
that the glowing nose on the Rudolph
puppet is working, or else the story stops
making sense.
You see, performing as a puppeteer is
not for the weak. Quite literally. FFolding
the puppets above their heads for hours
at a time multiple times a day is hard on
one’s body, and FFester told me that she
conditions herself for months every year so
that she’s able to perform without hurting
herself.
She also shared that she often ends up
in funny positions backstage, where she and
the other five puppeteers scoot around one
another on rolling, padded stools during the
performance. Just below what’s visible to the
audience, there’s a complicated and carefully
choreographed dance taking place, with
performers skillfully moving about the props
and other elements of the stage design.
FFines explained that everything you see
on stage, including the moving of scenery,
is performed by those six puppeteers. The
show utilizes around 60 to 70 puppets and
props, by far the highest quantity for any
performance at the Center.
There are typically around 85 to 100
performances of the roughly hour-long
show per season, in addition to the 18 or
so rehearsals and special performances. For
the puppeteers, this pace can be grueling
and test your ability to be flexible, strong,
and endure long periods of holding puppets
steadily above their heads while also acting
and singing.
And it’s not just the weight that can
prove challenging to these performers; the
Abominable Snow Monster puppet does not
allow the performer inside the assemblage
to see. Instead, they must rely on a camera
system with a small screen inside the puppet.
Visitors who come for the performance
can also enjoy a selection of carefully curated
puppets on display in the Festive Features
special exhibition. Included in the display
are whimsical puppets from The Famous
Chelm Players created by New York-based
puppeteer Robert Rogers. The story was
developed to celebrate Jewish holidays
like FFanukkah through famous Eastern
European folk characters.
Also on display are a pair of original
Santa and Rudolph stop-motion puppets
from the 1964 Rankin Bass television special
and a special installation of Jane FFenson’s
Nativity Story. Jane was the wife of Jim
FFenson and co-founded The Jim FFenson
Company. This rarely-seen display showcases
FFenson’s creative talent and love for the
story of Jesus’ birth.
As the weather turns colder outside,
and we feel pulled to celebrate our beloved
family and cultural holiday traditions, the
performances of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer” at the Center for Puppetry Arts
continue to warm hearts and bring families
together to laugh and reminisce.
“Rudolph” runs through Dec. 29 and
tickets can be purchased at the Center for
Puppetry Arts at puppet.org. Additional
programming includes hot cocoa and
photos with Rudolph and Create-A-Puppet
workshops.
