Puppet School Is One of a Kind

Anyone who ever watched Sesame Street or The Muppet Show will feel an instant twinge of recognition when they step into a small, crowded workshop/theater on Ventura Boulevard and spy a strangely familiar-looking lineup of puppet faces and forms.

That's because Michael Earl, co-founder and guru of the Puppet School, spent most of his early life as one of Jim Henson's master Muppeteers. And he's still at it.

The Emmy winner now teaches puppetry to beginners and advanced professionals alike, even revealing how to make your own Muppet-style puppets.

Earl and his partner Roberto Ferreira founded Puppet School less than two years ago, and it's taken on a life of its own, just like the puppets within.

"Ever since I was 5, when I saw my first puppet show, I knew I wanted to be a puppeteer when I grew up," said Earl, 52. "It was my destiny. All through my childhood. I even read Bill Baird’s book, "The Art of the Puppet." Both of my parents taught—music, dance, acting. I grew up taking piano, drum, trumpet, dancing, singing, all great preparation for the life I would have.

"When I was in high school I apprenticed at a puppet theater and also joined the local puppetry guild. I met Frank Oz’s father, puppeteer Mike Oznowitz, at the guild. [Oz was Jim Henson's main Muppeteer.] But no one ever told me he was Frank Oz’s dad.

"I got to know Mike quite well from the guild. In 1977 when I was 17, Mike recognized my talent and passion for the art. Unbeknownst to me,
he set all this stuff in motion. He called Jim Henson and Frank to tell them about me. Pretty soon, I got a phone call that Jim Henson wanted me to work for them on the Muppets," Earl said.

"At only 18, I moved to New York, setting myself up with money I'd earned at age 7 doing a famous long-running commercial, 'Is it soup yet?' Now I was working with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, taking over Mr. Snuffleupagus, plus Slimey the Worm, the Honkers, Coco Loco, the Anything Muppets.

"Years later, I asked Mike if he had anything to do with my getting my first job at the Muppets. And he said, 'Oh yeah, I called Jim and Frank and talked you up and told them all about you.'

"After three or four years, I asked Jim and Jane Henson if I could teach with Muppets, to bring along new puppeteers. Jim said, 'That’s a great idea, but there’s not enough work at Muppets right now, so why don’t you go out into the world and teach?'

"That's how I became the first TV puppetry teacher.

"The first person I taught was a woman who was a starving actress and waitress, and after I taught her she went on to become the lead puppeteer on Sesame Street. That was an amazing thing for me," Earl said.

"I spent 15 years going back and forth between my own work and work on the Muppets. I met Roberto in L.A. where I was teaching, and he designed my website. It was he who urged me to actually found the school.

"I said, 'Sure, let's try it.'"

That was the beginning of Puppet School. Roberto, a professional choreographer, shot a video with puppets, put it on YouTube, and the next week the partners had 10 students.

"Now we get calls and emails from all over the world—as far away as Brazil and Australia—to study puppetry with me," Earl said. "People hire us to build puppets for their websites, for commercials and features, even for TV shows. We built one recently for Extreme Makeover Home Edition.

After one day at Puppet School, students walk out with a puppet they made, and can use it. Or they take the whole course, learn Muppet-style puppet making, TV puppetry and theater puppetry.

"I have a lot of students who are now at top levels of puppetry," Earl said. "Actors who want more skills to be more employable have studied here. I’m very proud that I've mentored as well as taught them, getting them their first jobs, first Muppet jobs, helping them get into the business."

"I still do work for Muppets and Henson Productions," Earl said, "but Puppet School is my main drive. After 30 years of working with my heroes, I'm more than content to teach now, and to send my people out.... We don't know anyone in the world who's doing what we're doing."

Earl has won four Emmy Award. "I dropped the one I keep here in the office and broke its head off," he said with a smile. "But I don't have time to fix it."

The Puppet School is located in Suite 108 at 13440 Ventura Boulevard. Phone (818) 986-9944. Fax (818) 322-3886. Email: Roberto@puppetschool.com. Classes range from beginner to advanced, and from one day to 16 weeks.