Puppet Tears, ep 059 — Bonnie Erickson

Puppet Tears: Puppetry Shop Talk

It's time to Cheers to Puppeteers! Our guest this week is Bonnie Erickson, whose unparalleled talent has helped define the Muppets' signature look on screen, in toys and merchandise, and on exhibition with The Jim Henson Legacy. Bonnie served as the head of the Muppet Workshop through the first season of The Muppet Show where she designed the original Miss Piggy, Statler, and Waldorf. Her own firm Harrison/Erickson went on to design and market brands such as Nutella, Budweiser beer, McDonald's, and various sports teams. Bonnie dazzles us with stories about how creating 99 costumes for a Strindberg play led her to The Jim Henson Company, the value of play when researching and developing new building techniques, and the one-of-a-kind opportunities that came when she formed Harrison/Erickson. Don't miss this amazing chat with the only person who has "Essence Checker" and "Anthropomorphizer" on her business card! PLUS: we learn once and for all how to do the Henson Stitch. For mentions and episode highlights, visit PuppetTears.com/BonnieErickson Release date: October 28, 2020 ​Edited by Matt Bowen Hosted by Adam Kreutinger & Cameron Garrity