This not-to-be-missed two day workshop promises to guide eager puppeteers of all skill levels through techniques and approaches that are sure to improve puppetry performance and audition skills*.  From breathing life into household objects to performing actual hand and rod puppets, Walt Disney World professionals, James and Scott Silson invite you to participate in this collaborative, informative, hands-on, and, dare we say it, FUN interactive look into Walt Disney Puppetry and how to make puppets truly live and breathe.  Puppets will be provided at the workshop, but if you have your own hand and rod puppet, feel free to bring it!

*This workshop is open to all festival attendees.  Puppeteers interested in attending the Saturday, July 16th audition are encouraged to attend.

James Silson currently holds the positions of Puppet Master & Show Director with Walt Disney Creative Entertainment.  As Puppet Master, James oversees the quality of all puppetry at WDW, and acts as a creative leader for the Puppet Specialist team, responsible for the development of the puppeteer cast and the maintenance of the Disney shows and parades.  Over the course of his extensive Disney career, he has performed, taught, and choreographed puppetry, assisting the opening creative and production teams for multiple shows and parades worldwide including the award-winning “Finding Nemo: The Musical.”  Most recently he directed “Disney Junior: Live On Stage!” in both Orlando and Anaheim.  Outside of Disney, James has over 20 years of performance experience, working professionally as a singer, actor, dancer, juggler, mime, and puppeteer in both theater and film/television.  Recent credits include Goodspeed Musicals’ stage adaptation of Jim Henson’s “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas,” in which he originated the onstage role of Howard Snake.

Scott Silson is a multi-talented creative artist with more than 20 years of experience in professional entertainment.  Throughout his career he has amassed a myriad of skills including singing, acting, dancing, juggling, clowning, pantomime, and of course…puppetry!  For the past 13 years, he has been performing, teaching, and choreographing puppetry for the Walt Disney Company, where he has been on the opening creative and production teams of several successful Disney shows in Florida and in California including “Disney Junior: Live On Stage,” “Dream Along With Mickey,” and the award-winning “Finding Nemo: The Musical!”.  Outside of Disney, he has worked in musical theater and film/television with reputable companies including The Jim Henson Company and Warner Brothers.  He has also been featured in Heather Henson’s “Handmade Puppet Dreams” series as the lead puppeteer in the short film “Harker.”