Draft:Lisa Aimee Sturz

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Lisa Aimee Sturz
Born (1955-02-02) February 2, 1955 (age 70)
Bayonne, NJ USA
EducationUCLA, MFA in Puppetry, 1985

University of Connecticut, MA in Experimental Theater, 1978

Grinnell College, BA in Theater and Religious Studies, 1976
OccupationPuppeteer
Years active1974—present
Notable workPuppeteer on Howard the Duck, Puppetmaster for the Lyric Opera's The Ring Cycle, Puppetmaster for The Atlanta Opera's The Magic Flute, Creator and Director of the TV show My Grandfather's Prayers, Creative Director for Red Herring Puppets' national touring show Aesop's Fables
Websitehttps://www.redherringpuppets.com/

Lisa Aimee Sturz (born February 2, 1955) is an American puppeteer, puppetmaster,[1] arts educator, and founder of Red Herring Puppets, a national touring company established in 1988.

Sturz's diverse puppeteering career spans over 50 years of work with film, opera, puppet shows, theater, museums, television, commercials, schools, libraries, and community arts programs.[2] She is especially known for: her work on films such as Howard the Duck;[3][4][5] RoboCop 2,[6][7] and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III;[8][9] her role as puppetmaster in The Ring Cycle for Lyric Opera of Chicago[10][11][12] and in The Magic Flute for a co-production by Jacobs School of Music[13] and The Atlanta Opera;[14] her production My Grandfather's Prayers,[15] which received a Telly award;[16] and her national touring show Aesop's Fables, which received a coveted UNIMA Citation.[17]

Four 9 to 10-minute videos examining Sturz's work have been published:

  1. From Arizona Public Media (AZPM) and produced by Özlem Özgür[2]
  2. From PBS for the show Arizona Illustrated (Sturz segments: 0:04-0:20, 4:28-14:50)[18]
  3. From AARP and Art State Arizona for a mini-documentary series Through the Artist's Eyes[19]
  4. From Ink & Staples in a mini-documentary Keeping the Art of Puppetry Alive | Lisa Sturz[20]

A two-minute version of the AZPM video on Sturz was published for State of the ArtZ 101 (Sturz segment: 8:16-10:10).[21] A 53-minute radio interview with Sturz was published on the talk show Tucson Business Radio X.[22] She was also interviewed for five minutes on TV about her movie My Grandfather's Prayers on Tucson's ABC affiliate.[23] In-depth print articles about Sturz are summarized toward the end of this page (see: #Articles About Sturz).

Early Life and Education

[edit]

Sturz was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, the youngest of two daughters. Her parents were Helaine (née Glickstein), a teacher,[24] and Melvin Sturz, a CPA and insurance broker.[25] They were both of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Sturz's maternal grandfather was Izso Glickstein and the subject of Sturz's TV show My Grandfather's Prayers.[15] Sturz's uncle was Herb Sturz, a "social justice legend" and "legendary social entrepreneur." Herb served as Sturz's family elder after both her parents died by the time she was 30 years old.

Sturz graduated from Bayonne High School in 1972, received a BA in Theater and Religious Studies from Grinnell College in 1976, earned an MA in Experimental Theater from the University of Connecticut in 1978, and received an MFA in Puppetry from UCLA in 1985.

After her sophomore year at Grinnell (1974), Sturz did a summer internship in props and scenery at the Guthrie Theater, and later became prop master at Grinnell.

For the first semester of her junior year at Grinnell (1974), Sturz was selected to participate in a joint program with the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center for acting, directing, and puppetry. At the Center she apprenticed with the renown puppeteers Rufus Rose and his wife Margo who made and performed many of the puppets on The Howdy Doody Show. During her internship, Rufus Rose urged Sturz to pursue puppetry and become an active member of Puppeteers of America. Sturz made puppetry her life-time career and was highly active in the Puppeteers of America. She served on their board from 1999 to 2002, and assumed various roles in national and regional festivals.

During summer breaks throughout undergraduate and graduate school, Sturz worked in props at the Children's Theater Company, the Minnesota Opera, and the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres in Minneapolis—St. Paul. Sturz also studied physical theater with the Iowa Theater Lab in 1976.

Early Career

[edit]
Puppeteers Sturz, Jim Gamble, Bil Baird, Burr Tillstrom, and Margo Rose.

After graduating from UConn in 1978, Sturz toured as a puppeteer with Pickwick Puppets, founded by Larry Berthelson. In 1980, Sturz was recommended by Bil Baird and staff at the Guthrie Theatre to serve as Director of Puppetry at the Haya Cultural Center in Amman, Jordan, which was under the patronage of Queen Noor at the time. During her tenure, Sturz co-directed the production of Uncle Za'rour in 1981.[26]

While at UCLA, Sturz worked for Bruce D. Schwartz as an assistant puppet builder and performer. Schwartz already had three UNIMA citations before Sturz started working with him. In 1984, Sturz worked as a Teaching Assistant at UCLA and on The Muppets Take Manhattan as an uncredited additional muppet performer.[27] Sturz would later work on three more films with Jim Henson Productions.

Early in her career, Sturz also worked with or was mentored by Jim Gamble, Bil Baird, Burr Tillstrum, and Margo Rose.

Hollywood Film and Television

[edit]

After graduating from UCLA in 1985, Sturz began a fruitful career in Hollywood. Her first project was Captain EO[28][29], where she puppeteered the characters Hooter and Geex. The film starred Michael Jackson, was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and its executive producer was George Lucas.

Impressed with her work, Lucas recommended Sturz to perform in Howard the Duck[3][4][5] . She manipulated Howard's hands in segments where puppets were used rather than a costumed actor. Although the film has been listed as one of the world's worst films, it now has a cult following. Subsequently, Sturz worked in over 20 film and TV productions.

Sturz working with Tim Rose on the set of Howard the Duck
Sturz working with fellow puppeteers on the set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
Sturz with fellow puppeteers on the set of Muppets From Space
Year Project Puppeteer Role Hiring Studio
1984 The Muppets Take Manhattan[27] Muppet crowd scenes Jim Henson Productions
1985 Captain EO[28][29] Hooter, Geex Lucasfilm
1986 Howard the Duck[3][4][5] Howard's hands[30] Industrial Light and Magic
1987 D.C. Follies Puppeteer, puppet builder Sid & Marty Krofft
1987 59th Annual Academy Awards Audrey II for Little Shop of Horrors The Samuel Goldman Co.
1988 The Absent-Minded Professor Food marionettes Walt Disney Television
1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit Brooms motion capture Touchstone, Amblin
1989 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Background movement Rick Baker Effects
1989 RoboCop 2[6][31][7][32] Cain robot monster movement Phil Tippett Studio
1990 Muppet*Vision 3D[33][34] Background, additional muppet performer Jim Henson Productions
1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III[8][9] Splinter's hands animatronics Golden Harvest, All Effects
1987-1990 Animal Crack-Ups[35][36] Reggie the Hedgie performer ABC Prod., Vin Di Bona Prod.
1991 Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge[37] Stop motion puppet effects David Allen Productions
1991 Batman Returns Penguin puppet performer Stan Winston Effects
1992 Land of I Gabriel puppet performer. Received a TLC is Creative, Images in Motion
1992 Fire in the Sky[38][39] Puppet rigging Industrial Light and Magic
1993 Murphy Brown: It's Not Easy Being Brown.[40] Sutrz performance starts at 15:50 Murphy Brown Bear puppet voice and movement. 1992 Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Warner Bros., CBS
1994 The Flintstones[41] Puppeteer on brontosaurus Universal Pictures
1994 The Puzzle Place[42] Assistant puppeteer KCET
1994 Pigasso's Place[43] Puppet designer and builder, Snail, Gabby, Tommy puppeteer The Kushner-Locke Company
1995 Geo Kids[44] Principal puppeteer National Geographic, Lost Kitty
1995 U to U: On the Road Shoe puppeteer Nickelodian
1996 Shrek Motion capture film test puppeteer DreamWorks Animation
1996 Wee Singdom: The Land of Music and Fun Puppet builder, Rose Cello puppeteer MCA/Universal Home Video
1998 The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland[45][46] Additional Muppet Performer: Oscar's left hand Jim Henson Productions
1999 Muppets from Space[47] Additional Muppet performer Jim Henson Productions
2007 Trading Spouses: Cramer/Manavit-Sturz[48] Reality TV episode where Sturz swaps with wife from a Chicago family for a week. Rocket Science Laboratories

Opera

[edit]

Sturz's work across numerous film and theater productions enabled her to perform the role of puppetmaster[1] for two major opera productions: The Ring Cycle and The Magic Flute.

Ring Cycle for Lyric Opera of Chicago (1996, 2003, 2005)

[edit]
Sturz directing Das Rheingold puppeteers to transform Alberich into a Dragon.
Sturz building Fafner for the Lyric in her Fairview studio.
Sturz's Fafner puppet in prop room with a puppeteer harnessed inside the puppet.
Sturz directing Siegfried puppeteers during a rehearsal.

The Lyric Opera of Chicago began full performances (all four parts, 15 hours across multiple days) of The Ring Cycle on March 11, 1996 (its 41st Season). It was the first time a full Cycle had been presented within a year, let alone a week, in Chicago since before WWII. All three 1996 Cycles (a total of 12 performances) were sold out months in advance, and attendees for the first Cycle (starting March 11) came from all 50 states and 22 foreign countries. The Lyric reported that the 1996 Cycles had an economic impact on the Chicago area of $34.7 million.[49][50][51]

The artistic team included conductor Zubin Mehta, director August Everding, set and costume designer John Conklin, lighting designer Duane Schuler, choreographer Debra Brown, and puppetmaster Sturz. The cast for Das Rheingold (the first part of the Cycle) included James Morris, Eva Marton/Jane Eaglen, Siegfried Jerusalem, Marjana Lipovšek, and Matti Salminen. The Lyric's Das Rheingold program credits Sturz as Puppet Master and for building Alberich's Frog.[11] Sturz also built and staged Fafner's Giant, the Woodbirds, and Alberich's Dragon.

As told by Fred Putz: Lisa's appointment as Puppetmaster came as a result of her previous association with Debra Brown (the choreographer from Cirque du Soleil), who had already created the Rhinemaidens swimming through the air on bungee cords and Valkyries leaping through the clouds with the help of trampolines. Debra recommended that Lisa consult with John Conklin (set and costume designer) on the mock-up of the dragon for "Seigfried." The Lyric was so pleased with her contributions that she was asked to stage the scene and was designated Puppetmaster. [52]

As Ring puppetmaster in 1996, 2003, and 2005, Sturz choreographed all puppet movements and trained puppeteers to perform them. She also introduced the black light approach for the Siegfried dragon in 2003 and 2005. Her contributions were noted in at least nine reviews.

  1. Fafner the dragon is the most obvious design dilemma in "Siegfried." The challenge is the same as the Ride of the Valkyries scene in "Die Walkure" and the swimming Rhine maidens who open "Das Rheingold." Lyric's stage director, August Everding, and set designer John Conklin, along with lighting designer Duane Schuler, have to create visual images to match some of the world's most evocative music. They will be doing it with a puppet, a massive but lightweight aluminum skeleton that will fill Lyric's 50-foot-wide stage. Lisa Aimee Sturz is the puppetmaster in charge of the five-minute scene in which Siegfried slays Fafner and seizes the magic ring the dragon is guarding.[53]
  2. Like the anvil scene, Siegfried's battle with Fafner is one of those places in which Wagner's dramatic music can overpower the stage action. Conklin and puppetmaster Lisa Aimee Sturz solved the problem superbly with a massive figure resembling a dinosaur skeleton. Manipulated by 16 black-clad handlers, Fafner was truly terrifying, with claws that loomed over Siegfried like the prehistoric beasts in "Jurassic Park." The battle was exciting, with Siegfried being squeezed by the dragon's tail.[54]
  3. Small wonder that much of the curiosity about the current production of "Siegfried," seen in its fourth performance on Wednesday evening, was focused on the representation of the giant Fafner as dragon. And the contraption devised for the purpose by John Conklin, the set and costume designer, must have satisfied even the wildest expectations: a huge skeletal puppet consisting of segmented skull and tail, manipulated from below by 16 people. If the dragon did not steal the scene entirely, it was only because the dancer appended to the origami Forest Bird took a Peter Pan flight over the stage to close the second act.[55]
  4. Lyric's Fafner, the creation of puppetmaster Lisa Aimee Sturz, is a gigantic reptilian skeleton requiring some 16 black-clad acrobats to manipulate its vertebrae and massive fanged jaws and head. The Woodbird is a simple origami bird held by a dancer who flies magically off like Peter Pan with Siegfried in pursuit. In Act 1, the furnishings of Mime's hut include a rocking-horse dragon which Siegfried rides from time to time. The bear episode is handled deftly, economically, and effectively.[56]
  5. If the audience remembers anything about the visual design, it will be the bungee-jumping Rhinemaidens and trampoline-bounding Valkyries as choreographed by Debra Brown, also the oversized dragon and giant puppets by Lisa Aimee Sturz, striking creations all.[57]
  6. Puppet master Lisa Aimee Sturz brings back her nifty dragon, a large skeletal Fafner with snapping steel jaws and mean-looking claws operated by black-clad supers.[58]
  7. The success of Lyric's production of "The Ring" was due to the combination of Wagner's well-played music, imaginative set design, creative lighting, sophisticated choreography, and the magic of puppetry.[52]
  8. One notable visual improvement is the Fafner scene. The Lyric's skeletal dragon created quite a stir when it debuted in the 1993-1994 season. Now, Fafner is more fearsome than ever, thanks to creative "black" lighting and phosphorescent makeup, which helps to obscure the 15 black-costumed puppeteers (choreographed by Lisa Aimee Sturz) that bring the monster to life. It's a wonderful solution to one of the more problematic scenes to pull off convincingly in the "Ring" cycle.[59]
  9. The theatrical puppeteer Lisa Aimee Sturz created the huge skull, the skeletal segmented tail, and giant talons, expertly manipulated in time to Wagner’s music by sixteen people hidden underneath. I regret not having seen the actual performance but have studied the photographs and corresponded with Lisa ...[60]

The Magic Flute (2009-10, 2017-2018, 2024)

[edit]
Director Tomer Zvulun reviews puppetmaster Sturz's new dragon and choreography during a 2009 Magic Flute rehearsal.
Zvulun reviews Sturz's bird puppets and choreography during a 2009 Magic Flute rehearsal.

Sturz was puppetmaster for a co-production of the The Magic Flute. First, it ran at Indiana University Opera Theater's Musical Arts Center in Bloomington on November 13, 14, 20, and 21, 2009.[13] The artistic team included conductor Mark Gibson, stage director Tomer Zvulun, and set and costume designer C. David Higgins. As puppetmaster, Sturz built and choreographed the puppets, then directed the puppeteering. A promotional video was posted on November 11, 2009 for the launch. It features the artistic team, student performers, and the puppets Sturz built.[61]

Arts reviewer George Walker reviewed the debut immediately afterward, noting there were two performances left. (The currently available recording and transcript was published in 2019.) In the review he compliments Sturz's work:

One of the highlights of this production is the bird and animal puppets created by Lisa Sturz. They are wonderful whimsical creations and some of the best acting in the show comes from the feathered folk. They fly about, comment on the action, bill, coo, scrap and even eat out of the bird catcher's hand. Later the menagerie is expanded with a giraffe, a kinkajou and just the cutest little porcupine that you can imagine. Parents or grandparents who're looking for a first opera for a child might want to think about the first act of "The Magic Flute" as a wonderful introduction. The singing is in German, but the dialog and most of the humor is in English, it's very active and the puppets are great.[62]

Peter Jacobi also reviewed the production: And to help satisfy the fairy tale elements of the story, there's a huge and squiggly dragon. There are birds that nibble and peck. There are full-sized, huggable animals. All, of course, are make-believe and brought to life by puppeteers, these trained by an imported master of that craft, puppet creator Lisa Aimee Sturz.[63]

The co-production then moved to the Atlanta Opera to conclude it's 2009/2010 season with conductor Arthur Fagen, Zvulun and Higgins.[14] A review of the Atlanta production by Pierre Ruhe references Sturz's dragon: It helps, too, that they had a good dragon. Puppets are in vogue in theater and opera these days, and this "Magic Flute," which premiered in Indiana in November, is wonderfully whimsical without being hollow -- a difficult balance.[64]

Seven years later, Sturz's Magic Flute puppets were refurbished for the Atlanta Opera Studio Tour, which reaches 12,500 students every year as part of their Education Program. The Flute tour started in October 2017 and repeated in January and May 2018. All performances were completely booked. The Center for Puppetry Arts also hosted the Studio Tour in January 2018.[65][66]

The main stage production of The Magic Flute was mounted again by the Atlanta Opera in November 2024 with Fagen, Zvulun, and Higgins. Sturz is credited for the original puppets,[67] and her refurbished bird puppets are featured in a playful promotional video for the production: Puppet Take-Over![68] Promotional graphics for the production still resemble Sturz's original Dragon and Papageno birds from 2009.[69]

Symphony

[edit]

Sturz has supported three symphony productions with puppetry: Petrushka, Pictures at an Exhibition, and Peter and the Wolf.

Petrushka (2008)

[edit]
Petrushka puppets performing with the Asheville Symphony.
Petrushka puppeteers rehearse movements for Ballerina jump

Sturz collaborated with Asheville Symphony to produce Petrushka on May 10, 2008 for their final Masterworks concert of the season.[70] Music director Daniel Meyer decided to present Petrushka, a ballet about puppets, in the 2007-2008 season, and executive director Steve Hageman brought in Sturz to collaborate with Meyer.[71] A behind-the-scenes and pre-show video of the co-production was published.

Stravinsky's Petrushka has four central characters: Petrushka the clown, the Ballerina (who is loved by Petrushka), the Moor (to whom the Ballerina is attracted), and the Magician who brings the puppets to life. Sturz's idea was for Meyer to play the Magician, use huge rod puppets for the other three central puppets, and then use shadow puppets to set multiple scenes and present additional puppets.

The concept was well received and Sturz's Red Herring Puppets built the huge puppets (7-10 feet tall) and the shadow puppets. Sturz was interviewed by Hageman for the season program and described the her vision for the production:

The unique challenge with Petrushka has been sharing the stage with a full orchestra. Stravinsky's music is the driving force and the visuals must not compete with the energy and excitement of the score. I observed Daniel Meyer conducting at previous symphonic concerts and couldn't take my eyes off him. I knew his charismatic presence had to be part of the drama. I asked Daniel to double as the magician with the orchestra as the source of the magic and the spirit of the crowd as the Shrovetide Fair.[72][73]

Sturz's puppetry team included an expert in Russian ballet (Susan Paul) to help with choreography and a musical coordinator (Gwenn Roberts) to coach the team on moving to the score. The three rod puppets were performed by six puppeteers. Additional puppeteers performed the shadow puppets projected on a huge screen behind the rod puppets. Gwenn Roberts also performed as a real-time shadow puppet imitating conductor Meyer as the Magician.

The rod puppets interacted with each other and the shadow puppets on the large screen behind them. Three puppeteers managed the Moor. Timing was critical. The puppeteers had to anticipate where they were in the score so that their puppet would complete their movement at the precise moment called for by conductor Meyer.

The 2008 Petrushka production was referenced multiple times in Asheville Symphony's 50th Anniversary publication celebrating past productions.[74]

Pictures at an Exhibition (2009)

[edit]

Pictures at an Exhibition was performed at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center by the Huntington Symphony Orchestra on October 25, 2009. Sturz designed, built, choreographed shadow puppets performed on overhead projectors, and trained four puppeteers for the performance. In 2017, Sturz remounted the production for a performance at the Diana Wortham Theater with John Cobb performing the score on piano.

Peter and the Wolf (2012)

[edit]

Peter and the Wolf was performed on March 10 and 17, 2012 at the Birmingham Children's Theater. Forty-four members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra accompanied the production. Dane Peterson was director and Fawzi Haimor was conductor. Sturz designed and built six large rod puppets and eight puppeteers were trained by Sturz to perform them.[75][76][77]

Theater

[edit]
Mrs. Pots in costume for Beauty and the Beast.
Madame de la Grande Bouche costume for Beauty and the Beast.

Sturz has supported 20 theater productions.

Three Alebrijes puppets for Scoundrel and Scamp production.
Year Production Role Company
1981 Uncle Za'rour[26] Creative Director, puppetmaster. Work with local community. Identify folk characters. Tour rural villages throughout Jordan. Haya Cultural Center
1987 Little Shop of Horrors[78][79][80] Build and perform four distinct Audrey II puppets as the plant grew in size. La Mirada Theater
1987 PH*reaks Design and build puppet characters. Train puppeteers. Mark Tapper Forum
1989 Pirandello's Wife[81] Design set, costumes, and makeup Cal Poly theater and dance
1989 The Book and the Stranger[82] Design and build shadow puppets for New York production La MaMa E.T.C.
1992 Terra Firma Puppetmaster Mark Tapper Forum
1993 The Hand Behind the Face[83][84] Design, create, and perform skeletal puppets Odyssey Theater
1993 Romeo and Juliet Design and build portable puppet stage and puppets. Perform prologue. Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company
1995 The Puppetmaster of Lodz[85][86][87][88][89][90] Design and build marionettes. Train actor to manipulate them. Actors Alley Repertory Theater
1997 Lulu Noire[91] Design and perform 6-foot marionette of lead tenor with 40-foot long strings. Spoleto Festival
1997 In Xanadu[92] Perform shadow puppets on overhead projector. ShadowLight Productions
2001 A Wrinkle in Time Design and build visual effects including the "brain." Perform role of Aunt Beast. NC Stage Company
2003 Fiddler on the Roof Design and build giant puppets for nightmare sequence. Perform role of Yenta. Asheville Theater Company
2004 Beauty and the Beast[93][94] Build teapot, wardrobe, candlestick and other costumes. Flat Rock Playhouse
2005 The Long Christmas Ride Home Design and Build three bunraku figures resembling the three main actors. Actor's Express
2016 Young Frankenstein Build 12-foot Frankenstein puppet and train puppeteers. Asheville Community Theater
2017 30th Anniversary Concert Design, build, and choreograph musical sequence for African Yemaha ocean goddess. Womansong of Asheville
2022 Emergency[95][96] Paint scenery. Build life-size skeleton puppet. Invisible Theater
2024 Alibrejes Build three 4-foot marionettes for blacklight stage. Puppetmaster. Borderlands Theater, Scoundrel and Scamp Theater
2025 Macbeth Design and build shadow puppet sequence. Scoundrel and Scamp Theater

My Grandfather's Prayers

[edit]
Glickstein with his wife and opera singer from My Grandfather's Prayers.
Shadow puppet Sabbath scene from My Grandfather's Prayers.

Sturz co-produced and created a movie for JLTV: My Grandfather's Prayers.[15] It was recorded at JLTV studios in Los Angeles and aired internationally.[97] The film is a multi-media theatrical performance based on the life of Izso Glickstein, a fourth-generation cantor, child prodigy, and operatic tenor. Research for the film included visiting officials at the Dohany Street Synagogue in Budapest, who recalled Glickstein and pointed her to the National Archives of Hungary. Sturz also visited Congregation Mishkan Tefila in the Boston area where they had stored archives for Glickstein's tenure there. Sturz interviewed her uncle Mitch Glickstein in London about his memories of his father and obtained old Glickstein recordings.

Sturz used shadow puppets, scrolling backgrounds, marionettes, digital compositing, and poetic text to explore her own ancestry, artistry, spirituality and social responsibility. A particularly touching moment when the character Glickstein grants Sturz artistic license to produce her show. Two solo klezmer fiddle tracks by Michael Levy from Echoes of the Shtetl enriched the production.

Before making the film, Sturz created a touring puppet show. For an outside perspective, Sturz invited theater professional and documentary filmmaker Rebecca Williams to be be consulting director. The tour included Asheville,[98] Cleveland,[99] Iowa, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Boston, New York, and Tucson. At the Midwest Regional Puppeteers of America Festival in Iowa, the show received a highly complimentary review in the local newspaper: Puppeteer Lisa Sturz tells the story of her grandfather's life ... This was not a story to entertain children, and seeing the show was an experience much like seeing an Oscar-winning drama.[100]

Before it was performed in Asheville, a description of the production was published in a local magazine.[101] Then an interview with Sturz was published by Blue Ridge Public Radio about her background and the touring show.[102] Another segment of the tour was in Tucson, and a five-and-a-half minute segment about the film was aired on Tucson's ABC affiliate KGUN9. Sturz describes how Glickstein's music inspired her to make the film.[23]

The film premiered on JLTV, January 25, 2020.[103] Just before it aired, a detailed interview with Sturz was published on Arizona Jewish Post. It describes Glickstein's journey as a cantor, first in Europe, then in the USA. It also captures highlights from Sturz's career.[104] Later, the film was described by Sturz in an article.[105]

The film won a Telly Award[16] and a DeRose-Hinkhouse Award, both in 2021.[106]

Red Herring Puppets

[edit]

Sturz founded Red Herring Puppets in 1988, specializing in educational residencies and performances. It has toured over 20 puppet shows created by Sturz. About half of these shows were based on well-known legends, fables, history, and science. Others were totally conceived by Sturz. Recently she has been producing bilingual shows in Spanish and English.

Sturz typically followed a lengthy and complex process to create and produce a puppet show: story research; storyboarding; script writing (often in rhyme); puppet design and building; stage and scenery design and building (to fit in a mini-van); sourcing music and voice talent; sound recording and mixing; sourcing puppeteer talent; training and rehearsing puppeteers; marketing (including article writing, participating in newspaper and TV interviews, etc.); securing grants, venues, and performance commitments; show logistics; and billing and accounting. Often, Sturz completed these tasks on her own.

Sturz with Eros and Psyche puppet.

Many of the Red Herring Puppets shows were still touring at schools, libraries,[107] and theaters in 2025.

Sturz served as adjunct professor at Warren Wilson College in 2015 and taught a course on puppet slams, ending with a performance at White Horse Black Mountain.[108]

Sturz is also an educator through classroom artist-in-residence programs (or "residencies").[109][110][111] Starting in 2023, Red Herring Puppets' home venue has been the Scoundrel and Scamp Theater, where Sturz is an Artistic Associate.[112]

Apollo for Eros and Psyche production
Callistro and Zeus from the puppet show 'The Big Dipper.'
Loshi writing Chinese characters in the puppet show 'The Big Dipper.'
BeeSting: shadow puppets about the hive, the declining bee population, and breast cancer.
Sturz performing Little One Inch.
Edison and Latimer from the puppet show "ELECTRICITY!'
Pedro, Ana, and Tito from the puppet show 'The Friendly Chupacabra'
Two gods from the Blue Frog puppet show debate whether they should share chocolate with humans
FDR puppet gives fireside chat in GREED!
Giant La Calavera Catrina puppet used in parades and various productions in Tucson, AZ
Year Production Description Note
1978 Life After Death[113][114] Shadow puppets on overhead projectors. About abortion as a confrontation to the Great Mother archetype. It is based on dozens of interviews with women. Received a National Endowment for the Arts grant.
1979 Here's Looking at Eu-clid[115] Ballet of geometric forms. With Rose and Thorn Puppet Theater for United Puppet Artists in Minneapolis production.
1979 The Hungry Child[115] Tabletop marionettes were used to tell an old Irish folk tale. With Rose and Thorn Puppet Theater for United Puppet Artists in Minneapolis production.
1980 Baba Yaga[116][117] Show about a walking house, an enchanted hedgehog, a lost little girl, and Baba Yaga the witch. Built and performed show with Ray St. Louis as part of Rose and Thorn Puppets.
1984 Life of the Buddha Overhead projector shadow puppets were used to accompany a special LACMA museum exhibit on Buddhist Art.
1986 Eros and Psyche[118] Bunraku style rod puppets, giant puppets, and black theatre sequence to tell ancient story of overcoming obstacles to love. Performed at UCLA and the National Puppet Festival. Received a Puppeteers of America Endowment[119] grant.
1992-Ongoing Adventures in Folklore[120][121] Hand puppets are used to tell four folktales: Jack and the Beanstalk with a Celtic rendition; Dogs and Masters is a light romp through Parisian parks; Kamala's Drum is a Himalayan folk tale about the spirit of generosity; and The Three Little Pigs is a fast-paced, rap version of the popular story. First track: Music and narration by world-renowned harpist Robin Williamson. Third track: original music by Lynn Anderson. The show's MC is Rowby, who charms the audience.
1994 Facing Both Ways[122][123] Bunraku style rod puppets, hand puppets, overhead projected shadows were used to explore the Celtic idea of lifting the veil between worlds. The show featured fairies, ancient Kings, female goddesses, and shape-shifters. Received a Puppeteers of America Endowment[119] grant and a Jim Henson Foundation[124] grant.
1996 Still Life This shows used hand puppets and black light puppets. It was developed at the O'Neil. It is about realizing potential and is based on a dream of finding a live baby in the attic. Original music by Larry Siegel. Received a Puppeteers of America Endowment[119] grant and a Jim Henson Foundation[124] grant.
1997-Ongoing The Legend of La Befana[125][126] The show uses over 50 puppets: rod puppets, marionettes, hand puppets, black light puppets, and an angel costume. The Legend is a favorite Christmas story in Italy. It is about an old woman who is visited by the magi and leaves her home and cat in search of the Christ-child. Original music by Cathy Riley.
1999 Guignol Hand puppets were used to tell a traditional French story.
2002 The Mystery of the Salt Crystal[127] Rod puppets and character costumes were used to tell this Medieval legend about the historical importance of salt. Performed with Peter Baird. Original music by Cathy Riley.
2003-Ongoing Aesop's Fables[128][129][130] Tabletop rod puppets, a marionette, and a hand and mouth puppet are used to tell these classic tales: The Lion and the Mouse, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Owl and the Grasshopper, The Fox and the Crow, The Crow and the Pitcher, and The Stork and the Fox. Original music by Cathy Riley. Toured nationally.
2007-Ongoing The Big Dipper[131] Marionettes and overhead projected shadows are used to tell four cultural legends. The show includes scientific facts to enhance the educational value of the show. Music by Lief Stevenson. Includes elaborate painted and sewn backdrops. Received a Puppeteers of America Endowment[119] grant.
2011-Ongoing Hansel and Gretel[132][133] Marionettes and shadow puppets tell this popular fairytale of empowerment, determination, and triumph.
2012 Beware of Deleware[134] Toy theatre, marionettes, and animated props are used to create a playful expose on the huge number of corporations registered in the tiny state of Delaware. A political puppet slam piece for adult audiences. Based on Deep Economics by Mark Blessington. Available on YouTube.
2012 BeeSting[135][136] A lyrical outpouring of creative force, addressing the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges of breast cancer against a backdrop of our declining bee population. Directed by Diane Tower-Jones and music by Layne Redmond.
2012 GREED![134] A set of multiple puppet shows using hand puppets, shadow puppets, marionettes, costume characters, giant masks, oversized props, and 2D cutouts. The vignettes elucidate the complexities fueling economic inequality and unrest. Based on Deep Economics by Mark Blessington. A political puppet slam piece for adult audiences.
2013-Ongoing Little One-Inch[137] Tabletop marionettes with authentic Japanese costumes tell this ancient legend of an old couple whose prayers are answered when they find a small baby by the side of the road. Received a Puppeteers of America Endowment[119] grant.
2014-Ongoing ELECTRICITY![138] Large Bunraku and rod table-top puppets and 2D paper puppet animations explain how historical figures and famous scientists used careful observation and built on each other’s knowledge to invent the compass, the lightning rod, the battery, the motor, and the electric light bulb. Toured nationally.
2019-Ongoing The Chicken and the Egg: Life Cycles[139] Shadow and rod puppets reveal the life cycles of various plant and animal groups. Original music by Katherine O'Shea. Toured nationally.
2021-Ongoing The Ugly Duckling[140] An “ugly duckling” finds the place where he belongs. Sturz's version of this classical story is told in rhyme. Original music throughout by Brandon Leatherland.
2021 Three Sisters All Souls Procession finale prformance. Performance and singing by Lisa Sturz, Elysia Hansel, and Katie Popiel. Music by Michael Egan, lyrics by Tom Jacobson, recording and instrumentation by Kevin Larkin.
2021-Ongoing La Calavera Katrina This 10-foot tall puppet is based on the popular female skeleton figure and iconic symbol of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico, known for her stylish clothing and feathered hat. Used in various Tucson Day of the Dead concerts and processions.
2022-Ongoing The Barking Mouse and The Blue Frog[141] A mother mouse wittily demonstrates the value of learning a second language by barking to scare away a threatening cat. The Blue Frog is the Mayan version of the legend of how the people of the Earth were gifted with chocolate. See promo video. Both shows are bilingual.
2023-Ongoing The Friendly Chupacabra[142] The chupacabra is a source of fear and wonder in Latino countries and parts of the Southern United States. This bilingual story takes place in Puerto Rico where a brave girl and her goat tame the chupacabra beast with friendship. See promo video. A bilingual show.
2024 Soft Rains Sturz collaborated with Noa Moquin and Luis Castillo Silva to create a shadow puppet show as part of a literary event sponsored by Biosphere 2 honoring Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. Original music by Noa Moquin
1980s-Ongoing Adult Puppet Slam Network Over several decades, Sturz has curated and produced Adult Puppetry Slams in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Asheville, and Tucson. Each slam is a collection of short vignettes with a variety of puppet styles created by multiple performers. Encourages non-professional participation.

Puppet Design and Fabrication

[edit]
Sturz making an Ice Capades mascot.
Sturz in Asheville NC studio
Lionfish designed and built for the North Carolina Aquarium

Concurrent with her Hollywood film career, Sturz did extensive work in puppet design and fabrication. She started making molds at The Hand Prop Room in 1985 and used those skills for many subsequent puppet heads, hands, and feet. Sturz greatly extended her skill set by working at Walt Disney Imagineering and then Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Some of her most notable builds are large scale puppets for major museums like the Field Museum of Natural History and aquariums like the Shedd.

Giant shark built for the Shedd Aquarium in 1999.
Large Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops built for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago in 2005.
Year Client or Employer Role
1985 The Hand Prop Room Mold maker
1986-1987 Walt Disney Imagineering Prop construction, character fabrication, puppetry consultant
1987 Sid and Marty Krofft Puppet builder and performer
1988 The Character Shop Puppet fabrication
1990-2002 All Effects Puppet builder and performer
1991 Jim Henson's Creature Shop Dinosaur and creature costume fabricator, dresser
1992 Pasadena Puppet Shop Puppet fabrication
1993 Industrial Light and Magic Creature Shop Puppet fabrication
1993-1994 Universal Production Services: Costume Shop Department Head: Character Costume Division
1994-1996 Ice Capades Character Costume Department Head, Lead Patternmaker
1996 Biltmore Estate Design, build, and perform characters for St. George and the Dragon
1999-2005 Shedd Acquarium Design and build giant exhibition figures: crab, shark, octopus, and stingray to promote their Wild Reef exhibit[143]
2001 UNC Asheville Drama Department Fabricate costumes for the Velveteen Rabbit
2002 Tennessee Aquarium Design, build, and install giant jellyfish
2004 Flat Rock Playhouse Build enchanted costumes for their Beauty and the Beast production
2005 Harrah's Cherokee Casino Design and build giant parade figures: Uk'tena, water beetle, buzzard
2005 Field Museum of Natural History Design and build giant exhibition figures: Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops
2005-2006 North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher Design and build giant exhibition figures: lionfish, oyster reef
2007 UNC-TV Design, build, and perform puppets for Let's Go Shopping with Read-a-Roo[144]
2008 City of Asheville[145] Design, build, and install giant parade float figures: snowmen, nutcracker, reindeer, teacups
2008 Blue Ridge Motion Pictures Design and build figures for Uncle Rhubarb
2012 Bubbleland LLC Build Denton the Dragon puppet. Work with illustrator Jerry Pope to build a large Denton puppet and other characters for short films.
2014 Parelli Natural Horsemanship Build horse heads
2016 Silver Dollar City (theme park) Design and build giant puppets and decorations for Christmas show
2020 Children's Museum Tucson Design and build giant scorpion, milk bottle, snake, outdoor fort, and cactus bean-bag game
2021 North Carolina Arboretum Design and build bird mobile for permanent educational installation

Commercials

[edit]

Sturz used puppets to support a variety of commercials. Several were notable. Sturz was a principal puppeteer for the 1987 Chevy Corsica ad with aliens in a spacecraft called The Collector. It was shot in Douglas Trumbull's Showscan process which featured a unique, high-impact visual style (70mm film photographed and projected at 60 frames per second, 2.5 times the standard movie speed). The ad celebrated Chevrolet's 75th Anniversary.

The 1996 ad for Diet Snapple by Creative Director Richard Kirshenbaum, The Ultimate Frontier, won a Paley award for Best Spots of April, 1996. Sturz was asked to design, fabricate, and operatedthe sock puppets for this clever commercial.

For a full listing of Sturz's commercials, see her curriculum vitae here.

Publications

[edit]

Sturz has written and published a book chapter: Puppetry and Virtual Theater (Chapter 7, with contributions from Tim Lawrence, Wendy Morton, Brad Shur, and Kirk Thatcher) in the book The Egyptian Oracle Project: Ancient Ceremony Augmented Reality[146] by Robyn Gillam and Jeffrey Jacobson in 2015.

Sturz has contributed 13 articles to The Puppetry Journal

  1. Puppetry at UCLA: East-West Fusion with Carol Sorgenfrei, 1983[147]
  2. On Camera with Mark Bryan Wilson, 1990[148]
  3. Creating New Work for Adult Audiences with Michael Davis, 1995[149]
  4. Constructive Criticism: Tell Me What You Think, 2003[150]
  5. Three Giant Sea Creatures-You Want Them WHEN??, 2003[151]
  6. Southeast (North Carolina) Festival Report, 2004[152]
  7. Think Big, 2005[153]
  8. Kinetic Steel: The Marionettes of John Payne (cover story), 2008[154]
  9. Back to School – Reclaiming a Role in the Schools Through Curriculum-Based Performance, 2009[155]
  10. BeeSting, 2011[156]
  11. Puppet Evolution: Film and Technology with Jeffrey Jacobson and Tim Lawrence, 2013[157]
  12. Full Steam Ahead, 2014[158]
  13. My Grandfather's Prayers, 2018[105]

Sturz has contributed three articles to Puppetry International:

  1. Lisa Sturz Thinks Big, 2007[159]
  2. Savoring the Salt Crystal, 2016[160]
  3. Puppetry in the Ring, 2021[161]

Sturz published a second article with Mark Bryan Wilson in 1991: On Camera:SAG Puppeteers, The Modern Practice of an Ancient Art.[162] She also published an article about My Grandfather's Prayers in WNC Woman.[163]

Articles About Sturz

[edit]

Sturz's career has been featured in four print articles:

Experience the Magic of Puppetry (1997). This article examines Sturz's career in the context of: her move to Asheville, NC from Los Angeles in 1996; her upcoming Christmas show La Befana; and the formation of the Asheville Puppetry Alliance for local puppeteers. Many aspects of Sturz's vision for puppetry are covered, especially its relevance to adult audiences.[164]

Pulling Her Own Strings (2004). In this extensive article, Sturz tells Daniel about a particularly rewarding moment during rehearsals for the Lyric Opera's The Ring: Conductor Zubin Mehta was leading his rehearsal and all the bigwigs were there to see the dragon in action. Zubin had seen bits and pieces of my work, but not the whole thing. He sent his assistant to the conductor's podium and came back to the production table where I was standing. He jumped up and down with delight and told me, 'That's the best dragon I've ever seen!' It was an unforgettable moment.

Later in the article, Sturz tells a story about her work with the Shedd Aquarium: Recently she was commissioned by the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to build four 20-foot sea creatures for the opening of its Wild Reef Exhibit. [The Shedd said] 'We need something lightweight, wind resistant, and fast!' Over the weekend I swatched some fabrics and started playing ... with anything I could get my hands on ... and there it was - bubble wrap ... lightweight, pliable, inexpensive, easily available. I loved the way it looked under the iridescent textured organza I purchased for the outside. You could see through it and experience the bubbles that held the poetry of the ocean.

At the conclusion of the article, Daniel asked Sturz: ... how she came up with the name for her company, Red Herring Puppets. She recalled years ago when she was switched out of a PhD program [in puppetry at UCLA to their MFA program in puppetry] because the decision-makers felt she was too creative. They didn't know what to do with her and called her a red herring.[165]

Stung by Cancer (2011). Casey Blake wrote a detailed article about how Sturz's experience with cancer led to her puppet show BeeSting: There's just nothing cute about cancer, even if you work with puppets all day. That's what Lisa Sturz, an Emmy Award winning puppeteer who lives in Asheville, foud out when she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, the day after becoming engaged to her now-husband Mark Blessington. ...So in true Sturz fashion, she created a performance to express all of the most uncute aspects of her battle with breast cancer, ... This time, however, Sturz left the marionette strings behind in creating "Beesting," a show of animated images created with shadow puppets on overhead projectors. ...[166]

Puppets in the Old Pueblo (2022). Sturz's studio and performance space in the Tucson Mall provides the backdrop for this article after the reviewer attended Aesop's Fables: Sturz is a master at pleasing the kid crowd. When one kid calls out an unsolicited suggestion for how a character can solve a conundrum, the puppet answers her, and then answers other kids as they pipe up as well. But Sturz makes it a point in every show to slip in jokes the adults might appreciate too, like when she looks out at the crowd of 4-year olds and says, "Who here remembers Archimedes' Law of Replacement?"[167]

Shorter pieces on Sturz's career have been written as well.[81][168][169][170]

References

[edit]
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  137. ^ "Little One-Inch". Red Herring Puppets. "Little One-Inch" was my favorite story growing up. My Dad, who was stationed in Okinawa during World War II, passed on to me his deep love of the Japanese language, people and culture. He read this story to me. I was enchanted by the magical elements, inspired by the idea that a little person could achieve great things, and reassured that love can blossom in unlikely circumstances.
  138. ^ "ELECTRICITY!". Red Herring Puppets. Puppets portray historical figures and famous scientists who employ the process of careful observation and build on each other's knowledge, to make related discoveries in various parts of the world resulting in the invention of the compass, the lightning rod, the battery, the motor, and the electric light bulb.
  139. ^ "The Chicken and the Egg: Life Cycles". Red Herring Puppets. The Chicken and the Egg is a lively shadow puppet play about the life cycles of the various plant and animal groups. The stage is an inflatable chicken with an egg-shaped shadow screen. Animated shadow sequences are introduced with original songs and colorful puppets.
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  142. ^ "The Friendly Chupacabra / El Chupacabra Amigable". Red Herring Puppets. The Chupacabra is a source of fear and wonder in several Latino countries and parts of the Southern United States. Our bilingual story takes place in Puerto Rico where a brave girl, Ana and her goat tame the beast with friendship.
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