Rephonic
Artwork for Under The Puppet

Under The Puppet

Saturday Morning Media
Puppetry
The Jim Henson Company
Industrial Light & Magic
The Muppet Show
Rakugo
Mucca Pazza
Lucasfilm
Ventriloquism
Skyana Puppet Theatre
Return Of the Jedi
Dark Crystal
Sesame Street

Since 2017. Under The Puppet is a monthly show that is preserving puppetry through the personal stories of professional puppeteers. Guests include puppeteers from The Muppets, Sesame Street, The Jim Henson Company and more. The show also covers other forms of puppetry such as marionettes, shadow puppetry and Bunraku . Hosted by puppeteer Grant Baciocco (The Jim Henson Company, Mystery Science Thea... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes100Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
How ToPerforming ArtsEducationArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Under The Puppet

Latest Episodes

www.UnderThePuppet.com -

In July of 2025, an incredible group of people got together at the Amazon MGM studios in Culver City, California on historic stage 15, to shoot a series of shorts called Judge Boing Boing. I recently sat down with t... more

www.UnderThePuppet.com -

Amanda Maddock is a puppeteer, builder, wrangler, and teacher who has experience working with puppets of all sizes. From the regular puppets of The Book of Pooh, Bear in the Big Blue House, Between the Lions, Sesame... more

www.UnderThePuppet.com -

Geneviève Flati is a puppeteer, producer, and one of the most driven creative individuals I know. Her passion has led to work as Puppet Director, Puppet Captain, and Puppeteer on several nationwide tours, including ... more

www.UnderThePuppet.com -

In 1981, Rita Peruggi was hired by The Jim Henson Company as a production assistant on various projects including Rocky Mountain Holiday with John Denver and The Muppets. She then moved on to the role of producer fo... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Amanda Maddock
Puppeteer, builder, wrangler, and teacher
Independent puppeteer/The Jim Henson Company connections
Episode: 117 - Amanda Maddock (Five Nights At Freddy's 1 & 2, Bear In the Big Blue House, LazyTown)
Genevieve Flati
Puppeteer, producer, and puppet captain/director with extensive work at Disney, Jim Henson Company, and touring productions
Independent puppeteer/Jim Henson Company projects
Episode: 116 - Geneviève Flati (AJR's Maybe Man Tour, Fraggle Rock Live, Puppet Up)
Rita Peruggi
Producer with The Jim Henson Company and extensive credits on Muppets, Yo Gabba Gabba, Fraggle Rock Back to the Rock
The Jim Henson Company
Episode: 115 - Rita Peruggi (The Muppets, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Fraggle Rock)
Louise Gold
Puppeteer who worked with The Muppets, Dark Crystal, Sesame Street
The Muppets, Dark Crystal, Sesame Street
Episode: 114 - Louise Gold (The Muppets, Dark Crystal, Sesame Street)
Stacey Weingarten
Puppeteer, puppet wrangler, director, writer, and producer
Episode: 113 - Stacey Weingarten (The Muppet Show Special, Sesame Street, Rescue Rue)
Marisol Himmel
Educational puppeteer and ventriloquist; creator of Moddy Puppets
Moddy Puppets
Episode: 112 - Marisol Himmel (Moddy Puppets)
Jeanne Lauren
Professional puppeteer and founder of Skyana Puppet Theatre
Skyana Puppet Theatre
Episode: 111 - Jeanne Lauren (Return of the Jedi, Eco, You and Simon, Too, Skyana)
Vanessa Valliere
Puppeteer and performer known for clown/puppet hybrid works and solo shows
The Life And Times Of Terry; Look Look; Theatre Unspeakable; Mucca Pazza
Episode: 110 - Vanessa Valliere (LOOK! LOOK!, The Life And Times of Terry, Mucca Pazza)
Showko Showfukutei
Ventriloquist, comedian, actor; Rakugo performer
Independent performer
Episode: 109 - Showko Showfukutei 笑福亭 笑子 (Australia's Got Talent, Saccharine)

Host

Grant Baciocco
Host with extensive experience in puppetry and associated media, connected to major studios and creative projects.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 64 ratings
  • Enjoyable and Informative for Professionals and Fans

    I love Grant Baciocco's enthusiasm for the subject of pupeteering and and respect he obviously has for his interview subjects. He takes puppeteering seriously, but also clearly revels in it. I've learned a great deal about several puppeteers whom I was unfamiliar with before listening, as these artists are usually not highlighted otherwise. Thanks, Grant!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shuzuluza
    United States7 years ago
  • Great puppetry podcast!!

    I love listening to this podcast so much & hearing those great interviews from professionals in the puppetry business! Hands down to Grant for finding these amazing people & interviewing them on his show! Keep up the great work!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻💯😊

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SweetieRetroGirl
    United States7 years ago
  • A must listen for puppeteers and puppet makers!

    If you are a puppeteer or a puppet maker, this podcast is full of great interviews with renowned puppeteers of all puppet styles, but also fantastic tips and tricks on auditioning, what to have in your Puppetry toolkit for on set, as well as behind the scenes on many US based puppet productions.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aussie Muppet Girl
    Australia8 years ago
  • Aspiring Professional Puppeteers Need This

    This is what I wish I could have found years ago. When I first began my journey to become a professional puppeteer I was thirsty for information and inspiration with no idea where to find it. If you’re in that same boat, here’s what you’re looking for!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jhimesy
    United States8 years ago
  • Fun podcast

    I love what you are doing! Keep up the great work

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PaulBarbarossa
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host for thoughtful questions and focus on guests' craft.
Audience finds episodes inspirational for aspiring puppeteers and educators.
Show appears to consistently deliver high-quality, insightful puppetry conversations.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

113 - Stacey Weingarten (The Muppet Show Special, Sesame Street, Rescue Rue)
Q: What advice would you give to puppeteers wanting to bring a show to life in a theater setting?
Start small, involve friends for readings, and focus on building a strong script and cast. Be prepared for feedback and use it to iterate; festival experiences can validate the concept and reveal what needs clarifying for audiences.
115 - Rita Peruggi (The Muppets, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Fraggle Rock)
Q: What was your approach to casting puppeteers and building the right team for a multi-character puppet?”
Casting focuses on whether the puppeteer embodies the character and whether the team can work together seamlessly; the surrounding cast, eyes, arms, and overall collaboration are as important as individual puppeteering skill.
115 - Rita Peruggi (The Muppets, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Fraggle Rock)
Q: How did you approach balancing the three worlds in Muppet Vision 3D (film, live show, theme park) and what was the biggest producing challenge?
The biggest challenge was keeping momentum and quality after Jim Henson's death, but with a strong team, proper planning, and the luxury of time and resources, we managed to deliver a cohesive experience that worked across all formats.
115 - Rita Peruggi (The Muppets, Yo Gabba Gabba!, Fraggle Rock)
Q: What did you learn from Jim Henson about producing puppetry or television that you still use today?
I learned everything from Jim Henson, especially that it's a cooperative effort where everyone plays a part to create magic on screen, and the importance of treating people well on set and building a crew environment where everyone has a voice.
111 - Jeanne Lauren (Return of the Jedi, Eco, You and Simon, Too, Skyana)
Q: How did Skyana Puppet Theatre begin and evolve?
Jeanne details starting with white paper mache heads and scrap fabric, partnering with Dan Howard, and building a family of puppet creatures that transitioned into creating full-bodied costumes and eventually working on film and stage projects, including museum displays and Renaissance fairs.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Under The Puppet

What is Under The Puppet about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A conversational, interview-driven series that centers on professional puppeteers and the craft behind iconic characters across TV, film, stage, and education. In recent episodes, guests share career trajectories from early theater and training to high-profile projects with Jim Henson Company, Disney, and touring productions, highlighting techniques, collaboration, mentorship, and longevity in a dynamic, hands-on field. The show often surfaces practical insights for aspiring puppeteers—visual effects, on-set problem solving, and building a sustainable career—while celebrating diverse puppetry styles from Muppet-style comedy to educational and experimental forms. A standout aspect is the host's ability to connect with guests across eras and ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Under The Puppet?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Under The Puppet. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Under The Puppet and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Under The Puppet get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Under The Puppet, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Under The Puppet?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Under The Puppet, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Under The Puppet have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Under The Puppet has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Under The Puppet are there?

Under The Puppet launched 9 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Under The Puppet?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Under The Puppet?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Under The Puppet from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Under The Puppet?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Under The Puppet. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Under The Puppet?

Recent guests on Under The Puppet include:

1. Amanda Maddock
2. Genevieve Flati
3. Rita Peruggi
4. Louise Gold
5. Stacey Weingarten
6. Marisol Himmel
7. Jeanne Lauren
8. Vanessa Valliere

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days