Irvine's Barclay Theatre Presents STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, 12/29-1/2

The Barclay proudly presents the West Coast Premiere of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a live uncensored show that lets loose the perilous and provocative elements of comedic improvisation on stage with a bunch of puppets in a show produced by Westbeth Entertainment and Henson Alternative. Created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow and featuring The Jim Henson Company's renowned puppeteers, this one-of-a-kind comedy made for grown-ups is playing a limited six-show run at the Irvine Barclay Theatre on Wednesday, December 29 through Sunday, January 2. Patrick Bristow serves as host for the show, and Musical Director is Willie Etra.

Tickets ranging from $38 to $75 can be purchased online at www.thebarclay.org, by phone at
949-854-4646 x1 or in person at the Box Office. Box Office hours are 10:00 AM-6:00 PM M-F,
Noon-4:00 PM Sat-Sun. Tickets go on sale November 5th.

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is a wild romp in which the skilled art of puppetry and spontaneous
comedy collide. Unpredictable and irreverent, it's never the same show twice. Expert puppeteers
create twisted scenes and songs on the fly, as suggestions from the audience prompt the
improvised storylines unfolding on stage. This production delivers "two shows in one" as the
hilarious puppet action is projected live on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers
race around below - displaying their skills in full view of the audience. With live musical
accompaniment and Bristow as host, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG boasts a cast of six world-class
puppeteers in an uninhibited live puppet performance, as never seen before.

The show drew rave reviews and overwhelming audience response during its NYC run. Show
Business Weekly writes, "STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG offers generous doses of roaring laughter and
delightful amazement. The show is smart, funny and original."

Theatermania.com notes, "A comedy improvisation show with a twist, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG
has a wonderful and inventive cast - who also just happen to be extremely talented Henson
puppeteers. The result is a first rate evening of comedy - with a program that changes from show
to show." The Telegraph (UK) adds, "These brilliant American puppeteers are seducing all they
meet...the apparently effortless technical excellence is matched only by some of the quickest and
wickedest humor in town."

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG evolved from Henson's previous production "Puppet Up! - Uncensored," which made its debut at the 2006 HBO Comedy Festival (Aspen, CO) and later toured the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland), The 2007 Comedy Festival (Las Vegas, NV) and
Australia's Sydney Big Laugh Comedy Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
(both 2007). Most recently, "Puppet Up" continued as a workshop piece in monthly performances
at Avalon Hollywood. The New York engagement of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG marked the debut
of a completely revamped production featuring all new technical wizardry with original music and
staging.

Brian Henson (Creator, Producer) is Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and an award-winning
director, producer, writer and puppeteer. Henson served as Executive Producer on the television
projects "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars" (which he also directed) and "Jim Henson's Jack and
the Beanstalk: The Real Story" (which he also co-wrote and directed). He directed "Battleground,"
an Emmy Award-winning episode of the "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" anthology for TBS. Previous
television projects that Henson produced include "Farscape," "Gulliver's Travels," "Muppets
Tonight," and "Dinosaurs." Henson's film directing credits include "The Muppet Christmas Carol"
and "Muppet Treasure Island."

Most recently, Henson has served as an executive producer of the Emmy-nominated science-
readiness pre-school series "Sid the Science Kid," airing daily on PBS KIDS®. The series features
his groundbreaking work at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, one of Hollywood's preeminent character
building, digital and physical visual effects facilities. Henson was part of the team that first created
and utilized the Henson Performance Control System, a powerful custom-based interface for
puppeteers, which won an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Scientific and Engineering
Award in 1992. He also led the Shop's work with its revolutionary digital puppeteering technology,
the 2009 Emmy® Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio that is featured in STUFFED AND
UNSTRUNG as well as "Sid the Science Kid" and "Wilson & Ditch: Digging America."

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG Co-Creator/Host Patrick Bristow is best known for his television appearances, most notably as "Peter" on the groundbreaking ABC series "Ellen." Other small screen appearances: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Seinfeld," "Friends," "Mad About You," "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and others. Film credits include "The Longest Yard," "Austin Powers," "So I Married
An Ax Murderer," "Twilight of the Golds," and the accidental comedy "Showgirls." He performed,
directed and taught at The Groundling Theatre. Directing credits include the Off Broadway run
of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, "Hot Dog TV" for The Cartoon Network, numerous theatre productions and the 2004 L.A. Weekly Theatre Awards Show. His improv company, IMPROVATORIUM produces costumed and improvised short plays in Hollywood. And just like everyone else, he has a first draft of a screenplay somewhere in his house.

Henson Alternative is The Jim Henson Company's label for content created specifically and
exclusively for adult audiences. Previous credits include "Tinseltown" for Logo, "Puppet Up! -
Uncensored" for TBS and the upcoming feature film "Happytime Murders" currently in development.

Westbeth Entertainment, Arnold Engelman - President, is a producing/promoting organization
that has successfully & consistently produced critically acclaimed, financially successful,
groundbreaking entertainment for 30 years. From Eddie Izzard to Billy Connolly, John Leguizamo
to Lewis Black, Wigfield to Hedwig, and The Family Guy to Tenacious D, WestBeth has been the
creative catalyst, partner & producer of some of the most innovative productions in the Northern
Hemisphere. Upcoming WestBeth projects include Billy Connolly's November 2010 Canadian Tour
THE MAN LIVE, Shaun Majumber Live, and John Leguizamo's GHETTO KLOWN at the Berkeley
Theatre in Toronto November 9 - 20. Recent productions include featured dates for Dylan Moran
in San Francisco & LA this September, Henson Alternative's groundbreaking STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG in NYC, Eddie Izzard's 35 city 2008 US Tour, 2010 US Arena tour, 2010 Canadian Tour, and Lewis Black's 2009 Canadian Tour and his recent three night stand at New York City Center.

Ongoing productions include "John Leguizamo: Diary of a Madman" at the La Jolla Playhouse
March 4 - 14 2010, "Billy Connolly LIVE" at the Bagley Wright Theatre at Seattle Center March
12 - 13, 2010, followed by "Lewis Black - In God We Rust" at City Center in April. Recent
productions include Eddie Izzard's January 2010 US ArenaTour - "The Big Intimacy Tour," "An
Evening Without Monty Python" directed by Eric Idle and BT McNicholl, Eddie Izzard's sold out
34 city 2008 American Tour "STRIPPED," as well as Billy Connolly's "Too Old To Die Young"
(North American Tour); and Lewis Black's "Nothing Sacred" (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall). Visit
www.westbethent.com for more information.

Irvine Barclay Theatre, currently celebrating its 20th anniversary season, provides diverse and
high-quality performing arts presentations for the enjoyment of southern California audiences,
including the West Coast premieres of Cirque Eloize' production of RAIN, CLASSICAL SAVION,  the
New World Flamenco Festival, and Kenneth Pai's nine-hour production of THE PEONY PAVILLION. The Barclay operates a 756-seat state-of-the-art theater venue serving a variety of Southern California arts and entertainment organizations. Since 2002, the Barclay has twice received the award for Outstanding Arts Organization from Arts Orange County.

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG plays Wed. Dec 29 & Thurs. Dec 30 at 8:00 pm; Fri. Dec 31 at
7:00 pm & 10 pm; Saturday Jan 1 at 8:00 pm; and Sunday Jan 2 at 4:00 pm.

Tickets ranging from $38 to $75 can be purchased online at www.thebarclay.org, by phone at 949-
854-4646 x1 or in person at the Box Office. Box Office hours are 10AM-6PM M-F, Noon-4PM Sat-
Sun. A small number of VIP seats with Gold Bar privileges are available. Call the box office for
information. STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is recommended for ages 16 and up.

For more information, check out www.StuffedAndUnstrung.com. Visit the show on facebook or
follow on Twitter @stuffedunstrung.

 

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