SKYLAR

SKYLAR is our BOY puppet. Portrayed by Olga, we always use him as our audience identification character. He is also one of our few FOAM RUBBER PUPPETS. Well, at least he was. Last time we looked, poor Skylar returned from whence he came. Powder.
Here he is (with Olga) dressed as an Inuit kid.

SKYLAR in action.

GOIN' UP (again!)

GOIN' UP is the special we created and produced for THIRTEEN/WNET. It was recently accepted into the KIDS FIRST! FILM FESTIVAL, and we were just told it was also nominated for a KIDS FIRST! Best Award! They said that:
"This award is given annually to films and screenplays that have been accepted and showcased at our various festivals and special screenings nationally and world-wide. Our Senior Jury, comprised of child development specialists, media professionals and film programmers will select the winners."
The whole FlexiTeam is honored!

KREG and the KATZ

It's a funny thing about cats. They love me. Lots. Must know that I'm somewhat allergic. When I was younger, it was even worse - - puddy tats had me hacking and wheezing like Mister Magoo laughing.

Ironically, some of our most fun and profitable puppet projects involved cats. Here are pictures of a few of our Flexitoon felines. . . nothing more than felines. . .

I built COUNTRY CAT in 1974 when my then partner Holly Smith and I began touring schools after several CoLoRfUl years performing psychedlic puppet shows at colleges with the MARKO PUPPET THEATRE. Country Cat, bless him, has worn the wear well, as you can see in the above picture from a recent star turn in Film Fest Fave FOREST 40 TREES. He is assayed here by one-time VENTRILOQUIST OF THE YEAR - - ALAN SEMOK.

In 1986 we helped pioneer INTERACTIVE TELEVISION invented by Dr. Michael Freeman. The man was a genius. Not only did he create many and lasting patents for true interactivity but, he also hired us. His network was ACTV, and we starred on programs for pre-schoolers (A SPECIAL PLACE, THE BOB SHOW); school-age kids (CARTOON CAVALCADE); and pre-teens (GUESS WHAT?) Pictured above is the rascally star of A Special Place, KATMANDOO.
Starred on FOX-TV as DJ KAT (another cat-in-the-cradle). Here's a backstage view with my exuberant on-camera co-star, CARMEN DeLa Paz. Since my hands are otherwise occupied, she's scratching my head. What price fame?

When DJ KAT won the New York State Broadcasters Award for Outstanding Children's Television Series, FOX-TV decided to change the format and strip the show 5 days a week from 2:00 - 5:00, using the Kat and other Flexitoon Puppets as hosts of a daily cartoon fest. We called the show the DJ KAT CLUB. The network wanted the character softend, so we did (below. Taken at NAPTE. I'm looking at the camera - - he's looking at Xena).

"Goin' Up" (PBS Special) brought another cat into our fold, the streetwise, KATITUDE. (That's me con el gatto, and Olga Felgemacher goosing Skylar into existence.)

And here's the CHESHIRE CAT from our stage production of ALICE IN WINTER WONDERLANDTM

All these cats have been furry-furry good to us through the years. Which brings us to today. Our latest project is a new comedy series starring Flexitoon Puppet versions of the World's Most Famous Feline:

Felix was created by the brilliant animator JOE ORIOLO, and we've been friends with his son Don for years. We've been jamming ways to puppetize the characters and now suddenly, it's a happening thing! Don is a terrific talent: very creative, artistic, musical and funny, and his team at Felix Productions are great guys (and goils) as well.

Here's how Don tells all:

http://www.donsfelixblog.com/2009-07-28_BLOG.html

We're very excited and pleased 'cause now all we gotta do is . . . take these globally beloved characters and turn them into three dimensional living breathing puppets that captures the essence of Felix, The Professor, Poindexter, VaVoom. Hmmmmmm. . .

"GOIN' UP" - - The Trailer

Our film, "GOIN' UP" is an Official Selection in the KIDS FIRST! FILM FESTIVAL.

Here's the trailer (thanks Mike Campbell!)


Producer.................Dann Linck
Director...................Craig Marin

STARRING

Jonathan Freeman

Olga Felgemacher

Alan Semok

Ken Miele

Craig Marin

ORIGINAL MUSIC PERFORMED BY

The Playground

GOIN' UP - - Part 2

Found some more rare "MAKING OF" images from our 1993 PBS special Goin' Up.
Jon Freeman as the magical elevator operator Mr. Lift

Mr. Lift & Skylar in the Enchanted Elevator

(with Olga lending Skylar a hand or two)

"THE PLAYGROUND" recording the score. . .

Me and Dann Linck scoring @ Flexitoon Central

The Animateerstm

Alan the Semok, Olga, Craig & Ken Miele (See MARKO PUPPET THEATRE post for Kenny in his earlier "yoot.")

"Goin' Up"

In 1993 Flexitoon received the first ever National Endowment for Children's Educational Television grant. We partnered with Thirteen/WNET (NY) and produced the special Goin Up.

Mr. Lift & Skylar

Mr. Lift (and Dad) was played by Jonathan Freeman. Jon is a Tony-nominated actor currently featured on Broadway in The Little Mermaid. He was also the voice of Jafar in Disney's Aladdin, and he puppeteers Tito Swing on Shining Time Station.

Jonathan first met Olga Felgemacher in 1975 where she was leading lady at the Bil Baird Marionette Theatre. Jonathan was hired for PINOCCHIO (Olga played the title role) and they have been soul mates ever since. I feel the same. Jon joined Flexitoon in 1986.

Skylar & Katitude (Olga & Craig)

Goin Up was a very exciting project to work on. Not only did we create it, but Flexitoon produced it as well. Our executive producer from Thirteen/WNET was Kathleen Rae, and she could not have been smarter or more supportive. As producer we brought in Dann Linck. Like everybody in the FlexiTeam, it's vital to be well-versed in multiple areas, and Dann, along with terrific producer's cred and rolodex, also played an amazingly inventive bass!

The Bass Licks of Mr. Linck

I wrote the music and played electric twelve string guitar for Goin' Up, and puppeteer Alan Semok (r) brought the keyboards to life as if they were another puppet character at his fingertips (Alan is also TEX on Shining Time Station.)

(Semok & Marin)

We called our band THE PLAYGROUND.
Mr. Lift, Mr. Producer, Ms. Puppenspieler, Mr. Marin-ette

If you would like to hear some of the music and see a couple of scenes from Goin' Up, go here: http://www.flexitoon.com/video.php3