What the Puppet?
I began my puppet career unconventionally--literally! I was inspired by unconventional objects and loved bringing them to life. Eventually I decided to give fleece a chance at Sesame Street veteran Michael Earl’s Puppet School, and that brought the Muppet-style of building and performance into my repertoire. I'm trained in hand and rod puppetry, as well as marionette, but still love to incorporate found puppetry in my projects.
As a puppeteer, I've done various web series, short films, and music videos. I've appeared in variety shows, at the Skirball Puppet Festival, and as a walk-around puppeteer at special events. Check out my Puppeteer Reel here, and my resume is available upon request.
Additionally, I've taught puppetry performance to kids, teens, and adults. And I've choreographed a number of puppet musical performances for a Los Angeles Parent & Me music series.
As a puppet builder, I've designed and constructed furry, fleecy, and funky characters for the stage, web, music videos, and more, including creating along with puppeteering 15 puppets for a digital content series produced for TBS, that you can read more about here. Interested in working with me on your custom projects? Contact me here to get the fur rolling!
My ready-made puppets are featured in the store front of the iconic Bob Baker Marionette Theatre in Highland Park, CA. Or you can find my ready-to-ship and customizable puppets in my Etsy shop PuppetLayne. My puppets are for both new and experienced puppeteers looking for affordable fun, furry, fuzzy, and fleecy characters. Learn a little about the designs I have to offer here.
Follow the PuppetLayne Instagram for puppet pics and more!
Featured Custom Builds
Internet @$$holes
I built and puppeteered 15 puppets for this definitely not safe for work webseries. Take Crank Yankers and add actual terrible things written by trolls in online message boards, and you have Internet @$$holes! Grandma (seen in the middle) was the fan favorite, as well as one other green creation that's not quite appropriate for this page, but you can see it for yourself here (if you dare).
Psychicologist
I built Dr. Penelope, the puppet star of this short film with an all female crew! Plot: An introverted graduate student struggling to finish her psychology dissertation finds life disrupted by her mother’s feisty, psychic puppet who insists on teaching her the importance of intuition and the meaning of human connection.
Ready-Made Puppets for Sale
Professional Monsters
These half-body Muppet-style monsters are one-of-a-kind hand and rod puppets that are great for film projects, theatrical shows, gifts, and beyond! Although I use the same pattern, I design each one to be unique and full of personality. Get your hands on (and in!) these ready-made professional monsters, but I'm happy to work with you to design your very own. Your imagination is the limit!
Meep Mini-Monsters
This cute little hand and rod puppet is a perfect practice puppet for beginning puppeteers or for general silliness. The design was inspired by Beaker from the Muppets, and is meant to be puppeteered with your hand straight up just like everybody's favorite meeping character! Find these ready-made on my Etsy page, or custom order and choose your fur, fleece, eyes, and more!