Interview with Muppeteer Gabriel Velez, Part 3

Interview with Muppeteer Gabriel Velez
Part 3
Conducted by Kevin Williams

KEVIN:   What was it like to meet Jim Henson?

GABRIEL:   Very cool! Jim was a real person in the sense of what he projected on TV as himself was really how he was. A super nice shy man.

There was a time we were doing a Muppet Meeting Film and I had just finished having milk and Oreos with Frank Oz and behind Frank, Jim was sitting down watching a replay of what we just taped, but he couldn't hear it so well because everyone in the room was talking. So Jim got closer to the monitor to listen to the replay, probably about 12 inches from the monitor.

He still couldn't hear the replay, so he got even closer to the monitor and still couldn't hear it because of people talking. He called over his assistant, Rita Marie Peruggi, and Jim in a shy polite whisper voice told her; "Can you tell every one to be quiet?" Rita Marie stood straight up and yelled full blast "SHUT-UP!!!!" Everyone quieted down. Jim wasn't expecting that from her. He sunk into himself in the chair and shied away from that situation to watch his replay. Considering he was the boss, it wasn't in him to tell people to quiet down.

When I was having the milk and Oreos with Frank Oz, I told him how I joined the company, that I wrote him a fan letter and he saw to it that it was put in a future audition file. I was very humble and gracious in my thanks to him. Frank's response: "You're lucky I didn't write back to you and tell you to go f**k yourself." I wasn't expecting that kind of response at all. Frank went on to explain that he was sick and tired of people writing to him asking if they could join the Muppets.

KEVIN:   Other than Jim, what other original Muppeteer would you have liked to spend time with to know better and why?

GABRIEL:   I guess all them. But Richard Hunt was insanely fun. One time Richard told me how much he admired Brian Muehl for being brave enough to leave the Muppets and pursue his own career. He wished he could have done likewise. I was surprised at that because I thought Richard had the ideal job! Thank God he stayed!

One of the things I admire about Richard Hunt was how he delivered dialog, primarily on Sesame Street. The Sesame Street dialog usually isn't funny, but Richard made it funny! Everything out of his mouth became funny. After his death, I could see that of the sketches just didn't seem funny anymore.

One time Richard worked a character on Sesame called Ari, a blind Muppet. He portrayed it very sensitively on the show. He was asked once; "Whatever happened to Ari?" Richard replied; "I don't know, but last time he was seen he was crossing Sesame Street into heavy traffic!"

KEVIN:   Who is your favorite Muppet and why?

GABRIEL:   That would be Rowlf. Just loved him as a kid on the old Jimmy Dean show. As much as I love Rowlf it's one of the few Muppet voices I can't do.

KEVIN:   Which Muppet do you relate to the most, and why?

GABRIEL:   That would be Kermit. He's a down-to-earth dude.

KEVIN:   What was it like the first time you walked onto the Sesame Street set?
GABRIEL:   They've changed studios, but the first time I was on the set, I was told to go through a back door and it was those big green garage type doors next to Hooper's. Just like that, I was "On the Block!"

KEVIN:   Did you share a birdseed sundae with Big Bird at Hooper’s Store?

GABRIEL:   Nope, but the first time I saw the Big Bird costume (stored on a poll) next to his nest, I gave it a hug. It's kind of silly also seeing Spinney walking around only with the Big Bird legs on. Really sweet man the times I met him.

KEVIN:   You also performed Osvaldo the Grouch on the show. Was it easier to assign a voice to Osvaldo then it would be to perform an already established Muppet?

GABRIEL:   Osvaldo was not a well known character so giving him a completely new voice wasn't a concern for the show's producers. I tried to base it on what Spinney had originated, based on the Grouch attitude. It would be nice if they brought Osvaldo back.

KEVIN:   Any fun or funny stories to share from working on the Street?

GABRIEL:   There was a story Richard Hunt told about someone who worked on Sesame who had really bad body odor. Seems Richard didn't know how to approach this person to tell them. And others knew this person stank as well. Someone got the idea if all the cast and crew filled up this person's locker with roll-on deodorant. Richard said that they all watched the next day from far away as this person opened their locker and all these deodorants tumbled out. He said there where so many it would fill a table. No one knew how this person would react, but the person understood and had a good attitude about it and started using deodorant after that.

There was a story Lisa Henson once told me about a lady who auditioned for the Muppets and didn't know what to improvise. Lisa encouraged her to try anything and this lady improvised how much she hated her mother and worked her way into a freaked out mental state and was escorted out. Whew!

Oh! Here's some good Muppet trivia. Jim Henson once told me that Sigourney Weaver, when she was an unknown, auditioned for the Muppets. And I got to meet and share a few emails with Jerry Juhl as well. Positive humor the man had.

KEVIN:   What does it feel like to see a character you originate perform in a show on TV?

GABRIEL:   I always have the same thought... "I could do it better."

KEVIN:   As a Jim Henson Company performer, what values did they instill in you while you worked with them?

GABRIEL:   In a nutshell, before I joined the Henson company I saw the world as black and white... they filled my world with color.

KEVIN:   How do you feel inside when you perform on Sesame Street?

GABRIEL:   Just get in there and do it and all the butterflies are gone

KEVIN:   What were your inspirations and references for creating the personality for Dani in “’A’ is for Asthma?”

GABRIEL:   Developing a voice for a 5-year old wasn't easy and perhaps I didn't succeed with attaining it in the beginning. It got much better when we went on tour. Since I had to sing in this video, I worked on a singing voice first and worked a character voice around it.

KEVIN:   What do you think Dani could add to the show as a regular character today?

GABRIEL:   The obligation/need for caring for another who might need help.  Teaching a child how to get help while maintaining their safety would be a good lesson.

KEVIN:   You have a website where you share your Muppet voices. What other characters/projects other than Muppets would you like to perform (what characters do you like outside of the Henson realm)?

GABRIEL:   I'd like to do cartoon voices someday. I had Dreamworks checking me out sometime back.

KEVIN:   Henson's Place is now on DVD. You have a listing for your part in it on IMDB. Some of it was cut from the DVD. Can you please describe the part of the DVD which was cut?

GABRIEL:   One scene that didn't make the final DVD was a singing improv scene with Jim looking on.  That would have been nice to have seen again.

KEVIN:   You were the Henson's company first Hispanic puppeteer.

GABRIEL:   Yes, Jane Henson did her best to convince the producers of Sesame Street back then the need for a Hispanic Muppet character. I truly believe the producers at the time accepted me on Sesame as a favor to Jane, but it was obvious during that era of Sesame that wasn't a direction the producers were willing to accept with a Muppet. Years down the road, they saw the light and Rosita was created.

But one shouldn't be labeled as a Hispanic puppeteer.  Just as a puppeteer that can get the job done. Hollywood has a history of stereotyping Hispanics, and I have to always continue to open the eyes of Muppet management (and other firms) to give me an equal opportunity. I would love to see Disney's Muppets develop a Spanish character for myself, more humanoid like Scooter. And not just the tasty king prawn Pepe.

KEVIN:   How do you see the future of The Muppets as a whole?

GABRIEL:   The characters will live on I’m sure. Outside of that I have no clue. I’d like to see job stability for all Muppeteers not just the stars of the company. As an occasional Muppeteer I do firmly believe in training. When Jim was alive there was a home base for occasional training. Now it seems you have to know your stuff when you are called in. Clash and Robinson did the right thing having a week long Sesame puppet training session two years ago for about 40 people. It’s great when everyone learns from the pros and from each other. It will make better puppeteers long term. I hope Disney with their large home base starts having Muppet training sessions for Muppeteers by Muppeteers on a semi-regular basis too. I would like to see Steve Whitmire head up a Muppet training workshop. After all when you buy a car you have to keep it tuned.

KEVIN:   Anything else you'd like to add in conclusion?

GABRIEL:   Yes, with every Muppet performance there is a wonderful support staff of people. Also the cameramen on Sesame are true artists on how they work those cameras. They add to the Muppet performance. All those folks do a lot to make the Muppets look good.




The Muppet Mindset would like to thank Gabriel Velez so very much for spending some time being interviewed for us! We appreciate his contribution and friendship! Thanks also to our good friend Kevin Williams for conducting the interview and being extremely supportive and awesome!







The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier Source URL: https://jimhensons.blogspot.com/search/label/Gabriel%20Velez
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Interview with Muppeteer Gabriel Velez, Part 2

Interview with Muppeteer Gabriel Velez, Part 2

KEVIN:   A is for Asthma was your first starring video, wasn't it? How did that come about?

GABRIEL:   I was busy doing another show, so I don't exactly recall how I got the news. But yes, so far that has been my only home video starring role. I know Jane, Cheryl and Heather Henson were holding another Muppet training workshop class of about 20 people and I had been invited, from there somehow I was offered a role on A is for Asthma. I played Dani, a Muppet with Asthma.

The spelling of the name Dani is such because Dani was originally suppose to be a girl character. Kevin Clash overruled the producers and wanted the character to be a little boy instead. This was lucky for me because they originally wanted me to perform a Spanish girl’s voice, which I don’t think I could have done. Much to my surprise no one told me I would be the star of it until just before I got the script. It was a great video and it was fun working with Kevin Clash and Carmen Osbahr and Emilio Delgado (Luis). When you’ve got Kevin Clash next to you on the floor doing Elmo, most people don’t realize his high pitch voice is also loud. I bet you can hear him from a block away.

This was Sesame Street’s first ever live on the set bilingual video. A is for Asthma is about 15 minutes in English and then we reshot each scene again doing it in Spanish. When I was offered the part, no one asked me if I knew Spanish. They just assumed I knew Spanish because of my heritage. I could speak some Spanish because I have heard it all my life but I had never read Spanish. When I got the Spanish script I had to sound out each word and realized that I had heard that word before and memorized the text. I had a Spanish/English dictionary to help me too. Good thing Sesame had a Spanish linguist on the set to help me pronounce the words properly. My folks helped me with pronunciations too. It’s like the Italian word "Arrivederci." You’ve heard it all your life, but the first time you see it on paper you realize what it’s spelled like.

I have to point out an amazing performance by Kevin Clash in the Spanish version of the video. A Spanish fellow named Moises Belizario was hired to be the Spanish voice of Elmo. Moises recorded the Spanish script onto a cassette and it was given to Clash to learn. Clash was out in China and learned the cadence (not the words) of the Spanish dialog on his flight back to the USA. Mind you Clash did not know what was being said in the Spanish dialog. He just learned the cadence of Moises’ Spanish Elmo dialog. Then, when we went into production, on the set Moises sat right under the video camera and mouthed the entire Spanish dialog live and Clash didn’t miss a beat lip-synching Elmo live on-camera. He mouthed Elmo perfectly considering he didn’t know the language. Awesome performance.

A is for Asthma was a free video and 50,000 copies were distributed around the country. Then Carmen Osbahr, Emilio Delgado and I went around the country to promote the video monthly for almost a year. We did a live, 12-minute Muppet sketch to entertain and promote the video for kids, doctors, and politicians in our travels. We were usually joined in our travels sometimes by Pam Arciero, Stephanie D’Abruzzo, Lisa Buckley, and Fran Brill.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “A IS FOR ASTHMA” (THE ENGLISH VERSION) CAN BE SEEN AT THIS LINK:   http://www.sesameworkshop.org/initiatives/health/asthma

KEVIN:   How much did you know about asthma going into the show as compared to afterwards?

GABRIEL:   I didn't know anything about Asthma until then. When we did one of our Asthma tours around the country and I was waiting to go on and perform I heard a doctor giving an introductory speech about asthma saying that for many sufferers it's like breathing in through a straw. And another doctor mentioned that they had held babies in third world counties who died in their arms from asthma and there was no medicine to help them. Very emotional stuff to hear.

KEVIN:   You got to travel around during this show, are there any fun or funny stories you can share?

GABRIEL:   In Arizona there was a lady who brought her Beanie Babies and placed them on our Muppet wall and wanted to have her Beanie Babies have a conversation with my Muppet Dani and Fran Brill's Zoe. And in Bethesda, Maryland the senior citizen sister of a former vice-president came up to our Muppet wall and wanted to have a personal conversation not with a puppeteer, but with a Muppet.

KEVIN:   You had a part in The Muppets Take Manhattan--tell us a little about this.

GABRIEL:   In MTM, when Kermit and Piggy are married and all the Muppets go wild in their church pews, I'm also going wild with my old lady Muppet celebrating. Then while performing below the church pews something hit me in the face. What hit me in my face fell into the cradle of my arms, it was Lew Zeland's boomerang fish!!! I was honored! Lew had flung a fish during the celebration and I caught one in the kisser! It was a very proud moment for me and while I continued to celebrate with all the other Muppets at the marriage, I was also laughing my butt off getting struck by Lew's fish.

KEVIN:   I see on your website, (www.heyitsgabe.com) that you performed a huge Junior Gorg for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. How did you land that?

GABRIEL:   I called the Henson Company and asked them if I could be in the parade. I thought I was going to be one of the Henson employees that occasionally volunteer to hold the Kermit the Frog Balloon. Next thing I know they called me into their studios and they show me a huge 23 foot tall Junior Gorg that I was going to perform inside of. Just like that! I didn't even audition for it. I was surprised!!

KEVIN:   What was this experience like (besides cold)?

GABRIEL:   It was a lot of fun and freezing! Supposedly 1 million people lined the parade route. I would sit inside Junior's stomach and operate the head, eyes and mouth. A Henson building employee volunteered to help me that day inside Junior. I would hear the crowd in the street chant to Junior: "Turn this way! Turn this way!" And when I would turn Junior in that direction and the crowd would roar. Same chant would go up on both sides of the street. Pretty odd feeling to hear one million people cheering in a parade route and then go back home where it was quiet.

KEVIN:   If you were a Fraggle, which one would you be and why?

GABRIEL:   I guess that would be Wembley. Steve did such an amazing job with that character.

KEVIN:   You've also appeared in various soap operas. What got you the roles in these soap operas?

GABRIEL:   Just sent résumé's. I figured I'm in the acting unions and I might as well give it a try. But I really started feeling sorry for those soap opera actors. No real glamour to their life, at least not at work. They are there from 6 AM to 9 PM and do about 100 pages daily of dialog. I didn't see any fun these people where having.

When an occasion appeared that they needed a puppet for a background scene, I brought my puppet on the set of One life to Live. The cast reaction was as if I had brought a puppy on the set! They all wanted to try it and passed it around. As a matter of fact, the background scene I was in with my puppet, while taping the actual show the Stage Manager was frantically waving at me to get out of the scene with my puppet.
I thought I had done something wrong. Afterwards the Stage Manager told me I was fine, but that the Director realized that my puppet in the background was calling more attention to the scene than the main actress in the shot! So they got me out of there.

KEVIN:   What got you interested in puppetry?

GABRIEL:   Perhaps as a little boy watching the Muppets on Ed Sullivan. That was hypnotic and amazing to me.

KEVIN:   Who is your inspiration?

GABRIEL:   That could only be Jesus, no one else can compare.

KEVIN:   Having worked at The Jim Henson Company, can you describe the first day you went to the company looking for employment, the hiring process, and the feeling of being told you were working there?

GABRIEL:   Hmm, working at the main office or on the set? The Puppetry hiring process I described in part one concerning all the workshop classes. Working at the main office, Jane Henson helped me to get employed there. I was stuck in a dead end job when I got the news that my Muppet job application had been accepted and I would work in their main building. That was cool. My first day on the job, I was driving the Muppet van and I hit an unmarked detective car. Long story. No one hurt, just a fender bender. I didn't brake fast enough.

KEVIN:   What were some of your duties there, and expand on your favorite one?

GABRIEL:   As far as corporate, I was told my actual job title was listed as "jack-of-all-trades." I would establish company accounts for the Henson's, I would transport Muppets to photo studios, and, if needed, I would pick up Jim Henson at the airport, but that never came to pass. But as time went on, I ended up being just a driver, so I left. Driving in Manhattan is insane.

One time I had an assignment to go to the airport, to customs, to pick up all the Fraggle Rock characters coming in from Canada. A customs agent wanted me to explain to him what a "Bull Doozer" was before he would release the Fraggle Rock characters to me. It was a cool feeling knowing I had every single character, even the Gorgs, well packed in the back of my Muppet van. The Henson Company listed on the Customs manifest that every packaged Fraggle Rock character had a value of either $90 or $100.Even the Gorg's value was a mere $100. I was told that these prices had to set so low for insurance purposes.

Another time I had to drive to a studio Carroll Spinney had and bring him Oscar the Grouch and Spinney's personal umbrella. Oscar was just in a crappy shopping bag. Imagine that! A legendary character tossed into an old shopping bag. Driving to Spinney's studio I had the bag at my feet and Oscar was staring at me as I drove. I gave someone at the studio Oscar, but in my excitement I forgot to leave Spinney his umbrella.
I owe the man an umbrella!

I also dropped a rented $25,000 video camera down a flight of stairs in it's protective casing. It still worked afterwards. Jim was going to use it. There was some odd moments to, when I had to walk Muppet body parts (arms, legs, torsos) from the Henson's main building on 69th Street to another building of theirs on 67th Street. You would get some odd looks from folks on the street.











The Muppet Mindset by Ryan DosierSource URL: https://jimhensons.blogspot.com/search/label/Gabriel%20Velez
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Interview with Muppeteer Gabriel Velez

Today we have an interview that we're very excited about! Our friend Kevin Williams sat down for a wonderful, multi-part interview with Gabriel Velez. Gabriel has worked on numerous projects with The Muppets and Sesame Street, including The Muppets Take Manhattan, Elmo's Christmas Countdown, and starred as the asthmatic Anything Muppet "Dani" in the Sesame Street Special "A is for Asthma." Recently, Gabriel was part of Disney's Muppet understudy auditions, and has provided us with a unique, inside look at those auditions. Gabriel tells his story much better than I do, so with no further ado...

KEVIN:   How did you join the Muppets?


GABRIEL:   First off, I had never picked up a real puppet. When I was about 7 years old, my school had finger puppets, and at home I cut a mouth into a rubber Spalding ball to make it look like it was talking.But that was it. Never did anything with puppets. As a little boy of about 9, I wrote to Jim Henson because I was a fan of his appearances on Ed Sullivan. Jim actually wrote me back a hand-written letter encouraging me to join the Puppeteers of America. At the age of 9, I had no idea how to pursue that.

I’m not great with dates, but I think it was 1979 (when I was 21), when I lived in NYC that I read in the TV Guide that the Muppets had a business called Henson Associates in Manhattan. I looked up their address in the phone book and wrote a letter to Jim Henson saying; "I’d like to join the Muppets." Jim didn’t write back, so I wrote the same letter again to Frank Oz. And about 6 months later to my shock, Frank actually wrote back from England saying he would put my letter in a future audition file. I said to myself, “They’ll never call me. I’ve never even picked up a puppet.” Two years later they wrote me telling me to send them a voice tape. I guess it was 1981. I had nothing better to do that summer so I messed around with a cassette recorder and put 8 or 10 voices to tape.

Next thing I know they called me on the phone and told me to come in we want to meet you. So I went to one of the Henson buildings on 67th street in Manhattan. It was an audition! I almost walked out! I had never been to one of those before. Sitting across from me auditioning for the Muppets for the first time was Marty Robinson. I will always remember the smells of glues and being overwhelmed by the sites of outrageous fabrics and materials and puppet props throughout the building. How cool was that! Anyway, as I was escorted into a room to meet Jane Henson and Richard Hunt, I overheard Richard say to Jane: “This is the guy we’ve been waiting to meet all day.” I’m sure he said that because of the different character voices on the tape I had sent in, not because I had any experience. I had no résumé since I had never done this kind of thing before. I walked in empty handed.

Richard led me over to a table of monster Muppets. He told me to grab anyone. Just by chance the first Muppet I ever put on was an unknown little red monster who eventually years later became Elmo. Richard put me through a quick try out. Everything he had me do with the Muppet seemed quite simple and natural to me.

To make a long story short, they asked me if I wanted to be part of a workshop class they were having. I agreed. We would get training from Kermit Love, Jane Henson, Richard Hunt, and Carroll Spinney. Jim was not originally involved. Every week this huge workshop class would drop people. Maybe the first class had over 200 people I guess, then the following week 80, then 60, then 50 and more and more were dropped every following week. Until the last workshop class had only 12.

Of the final 12, everyone in that group would become reserve Muppeteers. (At least that was the original intention.) Jane Henson told us that they auditioned about 1,000 people and we were the final 12. The final 12 included me and Marty Robinson and Pam Arciero. I’m glad to know that after so many years, I can still call them pals. Jane Henson and Richard Hunt were amazed that I made it through every week of training considering I had never picked up a puppet before. The other finalists had previous experience in puppetry. Not long after that, I was offered a short term job working at 117 east 69th Street, their headquarters. And Marty was offered Snuffy.

I guess in 1983 (?) there was another workshop class of about 100 new people. This time it was led by Jim Henson. Of the final 12 reserve Muppeteers, only Pam and I managed to stay and not get cut. The others did not return or were quickly dropped from this new class being held by Jim. Marty Robinson did not have to participate because he was already hired on Sesame Street.

In this new workshop class the competition was very tough. Jim dropped a lot of hopefuls very quickly. After a few weeks, it got down to about seven of us left. It was nice to have private training with Jim Henson and Frank Oz over at their main building at 117. At this workshop class I first met Noel MacNeal and Camille Bonora. It was all leading to an audition for Sesame Street. I was asked to audition for Osvaldo the Grouch. Pam Arciero and newbie Camille Bonora were auditioning for Grundgetta. Osvaldo the Grouch had existed rarely on Sesame Street puppeteered by Richard Hunt with a voiceover done by someone I believe named Umberto Noritz. Not sure.

KEVIN:   How did you first meet Jim Henson?




Gabriel with Jim Henson


GABRIEL:   I was a new employee of the company working at 117. I was told my job title was "jack-of-all-trades." Not puppeteer. I was washing down the Muppet mobile (an unmarked Dodge Van) on the street and Jim and Jane were strolling up the sidewalk. Jane came over with Jim, and Jane introduced me to Jim as their newest employee. We shook hands and Jim smiled and said “Welcome aboard!” We spoke for less than a minute and I was happy as a clam. I heard the Kermit tone in his natural voice and while washing the van afterwards I kept thinking, “That hand I shook was Kermit!”

KEVIN:   How did you first meet Frank Oz?



Frank on the set of The Muppets Take Manhattan
GABRIEL:   It was my first Muppet payday on the set of The Muppets Take Manhattan. During a break, I went into the men’s room and there was Frank Oz taking a leak. My excitement got the better of me and I just went up to him and introduced myself and struck up a conversation with him while he was urinating. I think I scared him silly. He probably doesn’t remember that, I hope. Mental Note: Never strike up a conversation with a celebrity while they are urinating.

KEVIN:   How did you first meet Kevin Clash?



Working with Elmo and Rosita
GABRIEL:   I’m pretty sure it was around 1983 or 1984 on the set of Sesame Street. I never gave it much thought of how he joined the Muppets until I read his book. He joined the company in a different way than I did, not through workshop classes/auditions like others. I don’t recall our first moment of meeting though. I do recall a conversation we were having about him preparing to ask a girl to marry him who did become his wife. That might have been one of our first conversations.

KEVIN:   Let me throw a few names at you; Jim Henson.

GABRIEL:   A respectful gentlemen with a vision.

KEVIN:   Frank Oz.

GABRIEL:   Hmm, his way or no way. But who can argue with such talent?

KEVIN:   Eric Jacobson.

GABRIEL:   I've met Eric and told him what a wonderful job he has done. I scrutinize (as a fan) every Muppet recasting that has been done and Eric gets a thumbs up.

KEVIN:   Steve Whitmire.

GABRIEL:   A great talent that has never been used to his full potential.

KEVIN:   Huh? ...Care to elaborate?

GABRIEL:   My opinion is that once he was offered Kermit, his career was painted into a corner. (My opinion.) Over the years I have wanted to see the man produce more original characters and it hasn't happened because he is tied to Kermit. Whitmire should have the freedom to develop say three or four characters, marketable characters, that will put his talent over the top in ways Muppet fans would be excited about. He should be allowed to grow.

A perfect example of this is Bill Barretta, he has been given the freedom to create original characters that are awesome. His talents have made Barretta a much loved Muppet icon. Barretta did it right and this is the kind of future career growth I would like to see for Steve.

{Laughing} If I was in charge I would really exploit character development and growth for all the Muppeteers. I was the Talent Coordinator on the kid show "Pappyland" and I loved teaching and expanding the levels of puppetry performance on our show.

KEVIN:   Kevin Clash.

GABRIEL:   Kevin is another guy with great talent that I believe has other great characters in him waiting to come out. I don't think Elmo is his zenith. Just you wait and see.

KEVIN:   Jane Henson.

GABRIEL:   A great lady who has given so much to the art of puppetry by sharing talent and her kind heart with others, amazing.

You know there are many other great Muppeteers (besides me, ha, ha, ha) that just boggle the mind with talent. Joey Mazzarino, Matt Vogel, John Kennedy and other puppeteers are perfect examples. There just isn't a venue to showcase the specific talent of these individuals. There are also others waiting in the wings that will someday be the future of the company. It all comes down to finding the right situation to bring us all together as one body of talent, one expanded family. And that is what management should strive for. Mainly at Disney.

I believe the established Disney Muppet stars should hold their own workshop to train and reevaluate the great pool of talented puppeteers that Disney auditioned three years ago. Let the Muppeteers themselves evaluate the talent pool. Not like Disney did when the workshop class was headed by a non-Muppeteer. Having a successful understudy/training program is essential to the growth of ANY company. As long as employment is GUARANTEED to the star performers. A perfect example is Matt Vogel understudying to Carroll Spinney's Big Bird. There is no animosity between the two. One helped train the other with mutual respect. So should it be at a future Disney Muppet workshop.

I believe in a performance team that shares on-camera talent equally. That allows for a company to have even growth and to further evaluate the talent they have. I don't believe any one performer should hog the spotlight.

KEVIN:   You were one of the finalists at that Disney Muppet casting call a few years ago, how was that?

GABRIEL:   Great! Just about everyone selected was already involved with the Muppets in some way.
Martin Baker and Debbie McClellan assured us that no Muppeteer was going to lose their job over this. All of us that were selected had a great concern about that.We wanted to see what door would open for us, without affecting the employment of the established stars. And management was true to their word.

I was so happy to have Jane Henson and Heather Henson involved with us down at Disney World too. Jane and Heather held meetings and video briefings for us on the history of the Muppets.

KEVIN:   Who auditioned for what roles?

GABRIEL:   Some of us could do more than one voice. Others could only do one. If I recall correctly; Artie Esposito, myself, John Kennedy, and Drew Massey auditioned to understudy for Kermit. Auditioning for Fozzie Bear was me, Victor Yerrid, and David Stephens. Miss Piggy was Michael Lisa and Tony Whitten. And only Brett O’Quinn auditioned for Gonzo. Totally amazing as Gonzo and perfect as Bunsen Honeydew as well! Nice bunch of guys all around! The Disney staff was really sweet with us all week too.

Somehow I think the whole Disney Muppet understudy scenario was already a dead issue by the time we got down there since Chris Curtin had departed from running the Muppets. I think the money was already allocated for the project and executives just went through the motions to finish what was started. Just my guess, I have no proof of that.

Two years ago, Sesame had a similar casting situation. Kevin Clash and Marty Robinson had a Monday-Thursday Sesame Street workshop class for at least 40 people that Jane Henson, Heather Henson, and Carol Lynn Parente would attend. At the end of the week, Friday was a special day, only a select few, about five people (some of the same guys that were with me at Disney World, except Yerrid and Massey) were with me auditioning to be the understudy for Bert and Ernie. This audition included Mark Gale and Andy Hayward.

Looking at the monitor and seeing Bert and Ernie move on the screen and knowing that it’s YOU operating one of them boggles the mind! That was amazing. After a rehearsal scene, Jane Henson politely pointed out to Kevin Clash that she thought I wasn’t being “dull enough” as Bert. I told them my adrenaline is pumping performing Bert, but I would work on being “dull.” That is pretty hilarious when you think about it, accused of not being dull enough!

I felt great knowing I performed "Doin the Pigeon" for Jane Henson and Kevin Clash while performing Bert. That’s a nice memory. They have it someplace on video. I was also sent scripts and sheet music to audition to be the understudy to Grover. I practiced hard for that. But when I met with Clash he said he had already selected someone I have never heard of to understudy Grover. Hey, no fair! I didn’t get my chance! My Grover rocks!

In a nutshell, no actual understudy Muppeteer job offers came anybody's way.

KEVIN:   How do Muppeteers like Eric Jacobson or Steve Whitmire feel about understudy performers?

GABRIEL:   No idea. All the core Muppeteers are secure in their jobs. I met Eric during Elmo's Christmas Countdown and we spoke for a while and I enjoyed my time with him. Nice fellow.

That's all for part one of our interview with Gabriel Velez. We'll be back with much, much more from Gabriel! Special thanks to our good friend Kevin Williams and our new friend Gabriel Velez!



Gabriel with Fozzie on the set of The Muppets Take Manhattan








The Muppet Mindset by Ryan DosierSource URL: https://jimhensons.blogspot.com/search/label/Gabriel%20Velez
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