New Orleans’ own Harry Mayronne is what generational tribalists might call a Renaissance Soul. The polymath excels as a puppeteer, pianist (having performed with some of the city’s dynamic chanteuses), and composer, collaborating with everyone from the National World War II Museum’s Victory Swing Orchestra to avant-garde German artist and punk rocker, Nina Hagan.
As documented by the Los Angeles Times, puppetry arts are finding new popularity amongst younger generations but Harry Mayronne has always had his finger on the pulse (or…pulling on the strings) of the power of marionettes since 1988. He has Jon Batiste and Tennessee Williams marionettes in his collection and he’s got top billing at venues, including Buffa’s, all around town.
New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest kicks of April 4 and OffBeat talked to Mayronne about the city’s own puppetry scene, the world of Jim Henson, and his personal connection to the magic and cultural treasure of pure imagination.
How did you get your start in puppetry and how has it informed your experience as a musician?
At the age of three I saw a puppet show at the Ringling Circus Museum. A monkey marionette dropped one of the balls he was juggling and asked for a volunteer to come up and pick it up for him. My father took me by the hand and we slowly walked up to the stage to help. I got a fascinating (and, I suppose, life-changing) close-up look at the monkey, and the strings, and the lights.
The following birthday I received my own first marionette. I started learning to build them when I was a little older. I started piano lessons at six and went onto become a professional musician. But my enthusiasm for puppetry continued. For me, the operation of a marionette is a bit like playing an instrument. The feel of the weight and balance and manipulation of the strings is somewhat musical to me. I record the musical accompaniment for some of my performances, The coming together of the musical and visual elements is particularly gratifying.
What can you tell us about your style of puppetry?
“Cabaret style” is a general way to describe my performance. There was a well-known marionettist named Frank Paris who performed in full view of the audience, with
special lighting featuring the marionettes. I first saw a photo of him in Bil Baird’s book The Art of the Puppet. I had been trying to devise a way to hide myself for a particular performance when I remembered a photo of Paris that I had seen. I realized it was not necessary to be hidden behind a curtain or set piece. And so that’s how I perform. My favorite comment is always “I wasn’t looking at you—I was watching the marionette!”
I have to ask how you feel about Jim Henson. I’ve been covering local puppeteers such as Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Night Shade, and Poose the Puppet since 2020 and I always get a mixed response. I know Henson is just a glimpse into what puppetry arts can accomplish but I’m curious about your own take.
Bil Baird, whom I mentioned in my previous response, designed and performed “The Lonely Goatherd” scene in the film The Sound of Music. Prior to that (and before our time) he was on television with his marionettes. And of course there was also Howdy Doody, who was a marionette. So I would think that there was more of an awareness of marionettes during that era. Then along came Jim Henson and the Muppets, who became and continue to be enormously popular. I do believe that a result is that the American perception of puppetry was somewhat redefined. When I mention marionettes or puppets, a frequent response is: “You mean like The Muppets?”. While I do lament the fact that the American public became less familiar with the art of the marionette, there’s no denying the brilliance of Jim Henson and his contribution to puppetry, and to entertainment.
New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest is coming up. What can you tell us about your relationship to the Mudlark and to the puppet fest?
Another life-changing moment. I met Pandora Gastelum (founder of the Puppet Fest and the Mudlark) during a production of Brecht/Weill/s The Threepenny Opera at the Allways Lounge and Cabaret. I was co-musical director and Pandora was playing the role of Polly Peachum. But we really connected as puppeteers. Not too long afterwards, she invited me to be part of the first Giant Puppet Festival. I had, at that time, one professionally built marionette, Miss Viola. On accepting Pandora’s invitation I realized that I needed more than one marionette. And so I began creating new ones. Which led not only to some international performing adventures (the most thrilling being part of German “Mother of Punk” Nina Hagen’s Brecht concerts at Berliner Ensemble), but also to being invited to show and sell my work at Creason’s Fine Art Gallery in the French Quarter. And so I am eternally grateful to Pandora for continuing to host the Giant Puppet Festival, and for having me back this year!
As a part of New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest, Harry Mayronne will present “Perception of Puppets” at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 6 at The Mudlark Theatre, 1200 Port Street. A puppet parade will be held later in the evening, at 10 p.m., at Plessy Park. For more information about Giant Puppet Fest (April 4-8) and how to score tickets, visit their website.
Follow Harry Mayronne on Instagram @harrymayronne.
