Monkey Boys Productions has been making and performing our puppets for entertainment industry leaders since 2000. We love what we do, and we pass that excitement onto our clients. No matter what project we are working on, from the biggest Broadway show, to the most intimate regional theater, to the dreams of a student film maker, we make sure that if you want to use puppetry in your production we help you achieve your goals in a way that is both fun and professional.
You don't have to take our word for it:
"...Monkey Boys came with an enthusiastic and professional synergy unlike I've ever seen. They manage to strike a balance between business and pleasure on set that kept everyone alive and laughing the whole time. Some of the best moments on set were simply interacting with the puppets thru the puppeteers." -- Akjak Moving Pictures
"If I have the opportunity to use this company again in the future, I most certainly will. Not only were the puppets themselves exquisite, but the customer service was outstanding. They were so professional, and also very personable and willing to help in any way they could. Our experience was amazing. Thank you, Monkey Boys!" -- Villa Maria Academy
"Monkey Boys Productions provided us with the Audrey 2 puppets for our production of Little Shop of Horrors and the puppets were amazing. We found the Monkey Boys to be flexible, helpful and very committed to making everything look great. I have recommended them to everyone who's called looking for an Audrey 2 puppet rental for Little Shop of Horrors and will continue to do so. We would be happy to have them back at Paper Mill anytime!" -- Paper Mill Playhouse
|
 |
Marc Petrosino is a puppeteer, builder, and designer. His building and design credits include: Moo’Shnew’s Corner (on ICTV); Dora The Explorer (Live); Seussical the Musical (National Tour); Flower Drum Song (Broadway); Go, Diego, Go! (Live); Little Shop of Horrors; and most recently, The Little Prince. Marc has also built and performed puppets with Basil Twist in several shows: Petrushka (Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Ravinia Festival); Master Peter's Puppet Show (NYC, Chicago, w/ LA Philharmonic); and The Long Christmas Ride Home (written by Paula Vogel – Vineyard Theatre, Off-Broadway.) For several years, Marc was Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors (Broadway and First National Tour.) He has also performed three times at Carnegie Hall. Marc’s hand has appeared on TV in Sesame Street (PBS), Blue’s Room (Nick Jr.), Crank Yankers (Comedy Central), and Elmo’s Christmas Countdown (ABC.) Recently, Marc has be seen in Madama Butterfly at The Metropolitan Opera (directed by the late Anthony Minghella), and in Firebird at Lincoln Center. |
 |
In the sixth grade, Michael Latini began performing in musicals and working backstage as a stagehand. While in college at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, Michael continued his theatrical work while completing his degree in Metals, Jewelry, and Computer Aided Design. In the summer before his senior year Michael heard his call to puppetry. Having always been a fan of the Muppets, he volunteered at the O'Neill Puppetry Conference where he learned from the best and brightest in the puppetry profession. He spent the following summer working on productions with Flock Theater, one of the top puppetry theatres in the country. After graduating college, he received his first professional job as "Bear" in Bear in the Big Blue House, LIVE! and toured with the show until he moved to New York City. There he built and/or puppeteered for Suessical the Musical, Flower Drum Song, Rugrats LIVE!, Miss Saigon, Nosferatu(2003 NYC Fringe), Carnival of the Animals (Carnegie Hall), The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks, Firebird(Carnegie Hall), and Avenue Q. Michael then ventured out on his second tour as the man-eating plant, Audrey II, in the first national tour of Little Shop of Horrors. After returning from tour, he started Monkey Boys Productions with Scott Hitz and Marc Petrosino. Some of Monkey Boys Productions' credits include a full rental set of Little Shop of Horrors puppets, a Sony Bravia commercial, Go, Diego, Go, LIVE!, a music video for Greyboy Allstars, and children's television pilots for Tiki Island and Planet Camp. Michael then joined his third tour, Walking with Dinosaurs, The Arena Spectacular, where he performed for millions throughout North America. Currently Monkey Boys Productions and Michael are producing the puppets for The Little Prince. |
 |
Scott Hitz is a director, and puppeteer for both stage and screen. His work in Puppetry has been seen on Comedy Central and the Disney Channel. He has also written and directed puppet works for the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. His work has taken him to Korea as part of the Chunchon Festival for puppetry and to NYC where he helped form the Cats Paw Collective. He has designed, built and performed for various institutions including The Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, The London Production of Ave. Q, The Vineyard Theater in NYC and the Arden Theater in Philadelphia. Scott has received various awards for his work with Arts in Education programs including the prestigious Pennsylvania Arts in Education award for the teaching program he developed for Mum Puppettheatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has also been the recipient of a Henson seed grant for his production Ursa Major: The Voice of the Bear and is currently Co-Founder of Monkey Boys Productions. Recently Scott was named Artist in Residence for the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center summer puppetry program, where he began work on The Little Prince, which he is currently directing. The Little Prince is premiering at Cape May Stage in Cape May, NJ on November 26, 2010 and runs through December 30, 2010 before moving on to the Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, PA. |
|
Monkey Boys Productions is proud to offer for rent the ONLY set of Audrey II puppets built by individuals directly involved with the 2003 Broadway show of Little Shop of Horrors and the subsequent 2004 National Tour. |
In addition to renting the Audrey II plants, Monkey Boys Productions also offers puppeteers and puppeteer training if needed. The MBP rental set of Audrey II puppets includes: |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
Audrey II |
Audrey II |
Audrey II |
Audrey II |
|
In addition to the 4 main plants, we also include 2 root grabbing arms (not pictured), and 4 pod heads for the finale. |
| To see our Audrey II Little Shop of Horrors puppets in action at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, please click the video link below. |
| FAQ's about renting Audrey II: |
| Is there a minimum rental time for the Audrey II puppets? |
| Yes. We require a minimum two week rental period and also recommend that you get the Audrey II puppets at least two weeks prior to opening your production. |
| Is the cost to ship all 4 Audrey II puppets included in the rental fee? |
| No. The shipping is negotiated separately with Monkey Boys Productions in an effort to provide you with the best deal and the lowest overall cost available. |
| Are there any size restrictions for getting the puppets into a theatre? |
| Our Audrey II puppets require a minimum 6 foot opening to enter a building. |
| What do I need to do to reserve Audrey II for my production? |
| To reserve the 4 Audrey II puppets, we would need a signed contract, a 50%, non-refundable deposit, and a $1000.00 security deposit, which is fully refundable provided that the puppets are returned in satisfactory condition. |
| Ok, so how do I get Audrey II pricing information? |
| Give us a call at (215) 839-6627, or email us at Puppets@MonkeyBoysProductions.com. |
|
|
|
|
The work of Monkey Boys Productions can be seen on television screens and theater stages the world over. Here are a few notable projects from recent years that we are proud to have been involved in. |
 |
Sesame Street, the long-running, multiple Emmy award winning educational show known throughout the world, featured puppetry work performed by Monkey Boys Productions (MBP) over several days. MBP also performed on Sesame Street's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade float. |
Monkey Boys helped to build the puppets for the Broadway production of Avenue Q, the Tony Award winning send-up of Sesame Street and post-college life, and also worked on the show Off-Broadway. |
 |
 |
We had the privilige to work on a music video with the funk group The Greyboy Allstars and AkJak Productions. MBP developed and built the puppets for the shoot and performed the puppets for the video. You can check out and groove to the final product here. |
One of the most popular musicals of all time, Little Shop of Horrors ran on Broadway from 2003-2004 and was followed by the First National Tour of the production. Members of MBP performed the puppets in the Broadway production, performed and helped to build the puppets for the First National Tour, and have gone on to perform the show with MBP's own Audrey 2 puppets on multiple stages across the U.S. |
 |
 |
Monkey Boys Productions, in partnership with Martin P. Robinson, built an assortment of puppets for the Go Diego Go Live! show. |
The amazing production of Madama Butterfly, directed by the late Anthony Minghella and currently in repertory at the Metropolitan Opera, featured MBP's Marc Petrosino performing at the Met as the head puppeteer on Cio Cio San's (Madama Butterfly's) son. |
 |
 |
This educational TV show developed by the Jim Henson Company and owned by the Walt Disney Company went on the road with a national tour called Bear and the Big Blue House Live! and featured Monkey Boys Productions' Michael Latini as Bear. |
Production company Cine Concepto hired Monkey Boys Productions to design, build and perform puppets for an international commercial advertising Sony Bravia televisions. The commercial can be seen here. |
 |
 |
The arena version of Walking with Dinosaurs, the popular BBC TV show, brought life-size dinosaur puppets to life for audiences across the North American continent. Monkey Boys Productions' Michael Latini performed the gigantic puppets on this celebrated and critically acclaimed tour. |
Comedy Central's TV Funhouse, hosted by Doug Dale and his "anipals" puppet friends, was an adult comedy show that was a spin-off from Saturday Night Live skits and developed cult status after one season. Monkey Boys Productions' Scott Hitz performed on the show. |
 |
 |
Planet Camp! is an educational show with a focus on teaching children about environmental responsibility. Monkey Boys Productions designed, built and performed all the puppets. A trailer for the show can be seen here. |
| A hilarious show that aired on Comedy Central, Crank Yankers featured puppets re-enacting real prank phone calls. Monkey Boys Productions' Marc Petrosino performed on the show. |  |
 |
The television version of one of the most beloved children's books of all time, The Book of Pooh featured Monkey Boys Productions' Scott Hitz performing on the show. |
Monkey Boys Productions is proud to provide a top-tier Arts in Education program that can fit any school or public function's budget or needs.
There is no better way to bring a student's education to life than to exhibit his or her work in a showcase or performance. The arts have a special way of engaging all students and demand high standards, analytical and creative thinking, strong work ethic, discipline, teamwork, and follow-through. Our education program is among the best in the nation because we apply these core values to each and every project.
Monkey Boys Productions offers classes for children and adults at varying levels and can tailor the program to the needs of the students. Our classes generally focus on puppet manipulation, story development, acting, camera work, and numerous other areas that transfer easily to many different arts programs and lesson plans. Contact us today to discuss how MBP can help with an educational program or event for your class or group.
*Scott Hitz is an award winning director, actor and puppeteer for both stage and screen. He has received various awards for his work with Arts in Education programs, including the prestigious Pennsylvania Best Practices for Arts in Education.
|
Monkey Boys Productions 215.839.6627 |
