Behind the Magic: Jim Henson's Creature Shop Opens to Public

DeepinalargeNewYorkCitywarehouse,
在紐約市一個大型倉庫的深處,
the artisansbehindsomeoftheworld’smostbelovedchildren’scharacters
世界上一些最受喜愛的兒童角色的幕後創作者
have beenfashioningcostumesandpuppetsinrelativeanonymityforyears.
多年來,他們一直默默無聞地製作服裝和木偶。
Now, JimHenson’sCreatureShop,
現在,吉姆漢森的生物工作室
founded bythelegendarycreatoroftheMuppets,
由傳奇的布偶劇創作者創立,
is drawingbackthecurtain.
正在揭開帷幕。
Thisyear, thecompanyopenedthedoorsofitsQueensworkshoptopublictoursforthefirsttime.
今年,該公司首次向公眾開放了位於皇后區的工作坊供參觀。
Fanscanmeetapuppetbuilder,
粉絲可以見到木偶製作師,
see apuppetrydemonstration,
觀賞木偶戲表演,
and takephotosandvideoswithbelovedandiconiccharacters.
與深受喜愛和標誌性的人物合影和錄影。
JasonWeber, theshop’screativesupervisor,
傑森韋伯,這家店的創意總監,

said thesetours, whichcost$150perperson,
這些旅行團每人收費150美元。
are anopportunitytocelebratetheunsungcraftspeoplebehindthesefamouscharacters.
這是一個向這些著名角色背後默默奉獻的無名工匠致敬的機會。
Hementioned,
他提到,
“Thereisalevelofexpertiseherethatwe’resharing.
“我們在這裡分享著一定程度的專業知識。”
It’snotjustgoingtoapop-upstoreorsomethinglikethat,”
“這不僅僅是去快閃店之類的。”
during arecentvisit.
在最近一次訪問期間。
“Thingsaremadeone-of-a-kind,
「所有產品都是獨一無二的,
made byhandwithartisanswhohavebeentrainedforyearsanddecades.”
由經過多年甚至數十年訓練的工匠手工製作。
Theworkshophascreatedmanyfamouscharacters.
工作室創造了許多著名角色。
BesidesKermit, MissPiggy, andotherMuppets,
除了科米蛙、豬小姐和其他布偶角色之外,
HensonwasthecreativeforcebehindBigBird, CookieMonster, andotherfamouscharactersfromSesame Street,
亨森是《芝麻街》中大鳥、甜餅怪和其他著名角色的幕後創意推手。

as wellastheFraggleRockcharacters.
以及《弗拉格爾岩》中的角色。
Hepassedawayin 1990.
他於1990年去世。
Hensonoriginallyfoundedtheworkshopinthe1960sinManhattan.
亨森最初於 20 世紀 60 年代在曼哈頓創立了這家工作室。
Ithasmovedmultipletimesaroundthecitysincethen.
此後,它在城市裡多次搬遷。
IthasbeenatitscurrentlocationinQueenssince 2009.
它自 2009 年以來一直位於皇后區的現址。
ThecompanyalsohasaworkshopinLosAngelesbutdoesnotoffertoursthere.
該公司在洛杉磯也設有工作室,但不提供參觀服務。
The80-minutetoursinNewYorktakeplaceonSaturdays.
紐約的 80 分鐘遊覽活動在周六舉行。
Visitorsbegininalargeroomspeciallycreatedforthetour,
參觀者首先會來到一個專門為參觀活動準備的大房間。
which isfilledwithrealshowpropsandcreations.
裡面擺滿了真實的演出道具和作品。
Thisistheonlyspotwherevisitorscantakephotosandvideos,
這是遊客唯一可以拍照和錄影的地方。
as mostoftheactualworkshopcontainsworksinprogressorproprietaryitems.
因為實際工作室的大部分空間都存放著未完成的作品或專有物品。

TheMuppetsarenowownedbyDisney.
現在布偶們歸迪士尼所有。
Sesame StreetownstherightstoBigBirdandothercharactersthatHensoncreatedforthelong-runningshow,
《芝麻街》擁有大鳥以及亨森為這部長壽節目創作的其他角色的版權。
which isfilmedatanearbystudio.
拍攝地點在附近的攝影棚。
AmongthehighlightsinthefirstroomofthetourisanOscartheGrouchdisplay.
參觀路線第一間展廳的亮點之一是奧斯卡·格魯奇的展覽。
Here, theSesame Streetcharacterisfoundinhisfamiliartrashcan, surroundedbyheapsoffakegarbage.
在這裡,可以看到芝麻街角色在他熟悉的垃圾桶裡,周圍堆滿了假垃圾。
There’salsoablackthronefromthefilmTheDarkCrystal,
此外,還有來自電影《黑暗水晶》的黑色王座。
and a full-sizedworkingpuppetofJuniorGorg,
以及一個全尺寸的、可以正常使用的Junior Gorg木偶,
a giantfromFraggleRockthatrequiresmultipleperformerstooperate.
來自《弗拉格爾岩》的巨型生物,需要多名表演者才能操控。
Theworkshopspaceitselfisfilledwithfantasticalcreaturesindifferentstagesofassembly.
工作坊空間本身擺滿了處於不同組裝階段的奇幻生物。
Drawersandbinsaretuckedintonearlyeverycorner,
幾乎每個角落都藏著抽屜和收納箱。
brimming withcolorfulfurs, texturedfabrics, andready-madepuppetbodyparts, clothing, andaccessories.
裡面擺滿了色彩鮮豔的毛皮、質感豐富的布料,以及現成的木偶身體部件、服裝和配件。

“Everythingwedoiscustom.
“我們所做的一切都是客製化的。”
Everythingwedoisbespoke,” saidMelissaCreighton, theshop’sdirector.
「我們所做的一切都是客製化的,」該店長梅麗莎·克雷頓說。
Duringarecentvisit, staffwerepreparingcostumesandotherpiecesforvariousongoingprojects,
最近一次訪問期間,工作人員正在為各種正在進行的項目準備服裝和其他道具。
including aFraggleRockmusicalopeninglaterthismonthatatheaternearTimes Square.
其中包括本月晚些時候在時代廣場附近劇院上演的《弗拉格爾岩》音樂劇。
Theshophasworkedonseveralpastprojects, includingthehorrormovieFiveNightsatFreddy’s,
這家店之前參與過幾個項目,包括恐怖電影《玩具熊的五夜後宮》。
the children’sfilmWheretheWildThingsAre,
兒童電影《野獸國》
and the1990ssitcomDinosaurs.
還有 20 世紀 90 年代的情境喜劇《恐龍家族》。
SierraSchoening, aseniorpuppetbuilder, saidworkinginthisshophasbeenher“pie-in-the-sky”dreamjob.
資深木偶製作師 Sierra Schoening 表示,在這家店工作是她夢寐以求的「白日夢」。
HerfavoritemoviegrowingupwasTheLabyrinth,
她小時候最喜歡的電影是《迷宮》。
Henson’s1986musicalfantasystarringDavidBowieandJenniferConnelly.
亨森於 1986 年執導,由大衛鮑伊和珍妮佛康納莉主演的音樂奇幻片。
“Ialwayswantedtoknowhowthoseillusionsweremade,” Schoeningsaidasshetookabreakfromcreatingnewpieces.
「我一直想知道這些幻像是如何產生的,」舍寧在創作新作品的間隙說道。
IknowallthesecretsandI’mmakingthemnow.
我知道所有的秘密,現在我正在創造它們。

Deep in a large New York City warehouse,
the artisans behind some of the world’s most beloved children’s characters
have been fashioning costumes and puppets in relative anonymity for years.
Now, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop,
founded by the legendary creator of the Muppets,
is drawing back the curtain.
This year, the company opened the doors of its Queens workshop to public tours for the first time.
Fans can meet a puppet builder,
see a puppetry demonstration,
and take photos and videos with beloved and iconic characters.
Jason Weber, the shop’s creative supervisor,

said these tours, which cost $150 per person,
are an opportunity to celebrate the unsung craftspeople behind these famous characters.
He mentioned,
“There is a level of expertise here that we’re sharing.
It’s not just going to a pop-up store or something like that,”
during a recent visit.
“Things are made one-of-a-kind,
made by hand with artisans who have been trained for years and decades.”
The workshop has created many famous characters.
Besides Kermit, Miss Piggy, and other Muppets,
Henson was the creative force behind Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and other famous characters from Sesame Street,

as well as the Fraggle Rock characters.
He passed away in 1990.
Henson originally founded the workshop in the 1960s in Manhattan.
It has moved multiple times around the city since then.
It has been at its current location in Queens since 2009.
The company also has a workshop in Los Angeles but does not offer tours there.
The 80-minute tours in New York take place on Saturdays.
Visitors begin in a large room specially created for the tour,
which is filled with real show props and creations.
This is the only spot where visitors can take photos and videos,
as most of the actual workshop contains works in progress or proprietary items.

The Muppets are now owned by Disney.
Sesame Street owns the rights to Big Bird and other characters that Henson created for the long-running show,
which is filmed at a nearby studio.
Among the highlights in the first room of the tour is an Oscar the Grouch display.
Here, the Sesame Street character is found in his familiar trash can, surrounded by heaps of fake garbage.
There’s also a black throne from the film The Dark Crystal,
and a full-sized working puppet of Junior Gorg,
a giant from Fraggle Rock that requires multiple performers to operate.
The workshop space itself is filled with fantastical creatures in different stages of assembly.
Drawers and bins are tucked into nearly every corner,
brimming with colorful furs, textured fabrics, and ready-made puppet body parts, clothing, and accessories.

“Everything we do is custom.
Everything we do is bespoke,” said Melissa Creighton, the shop’s director.
During a recent visit, staff were preparing costumes and other pieces for various ongoing projects,
including a Fraggle Rock musical opening later this month at a theater near Times Square.
The shop has worked on several past projects, including the horror movie Five Nights at Freddy’s,
the children’s film Where the Wild Things Are,
and the 1990s sitcom Dinosaurs.
Sierra Schoening, a senior puppet builder, said working in this shop has been her “pie-in-the-sky” dream job.
Her favorite movie growing up was The Labyrinth,
Henson’s 1986 musical fantasy starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly.
“I always wanted to know how those illusions were made,” Schoening said as she took a break from creating new pieces.
I know all the secrets and I’m making them now.
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