Heather Henson talks art of puppetry

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (FOX Providence) - This weekend, FirstWorks Providence is hosting a performance that combines screenplay with puppeteering. The Rhode Show caught up with the people behind the curtain for an inside look.

Heather Henson's father is none other than famed puppeteer and Muppets creator Jim Henson. And just like her father, she's bringing puppets alive.

"So my father made puppetry fore film for the recorded media. He made puppets for film and television and i have always enjoyed that media of live puppetry performed for the camera," said Heather Henson.

For the third year, Henson's bringing her "Handmade Puppet Dreams" film series to Providence. Handpicked puppet film shorts will be screened at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Along with the screenings, cross-talk with artists like Sam Hale, who introduced us to some of the puppets who star in his film "Yamasong."

"So, the first puppet, her name is Nani. She's a patchwork girl. She's naive and innocent, and she sees this falling star and she wants it so badly that she follows it basically through a portal into another world," said Henson.

Also in the story, a fantastical mechanical bird and a tortoise warrior.

"He's a hunter and a fisherman and he becomes her main traveling companion as they go through this fantastical surreal world."

Henson says she's excited about the latest series because it gives exposure and promotes artists in the puppetry world.

"This is a field that's not really well known other than my father's work, other than The Muppets."

Hensen will be screening another film Sunday, May 2 at 2 pm. The event is free and open to the public.