Tim Lagasse
Birth nameTimothy Lagasse
Birth datec. 1969[1]
Birth placeMilford, Connecticut, U.S.
OccupationPuppeteer · puppet designer · director
EducationUniversity of Connecticut (BFA)
Years active1991–present
Websitetimlagasse.com

Tim Lagasse (born 1968/1969)[1] is an American puppeteer, puppet designer, and director. He has worked on films and television programs for Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon, Disney XD, and HBO. He is known for playing the title character on Noggin's Oobi,[2] and Crash on Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein.[3]

Lagasse has been nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards.[4] In 1991, he became the first recipient of the Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry.[5] In 1993 he was presented with a Citation for Excellence by UNIMA;[6] and later that year, received a Broadcast Design Silver Award for his series of short films, A Show of Hands.[7]

Biography

Lagasse was born in Milford, Connecticut. He attended St. Mary's School and Notre Dame High School in West Haven,[1] and graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1992[8] with a BFA in Puppet Arts.[9]

One of his earliest roles was Mr. Cook on the Nickelodeon series Allegra's Window.[1] He also played the title character on the Noggin's Oobi series, and Crash on Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein. He has performed additional characters on Sesame Street, The Muppets and the 2008 film A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.[10] In addition to his performance credits, he has built puppets for The Jim Henson Company[11] and Puppet Heap.[12]

Lagasse also teaches the art of puppetry, lecturing at the Lincoln Center Foundation and instructing students on modern puppetry techniques at the University of Connecticut's Puppet Arts Program.[13] In 2011 he offered workshops on building puppets at the University of Central Arkansas as part of Heather Henson's Handmade Puppet Dreams Film Festival.[14][15] In 2012 he traveled to Haiti with No Strings Productions as a puppet workshop trainer.[16]

Filmography

YearTitleCredit(s)Role(s)Ref.
1994–1996Allegra's WindowPrincipal puppeteerMr. Cook
Tweeter		[1]
1995–1998Nick in the Afternoon
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Puppet designer
  • Puppet coordinator
Additional puppets[17]
1995WeinervilleGuest puppeteerCoach Loogi[18]
1996–1998Once Upon a Tree
  • Principal Puppeteer
  • Puppet coordinator
Jasper the Hare, Bleu the Cricket[18]
1996–1998The Wubbulous World of Dr. SeussEnsemble puppeteerFox in Socks
Junior Kangaroo
Little Cat P
Sidney the Spider		[17]
1997–2006Bear in the Big Blue HouseJet Setter Tutter[18]
1999–2000A Little Curious
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Puppet coordinator
  • Puppet builder
[18]
2000–presentSesame StreetEnsemble puppeteerAdditional puppets[19]
2000–2010Between the Lions
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Puppet designer
  • Director
Arty Smartypants
Barnaby B. Busterfield III
Gus the Bunny		[20]
2000–2005Oobi
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Puppet coordinator
  • Director (shorts)
Oobi
Taro		[21]
2003–2006Chappelle's ShowPuppet coordinator[22]
2003–2008Paz
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Puppet coordinator
Paz[23]
2004Blue's RoomPuppet designerPolka Dots
Dress Up Chest		[24]
2005–2009Johnny and the Sprites
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Director (one episode)
Basil[25]
2006–2007It's a Big Big World
  • Principal puppeteer
  • Director (seven episodes)
Wartz the Frog
Ick the Catfish		[26]
2007Imagination MoversPuppet designer[27]
2008A Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaEnsemble puppeteerAdditional puppets[10]
2010The Electric CompanyDirector (ten episodes)[28]
2012–2014Crash & BernsteinPrincipal puppeteerCrash[29]
2015–2016The MuppetsEnsemble puppeteerAdditional puppets[30]
2017The Muppets Take the BowlAdditional Muppet Performer, live show at the Hollywood Bowl, Sept. 8–10
2018The Muppets Take the O2Additional Muppet Performer, live show at the O2 Arena, Jul. 13–14
2019–2023HelpstersScatter
2026The Muppet ShowSupporting Muppet Performer

Awards and nominations

YearPresenterCategory/AwardWorkStatusRef.
1991University of ConnecticutJim Henson Memorial Prize in PuppetryN/A[5]
1993Union Internationale de la MarionetteCitation for ExcellenceA Show of Hands[6]
Broadcast Design InternationalBroadcast Design Silver Award[7]
200330th Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Single Camera EditingBetween the Lions[31]
200431st Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Achievement in Costume Design/Styling[32]
Outstanding Achievement in Single Camera Editing[33]
2005American Theatre WingHenry Hewes Design AwardUncle Jimmy's Dirty Basement[34]

References

  1. ^ Amarante, Joe (October 5, 2012). "Milford guy's great puppet caper continues with 'Crash' on Disney XD". New Haven Register
  2. ^ "Oobi Does It". Newsweek. October 1, 2004.
  3. ^ "Puppeteer Lagasse lends a hand on Disney XD's hit Crash & Bernstein". New York. May 6, 2013.
  4. ^ "UConn to Host National Puppetry Festival". Hartford Courant. August 3, 2015.
  5. ^ "UConn Puppet Arts Timeline". Eugene O'Neill Theatre. July 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "41 Years of Citations – UNIMA". Union Internationale de la Marionette
  7. ^ Lagasse, Timothy. "Tim Lagasse Credits". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
  8. ^ Eaton-Robb, Pat (November 3, 2013). "UConn expands puppet arts program". Portland Press Herald
  9. ^ "15th O'Neill National Puppetry Conference". Eugene O'Neill Theatre. June 15, 2005. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016.
  10. ^ "Tim Lagasse: Crash & Bernstein". Starmedia. June 4, 2014.
  11. ^ "Jane Henson's Nativity Story to Air on Christmas Eve on CBS". Puppeteers.org. December 4, 2013.
  12. ^ "Exit Row 1 – Puppet Heap". Puppet Heap
  13. ^ Lagasse, Timothy. "About Tim Lagasse". TimLagasse.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016.
  14. ^ "Heather Henson to Bring Handmade Puppet Dreams Film Festival to UCA". University of Central Arkansas. August 19, 2011.
  15. ^ "Puppets to Invade Your Dreams". The Fountain. September 12, 2011.
  16. ^ "Associate Artists – No Strings Productions". NoStringsProductions.org. No Strings Productions.
  17. ^ "Who's Tremendous - Once Upon a Tree". OnceUponATree.com. Archived June 27, 2002 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ^ Lagasse, Timothy. "Tim Lagasse - Puppet Performer Resume". TimLagasse.com
  19. ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Disney XD Greenlights Live-Action/Puppet Comedy Series 'Crash & Bernstein'". Deadline Hollywood
  20. ^ "Between the Lions Project Team". Sirius Thinking.
  21. ^ "Josh Selig, Little Airplane Productions". Gothamist.com. Gothamist. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016.
  22. ^ Mathew Klickstein (September 24, 2013). Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age. Penguin Publishing Group. pp. 163–. ISBN 978-1-101-61409-9.
  23. ^ "Paz - Kids First! Film Festival". KidsFirst.org. Coalition for Quality Children's Media. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  24. ^ Fresh, Anney. "Puppets - Anney Fresh"
  25. ^ "Johnny and the Sprites Cast and Crew". Disney.com. The Walt Disney Company
  26. ^ "2015 National Puppetry Festival Attendees". Eugene O'Neill Theatre. July 1, 2015.
  27. ^ "Exclusive 'Crash & Bernstein' Clip for Monday's Premiere". Wired. October 5, 2012.
  28. ^ Lagasse, Timothy. "The Electric Company - Tim Lagasse". TimLagasse.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016.
  29. ^ Crooks, Amy (August 9, 2013). "Tim Lagasse and Crash at the 2013 D23 Expo". Dis411.net. The Walt Disney Company
  30. ^ Lagasse, Timothy. "The Muppets - Tim Lagasse". TimLagasse.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016.
  31. ^ "30th Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations". EmmyOnline.org. National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 12, 2003.
  32. ^ "31st Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations". EmmyOnline.org. National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. March 4, 2004.
  33. ^ "31st Daytime Emmy Awards Program Telecast". EmmyOnline.org. National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. May 15, 2004.
  34. ^ "2005 Henry Hewes Design Awards Nominations". BroadwayWorld.com. Broadway World. August 15, 2005.