From 2012 to 2014 I toured with the North American and Japanese tour of the Tony and Olivier-award winning production of “War Horse”
I was a head puppeteer for Joey and Topthorn. The show was such a gift as a performing, it was challenging, emotional, and always an adventure. Audiences were consistently enthralled by the show and the puppetry and it was rare to leave the theater without many tears being shed.
It was also amazing to get to see so much of the US. From Seattle, to Birmingham, to Chicago and Albuquerque we really covered a lot of ground. It is an experience that will stay with me my whole life.
“Clifford the Big Red Dog” is finally here! After running around the streets of New York City in the summer of 2018 puppeteering Clifford himself, the film has been released in theaters and on Paramount+.
It was great to finally see the film and reminisce about all of our adventures.
Check out our puppeteer interview with the Ringer HERE
In 2018, I found myself in Atlanta, GA as a part of the puppet team for the new TV show, “Moon and Me”. The show is a BBC production and is the latest creation from Andrew Davenport (creator of The Teletubbies).
It is a magnificent mix of puppetry and practical effects which all come together to make a carefully crafted, tactile, magical, comforting and funny world full of stories and silly characters.
It was a joy to be a puppeteer and a puppet captain for this show
“Moon and Me” can be seen on the BBC’s CBeeBies and children’s television channels across the world!
I spent four months on set with the new Apple TV+ show “Hello Tomorrow!” puppeteering and serving as a puppet captain for the robots that populate this retro-future world.
Stream it now on Apple TV+
demons. is a new play by Keelay Gipson. I’ve been involved in the show from the earliest stages of production as The Director of Puppetry. It’s been such a joy working on this show. The team has been incredible and we were lucky enough to secure Cedwan Hooks as our puppet designer and Joseph Lymous as our puppeteer.
We had an amazing premiere at The Connelly Theater from starting on May 16th with an extension until June 20th.
I feel so lucky to have worked on this beautiful, surreal, touching, funny play.
Here some quotes from our reviews:
“When Danily, a red-furred, purple-lipped beast, appears onstage, his giant eyelids fluttering and huge maw flapping, he is irresistibly adorable, like something from Jim Henson’s dreams. And did I mention he’s a demon? In “Demons,” presented by Bushwick Starr at the Connelly Theater, a family grieving the recent death of its complicated patriarch becomes the target of a haunting by a puppet ghoul, the unexpected star” Maya Philips - NYTimes
“And then there’s the puppet. Cedwan Hooks’s design for Danily is simultaneously ridiculous and adorable, something you might see in a pharmaceutical ad. Demons got you down? Ask your doctor about Exorcipro. There’s nothing scary about him in the slightest, and as played by Lymous, we get the sense of a demon who is not entirely comfortable in his own fur (admirably restrained puppet direction by Jon Riddleberger). Gipson leaves a lot of unanswered question around Danily and his dad, and Lymous makes us want to know more. Danily should have a series on Netflix….It’s as if August Wilson wrote an episode of Sesame Street.” Zachary Stewart - TheaterMania
The show was presented by The Bushwick Starr in partnership with JAG Productions and Oye Group.
Photos by Maria Baranova
“friend.” is a brand new series created by myself, Joseph Lymous and Rachael Balcanoff. It was a quarantine labor of love that has stayed with us into this new world. We’ve been pitching the series to networks and are hoping to find a home for this whimsical, handmade, world full of a whole lot of kindness and even more adventure!
On this page you’ll find some of the short films that inspired the series as well as screenshots from friend’s adventures!
Don’t forget to follow friend on Instagram!
For inquiries feel free to email us at: friendby3a3@gmail.com
In spring 2021 I joined the team on a wonderfully fun and bizarre adventure of a show called “Bill’s 44th” at Dixon Place. Created by Dorothy James and Andy Manjuck, the show centers around Bill as he throws his own 44th birthday party….but will anyone show up?
From the website: “The streamers are hung, the punch has been spiked, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Now all Bill has to do is wait for his guests to arrive. Bill’s 44th is an original comedic show created and puppeted by Dorothy James & Andy Manjuck to create one very worried leading man - Bill. Many styles of puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité all collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time.”
We got a STUNNING New York Times review and we’ve now performed the show to a sold out audience at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Barbican Centre in London, St Ann’s Puppet Lab, The Chicago International Festival of Puppetry, Oklahoma City Rep, and The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Keep your eyes peeled for more Bill in the future!
For more about Bill check out the official website HERE.
And follow us on Instagram HERE
My film “The Memory Trade is making the film festival circuit!
I made this film at the end of 2020 through a commission with Heather Henson’s Handmade Puppet Dreams
“The Memory Trade” is a parable about a Monster, an Old Lady, and a community of vulnerable beans that asks the question: What do we do when we find out that our fond memories might not be so fond for everyone?
Thus far it’s been selected to be a part of 10 different and won “Best Animated Film” at The Astoria Film Festival.
CLICK HERE for more about Handmade Puppet Dreams
“Power City is the most beautiful city in the world, clean, pure - perfect; but not by accident. local hero Laser Beak Man works hard to keep it that way. Drawing energy from the underground Magna Crystals that power the City his beak has the ability to shoot lasers that turn bad to good. That is until Peter Bartman, evil genius, and Laser Beak Man’s estranged childhood friend, steals the Magna Crystals using the Thriller Driller. Robbed of his super powers, Laser Beak Man must find a way to stop his oldest nemesis from destroying Power City.”
“Laser Beak Man” is a show that is very close to my heart. I took part in all of the development of the show and it was such a joy to travel around Australia sharing this show full of kindness, joy and silliness!
From the mind of Tim Sharp, with the theatrical magic of Dead Puppet Society and the sweet tunes of Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack this show is not to be missed!
Past productions:
9-30 September 2017 | Brisbane Festival & La Boite Theatre Company
12-13 September 2019 | Cairns Performing Arts Centre
18-21 September 2019 | Arts Centre Melbourne
2-5 October 2019 | Queensland Performing Arts Centre
8-12 January 2020 | Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House
16-18 January 2020 | HOTA Gold Coast
In the Winter of 2020 I was a part of the company of Derek Fordjour and Nick Lehane’s collaboration “Fly Away”. The show was one of the very few live theater performances happening in New York City. This live puppet show was presented in conjunction with Derek Fordjour’s gallery show “Self Must Die” at Petzel Gallery.
It was such a joy and privilege to be working on this important piece and I’m so grateful to have been able to present the show to the theater starved audiences of New York City.
For more about the exhibition CLICK HERE
I have the great pleasure of performing with The Handspring Puppet Company on their opera collaboration with William Kentridge, “Il Ritorno D’Ulisse”
We’ve travlled around the world with the show to South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, New York City, Luxembourg and Hong Kong.
“In Kentridge’s version of Monteverdi’s work, Ulisse lies centre stage in a hospital bed in Johannesburg. His visions, dreams and thoughts are conveyed to the audience via the local performance of the opera singers. Before dying, Ulisse remembers his return from his ten-year expedition following the Trojan War to find his wife Penelope besieged with suitors and his son Telemachus in duress. The dying Ulisse puppet watches his former self re-enact his return to Penelope and his defeat of her suitors.”
I spend most summers upstate in Salem, NY working with the magnificent Mettawee River Theatre Company!
The company lives and works together under the direction of master mask and puppet maker, Ralph Lee to create a show that will tour rural upstate New York and New England.
The company truly creates magic that has kept audiences coming back for generations.
I have been fortunate to travel the world and work with artists and puppeteers who’ve spent their life creating work full of whimsy, drama, character, heart, artistry, integrity and wonder. My work as a teacher comes directly from my work as a puppeteer over the past decade. Below you’ll find some of the classes I’ve had the privilege to teach and if you or anyone you know is interested in puppet consulting, masterclass, or a longer workshop feel free to contact me at jon.riddleberger@gmail.com
Past teaching work:
Adjunct Professor - NewYork University - Tisch School of the Arts
Masterclasses: War Horse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The New School of Monmouth County
