Meet The Hoozits - Autumn 2005

As I walked past a little recycled children's clothing and toys store in Oak Ridge, Tennessee one day, I saw the most wonderful being posed in the window, looking right into my eyes. I couldn't get over this creature: a plushy light green long-armed big-eyed orangutan. I had to have it. My first thought was, "I'm going to have to get back into puppetry! This one belongs on stage!"
I went into the store and before I could reach for the orangutan, another being caught my eye: it was a hard plastic green alligator-xylophone on wheels, with big eyes looking - yes! - looking right at me! This one had a moveable jaw, and a pull-string. I could not resist. Now I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'd be getting back into puppetry. How not?
In the next aisle there was another being - a floppy green-and-blue plush plaid dog. Of course this one was a member of our troupe, too. By the time I was finished in that store I had acquired Dr. Orangy-tangy, Music Al the Xylogator, and Nursie Nosey-Dog. There were several more to come. Within a few days we were joined by a very colorful McCaw; and then by Bunnee Rabbat, the long floppy-legged (knots for knees) fat-bodied lady rabbit made of an old chenille bedspread and big bright buttons. I'm still looking for her "Majeek Hat," her magic hat, where I am sure she lives. When we find it she will make her entrance before the audience by being pulled - and pulled - and - eeeeeeeee - pulled - POP! - from the hat. "Oh, my goodness! My Majeek Hat 'as shrunk! Eet ees too small for my skinny leetle self! Tch tch!" and like that.
As I gathered member after member of my new puppet troupe, I knew we had to have just the right name. Years before, when my daughter and I puppeteered together (she was seven; now she's nearing 30, and she's a professional actress and a new mom), we called our troupe "Pumparilla Puppets." I knew, now, that I wouldn't re-use that name; and I was waiting for just the right inspiration. Finally one morning I had the strongest sense that the spirit of Jim Henson was with me. I received some great hints and ideas, and very soon our name was apparent: The HOOZITS.
Every now and then The HOOZITS and I put on a little show. There's always a lot of audience participation: Dr. Orangy-Tangy likes to swing through the trees, so children and parents get to be her trees. Party-Hardy McGraw, the Real McCaw, loves to get audience members echoing his wild jungle sounds. And Music Al the Xylogator has a song to teach. He woke me up with it one morning, and now every show we do, Music Al insists on getting the audience to sing along while I play accompaniment on his little rainbow xylophone spine. Al's song goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was a Xylogator.....
His name was Music Al
And he was everybody's pal.