Puppets to Land in La Verne for Really Big Show … by Jennifer Helm

January 6, 2014
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Scott Land makes magic in his workshop.

Scott Land makes magic in his workshop.

Scott Land is an entertainer at the top of his game. His nearly four-decade career has recently put him on the A-list for movies, television, Hollywood royalty, Las Vegas and a world tour. You would think a guy like that wouldn’t have time for a little elementary school like Grace Miller in La Verne.

But you would be wrong. Scott is donating his time to do a show at the Hillcrest Main Meeting Room at 7 p.m., Jan. 22. Tickets are only $3, with all of the proceeds going to Grace Miller PTA to help fund field trips, the Birthday Books program and other student programs. The show is only one of many shows and fundraisers that Scott and his menagerie of marionettes perform for children throughout the year.

Land gave Jay Leno something to smile about.

Land gave Jay Leno something to smile about.

Scott started his performing career at the age of 12 with his show, “Scott’s Things on Strings,” performing at malls and birthday parties in his hometown of Redlands, Calif. As an adult, he studied the old world art of marionettes with Bob Baker, Albrecht Roser, Phillip Huber (Being John Malkovich) and Michael Earl (Sesame Street). His shows have become a favorite among the stars of Hollywood, including Jennifer Lopez, Barbra Streisand, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg, and he is also a favorite of the Dalai Lama! He is currently a regular feature performer at David Arquette’s club “Bootsy Bellows,” and has extended his one-month gig at the Venetian into a residency in Las Vegas.

Land carved out the likeness of President Obama.

Land carved out the likeness of President Obama.

His movie resume includes “The Princess Diaries II,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” and the most recent, “A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III.” But his biggest career highlight was working with Trey Parker and Matt Stone as lead puppeteer for the all-marionette comedy, “Team America: World Police.”

Also a master puppet builder, Scott designs and builds all of his own puppets, each with its own signature trick or “special effect.”. You never know what his creations are going to do, and you will wonder how they did it! Scott also has a special talent for crafting “portrait puppets,” which are puppets that resemble famous people. Some of his portraits have included Jack Nicholson, Michael Jackson, Simon Cowell, Jennifer Lopez and Morgan Freeman. He even designed a puppet of President Obama and brought it to Washington DC for the Million Puppet March. His portrait puppets have been recently featured on the “Craig Ferguson Show.”

Tickets will be available on Jan. 13, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., M-F at Grace Miller Elementary, 1620 Holly Oak in La Verne. Seats are limited, so it is recommended you purchase them early. Any unsold tickets will be available at the door, 30 minutes prior to the show.

For more information about Scott Land Marionettes, go to www.ThePuppetMan.com or just type <Scott Land Marionettes> on your search engine. If you would like to donate to the Grace Miller PTA, call Grace Miller Elementary 909-971-8206.