The Irreverent and Unpredictable Comedy Show ‘Puppet Up! – Uncensored’ Will Debut Spring 2016 as Newest Resident Show at The Venetian Las Vegas

After performing to sold-out crowds throughout the country, the original and unruly comedy production “Puppet Up! – Uncensored” will debut at its new home this spring at the Sands Showroom located inside The Venetian® Las Vegas. Created by award-winning director, producer, and writer Brian Henson and actor, director, and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow (“Ellen,” “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”), the newest entertainment residency to hit The Strip will be a completely unique experience, expertly combining dynamic and spontaneous off-the-cuff comedy and outrageous scripted story lines with the unmatched talent and creativity of Henson puppeteers.

“Going back to the earliest appearances on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ ‘The Tonight Show’ and many others, the Henson style of puppetry has always involved improvisation,” said Creator and Producer, Brian Henson, “It was quite often true that the funniest moments on set happened after the director yelled ‘cut,’ which is one of the reasons I was inspired to create the show.”

The production’s originality extends beyond the content of each performance into how the show is seen by each audience member. Delivering two-shows-in-one, audiences will view the hilarious action projected live on large screens flanking the stage while simultaneously peeking behind the curtain to witness the iconic Henson style. The puppeteers race around below, revealing their unparalleled artistry and distinctive craft. Live musical accompaniment will punctuate the performance as Patrick Bristow acts as host, crafting the chaos on a nightly basis.  In addition, the masterful “Puppet Up!” puppeteers will also treat the theatre to resurrected classics and instantly-recognizable pieces originally created by Jim Henson, Jane Henson, and Frank Oz that haven’t been seen by live audiences in decades.

“We are incredibly excited to bring this dynamic and hilarious show to Las Vegas audiences,” said Vincent Marini, creative director and executive producer for BASE Entertainment. “The combination of artistry and comedy on display in Puppet Up! – Uncensored is unlike anything that has ever played on the Las Vegas Strip. It has been a truly incredible experience working with the immensely talented artists at the Henson Company to produce this no holds barred, tour de force comedy at one of Las Vegas’s most iconic resorts.”

‘Puppet Up! – Uncensored’ was developed by Henson Alternative Productions, an arm of the Jim Henson Company. The company’s previous credits include “Tinseltown” for the Logo Television Network and the upcoming feature film “Happytime Murders”, currently in development. The resident show debuting this spring, which will include added elements specifically designed for Las Vegas, is being produced by BASE Entertainment and co-produced by SPI Entertainment.

The show is intended for audiences 16+. For more information about ‘Puppet Up! – Uncensored’ please visit www.puppetup.com.

BASE Entertainment develops, produces, and manages intellectual properties and venues for live entertainment in North America and internationally from offices in New York, Houston, Las Vegas, and Singapore.  BASE’s current productions in Las Vegas include Mat Franco – Magic Reinvented Nightly at the Linq, Absinthe at Caesars Palace, Rock of Ages at The Rio, Jersey Boys at Paris, and Million Dollar Quartet at Harrah’s.  In addition, BASE operates the Showroom at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and the theaters at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.  BASE also produces museum quality touring and residency exhibitions including Spy: The Secret World of Espionage, Sea Monsters Revealed and The Alamo Experience. BASE Entertainment’s founders and partners include industry veterans Brian Becker and Scott Zeiger, and Beverly Hills-based private equity firm Clarity Partners.  For more information please visit www.BASEentertainment.com.

Henson Alternative is The Jim Henson Company’s label for content created specifically and exclusively for adult audiences. In 1955, Jim Henson’s first television production “Sam & Friends” appeared on late-night television as a lead in to “The Tonight Show,”  establishing a standard in the Company’s work for irreverent, creative comedy projects that spoke to adults. Appearances on “The Jimmy Dean Show,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and “Saturday Night Live,” as well as numerous short films for clients like IBM and AT&T, proved that Henson puppetry was not limited to children.  Today, Henson Alternative continues to produce and develop projects for this audience.  Credits include “No, You Shut Up!,” currently airing on Fusion, “Neil’s Puppet Dreams” (Nerdist), “Tinseltown” (Logo), “Puppet Up! – Uncensored” (a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 “Best Stage Shows” by Entertainment Weekly), and the upcoming feature film “Happytime Murders” currently in development with STX Entertainment. (www.hensonalternative.com)

SPI Entertainment is a leading Production Company & Talent Agency with six successful resident award-winning shows in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas, and more than 10 shows touring internationally. With a successful track record of building entertainment brands and partnering with world-class entertainers, SPI has become the preeminent Theatrical Producer & Talent Agency in Las Vegas and beyond. Current Productions include Smokey Robinson Presents: Human Nature – The Motown Show, Boyz II Men, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, Australia’s Thunder From Down Under, Divas – Starring Frank Marino, RockTellz and Cocktails, and The Australian Bee Gees Show. www.SPIentertainment.com

Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian Las Vegas features all-suite accommodations, exquisite restaurants by celebrity chefs and world-class entertainment and shopping. The luxury resort offers 4,028 elegant suites, including standard suites that are nearly double the size of the average Las Vegas hotel room. The Venetian, along with  its sister property The Palazzo Las Vegas,  is home to restaurants from celebrated chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Emeril Lagasse and Buddy “Cake Boss” Valastro. The resort also features Canyon Ranch SpaClub; a five-acre pool and garden deck; TAO nightclub; the Grand Canal Shoppes retail and dining mecca; a 120,000-square-foot casino;  the Strip’s largest poker room; and more than 2.25 million square feet of meeting and convention space.  For more information, visit venetian.com, @venetianvegas and facebook.com/venetianlasvegas.  The Venetian Las Vegas is a property of global integrated resorts developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS).