A quick chat with local puppeteer Lizza Obremski.
N MAGAZINE: When and how did your love of puppets begin?
LIZZA: I have always loved puppets and still have the ones I played with as a child. No matter what else I tried to pursue in life, it always came back to puppets.
N MAGAZINE: You have a new show on NCTV18?
LIZZA: Yes! Sue Riddle and I have come together, with the help of NCTV, to create “Out to See” – a children’s television show that takes place on Nantucket starring Nanpuppets, myself, and members of the community. Each episode we go “Out to See” different things on the island from a kid’s perspective through a variety of mediums; live action, animation, and more! You can watch our pilot episode on YouTube and learn more about the show on our website www.ComeOutToSee.com. Part of the reason Sue and I are creating a show for kids is because we want to bring back the old school cozy feeling of the shows we grew up with.
N MAGAZINE: Why do you think children connect with puppets so easily?
LIZZA: Puppets bring make-believe to life. People love the magic of having something that is not human speaking to them and that magic creates connection.
N MAGAZINE: Tell us about your puppet shows.
LIZZA: I always have an outlined show, but honestly it is mostly improv that I adapt to my audience. When I started the company, I listed all the things I knew kids loved and incorporated them into a variety of rotating scripts.
N MAGAZINE: Do you make the puppets yourself?
LIZZA: I do! I have taken a few puppetry courses but Joe Zito gets the most credit for re-igniting my puppet making skills.
N MAGAZINE: Is Jim Henson a hero?
LIZZA: But of course! I love the way Jim Henson’s creations have a warm human quality combined with true ridiculousness.
N MAGAZINE: Where can we see you perform on Nantucket?
LIZZA: We’re all over the island! We perform at the Atheneum, Children’s Beach, private events and more! My website, www.nanpuppets.com, Facebook page, and Instagram announce all of my public shows.
N MAGAZINE: What’s something most people don’t know about being a puppeteer?
LIZZA: You don’t need other people around to be able to talk to your puppets.
N MAGAZINE: What’s your favorite memory of working with puppets?
LIZZA: Years ago I ran a camp for middle school kids and our favorite activity was driving around blasting music with puppets hanging out of every window. As you can imagine, we got a lot of laughs.
