HEARTFELT AND HILARIOUS.
A creative studio founded by a Muppet and a social worker.
Photo by Justin J. Wee
From brands to books to Broadway, we bring characters to life.
Photo by Scott Harris
Our studio produces off-beat stories with handmade puppet magic.
Designing, building, writing, directing, casting–we’ve got you covered.
Photo by Todd E Clark
Curious about puppets? Ask away.
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We build high-quality custom puppets for puppet productions, including glove puppets, mouth puppets, rod puppets, specialty costume puppets and full-body walkaround puppets!
We also design and fabricate puppets in a wide range of sizes, from small hand puppets to larger-than-life full-body creations.
Check out our Custom Puppet Portfolio to see a variety of puppets we’ve created. -
If you have an inkling of an idea, bring it our way and we can help you bring it to life!
We can walk you through each step of the process. Whether you need us to design and build a puppet, or you just want consultation on casting and shooting your puppet production, we’re here to help. Our clients include artists, prop masters, brands, ad agencies, and production companies. -
Each custom puppet is unique, but a typical 20-inch-tall hand-and-rod puppet takes 6-8 weeks to complete. Let us know what you’ve got in mind, and we’ll build a timeline that works for your needs.
If you need a puppet more quickly (it’s a puppet emergency!!) we may be able to provide a rush order. Reach out to us and we’ll see what we can do! -
We not only build original puppet characters, we script, direct, cast, shoot, and edit puppet projects for clients. We can also provide consultation for puppet productions who want a puppet expert in their corner.
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We create puppets for commercials, TV shows, films, live concert events, and theatrical productions, including Broadway and off-Broadway.
We also love creating original work, producing our own stories for stage and screen, and writing and illustrating picture books. -
Yes! We are expert collaborators and used to working with art directors, prop masters, production managers, directors, and all types of creatives!
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Yes! We create puppets for international clients as well as US-based clients. No matter where you’re located, we can ship our custom puppets to you!
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The cost of our custom puppets varies by complexity, as they’re one of a kind, custom-built and handmade to meet the needs of your production.
Our talented fabricators have worked in the industry for decades, creating high-quality, comfortable, and performable puppets ready for the big screen. Please reach out to us for a quote! -
Absolutely. Simple Mischief Studio was co-founded by Sesame Street puppeteer Spencer Lott, and we’re happy to provide puppetry consultation for your production.
When you’re shooting with puppets, every shot is a special effect, and we know how to best achieve your vision. We know the top puppeteer talent, (and even puppet friendly crews) to make your production run smoothly. -
We’re a professional puppet studio with a reputation for creating high-quality, performer-friendly puppets for television.
Each of our puppets is created by hand and specifically designed for your unique needs. Co-founder Spencer Lott has decades of experience performing puppets on your favorite films and TV shows, including:Sesame Street
Helpsters
Saturday Night Live
Hello Tomorrow!
IF
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Our puppets are created with the performer in mind. With our years of experience, you won’t have to worry about making the mistakes that often plague puppet productions.
With us, you are in good hands.
Our co-founders:
A Muppet and a social worker.
Spencer Lott, Mischief Maker
(he/him)
Spencer is a creator. He's a puppeteer, puppet fabricator, director, writer, and idea machine.
In addition to playing Julia's brother Samuel on Sesame Street, his puppetry credits include SNL, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (starring Tom Hanks), Helpsters (Apple+), Disney’s The Muppets, Hello Tomorrow! (Apple+) and John Krasinski's feature film, If.
Spencer brings his years of experience and his talented friends from Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Disney's The Muppets to his projects.
Grace Townley, Mischief Maker In-Chief
(she/her)
Grace is a writer/illustrator, painter, and sculptor who manages the business side of Simple Mischief Studio. She has an eye for detail, whether she's painting Daniel Tiger's eyes for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood or signing contracts.
Grace brings a unique perspective with 15 years of social work experience serving older adults with Alzheimer's disease, including as an Executive Director of a senior living community.
Her management experience ensures projects happen on time and on budget, and her social work philosophy impacts each story we choose to tell.
Our values.
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We bring a social worker’s perspective to every project. We believe in the dignity and worth of our audiences, artists, and clients, and create narratives to inspire others to do the same.
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We ask smart questions and generate exciting ideas, honed by years of improvising, devising, and collaborating.
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We craft each project by hand. Whether it’s a picture book, pitch deck, or custom-built puppet for film & TV, we think carefully about style, form, and function to create the most engaging work for our audiences.