BACC Spring’11: Flexitoon and Shining Time Station

Written by: Gary M. Kenny, CC2K Comics Editor

CC2K’s Gary Kenny visits his past at Wizard Worlds Big Apple Comic Con’11: Spring, where he meets his old friends from Shining Time Station.

The spring edition of BACC’11 was a little too close for comfort; lots of people within a little space. However, walking around the artist alley area, i did a double take. I saw a table filled with puppets. I looked away and all of a sudden my childhood flashed before my eyes. I looked back and two friendly puppeteers waved me over. Craig Marin and Olga Felgemacher are the creators, voices and puppeteers of many of my favorite childhood shows like PinWheel and Shining Time Station.

In 1979 Craig and Olga created Flexitoon, with hard work and skill (during the renaissance, puppeteering was a big artform) their characters became alive and absorbed into the hearts and minds of so many people. In 2011 many comic con attendees where happily surprised to see these beloved characters again. Flexitoon is an amazing company and without the morals they helped establish within shows like PinWheel, many adults might be lost today.

Craig, Olga and celebrities such as Mathew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nick Offerman, Nathan Lane (just to name a few associated with Flexitoon) are trying to create the Flexitoon Puppet Theatre in New York City. Since so many shows are now CGI or animated, a theatre such as this would be an institution for all ages so that we could keep this art alive.

Flexitoon was a welcomed addition to BACC’11 (spring) and i hope to see them at many more comic conventions. They had time for a short interview and i hope they know the joy they brought to me growing up.