dorothy james
puppeteer
Bill's 44th
Co-Creator & Puppeteer
Photos by Richard Termine and Ben Wright Smith
Bill’s 44th is a full-length (55 minutes), wordless, comedic puppet show
performed with an original, recorded score.
The streamers are hung, the punch has been spiked, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Now all Bill has to do is wait for his guests to arrive. Bill’s 44th is an original comedic show created and puppeteered by Dorothy James & Andy Manjuck to create one very worried leading man - Bill. Many styles of puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité all collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time.
Bill's 44th received its world premiere June 2021 at Dixon Place in NYC, where it was performed live
for a limited, COVID-restricted audience for four performances while being simultaneously live-streamed.
It earned a great review in the New York Times and was named a Critic's Pick by Laura Collins-Hughes.
In January 2022, Bill's 44th toured to Chicago as part of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.
Bill's 44th was made possible with support from:
The Jim Henson Foundation, Cheryl Henson, St. Ann's Warehouse, the New York State Puppet Festival, and Dixon Place.
For more information please visit Bills44th.com
Bill's 44th is represented by Elsie Management