Puppeteer and Filmmaker
<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Arial; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {mso-style-link:"Body Text Char"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-hyphenate:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} span.BodyTextChar {mso-style-name:"Body Text Char"; mso-style-locked:yes; mso-style-link:"Body Text"; mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in .8in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.4in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 150%; font-family: times new roman;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Steven Ritz-Barr</b> (aka Steven Barr) started acting and producing theatre while studying at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, where he earned a degree in Communication and Education. He resided in Paris, France, for 11 years where he studied at LeCoq’s Movement/Mime School,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>before opening full-sail into the Art of the Puppet. He developed and performed over twelve original productions, appearing in France, England, and Belgium, and in festivals in Hungary. He also designed abstract puppet figures and performed in two large-scale modern dance productions that toured extensively throughout Europe for several years (Cie Witzman-Anaya and Cie Diasnas). He also begin his work in television and film while in France.<br></p><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> </span><p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0.5in; line-height: 150%; font-family: times new roman;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After moving to Los Angeles in 1989, he began to work in the film and television business. Among his film credits as a puppet performer are the Queen Alien in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Alien Resurrection</i> and the several creatures in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Men In Black. </i>He coordinated 30 cable puppeteers in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Batman Returns</i>, as well as several Muppets for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Muppet Vision 3-D</i> (the last film made by the late Jim Henson). His numerous television credits include the prime-time,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>“Muppets Tonight,” and “Bedtime Stories” with Shelley Duval. In 2000, Mr. Ritz-Barr established the Metropolitan Puppet Authority, a non-profit entity, with the mission to provide an appreciation of the Art of Puppetry through education, live performance and recorded programming. </p>