Current and Past Works/ EPK
Poose The Puppet ( Main work): Poose the Puppet comes from the mind of Benjamin Martin. Since 2014, Martin, a puppeteer, producer, and performer, has toured internationally with his show which features experimental bass music, audience interaction, and a message about self-exploration and healing. Poose, the childlike and loving puppet which is at the helm of the experience, is joined on stage by a cast of characters ranging from a diaphanous blueberry and fluffy alien cohort. Poose started performing regularly in New Orleans shortly after the pandemic and took the local performance art scene by storm. Within their first year in the Crescent City, Poose and Martin performed on the reality series My Amazing Cheap Date: New Orleans, the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Festival, and at New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest. While performing on tour, Poose enchanted and captivated the eye of a Los Angeles-based casting director who encouraged the puppet to audition for NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Poose’s audition currently has over 160k views on YouTube and has peaked interest in having her perform at venues all over the world.
In the Summer of 2023, Poose performed at Burning Man and the National Puppetry Festival, a gathering of puppeteers from around the world featuring workshops and performances from some of the most internationally well recognized puppetry artists today such as Heather Henson, daughter of the late Jim Henson. “I’ve been so amazed by how moved everyone is by our show. People come up to me in tears expressing that my show has helped them. People understand me and relate to my self-expression which is so exciting and motivating to me.”
POOSE: comes from the word purpose. Short for purPOOSE. Poose helps you find your true Purpoose (purpose) in life with her cast of friends.
PURPOOSE: is any feeling, thought, emotion, idea, movement or expression that comes to you when you are mindful and present.
BACKSTORY: On Poose’s journey through the universe she discovers Earth and sees its wonders. Poose and a blueberry plant, Cyan, fall in love and this bond causes Pooseberry children to grow. Humans find the Pooseberry children and abuse them and their power. As retaliation Poose removes humanity’s free will, zombifying them. Poose soon realizes this impulsive decision to control was a grave mistake. Poose finally recognizes that her destiny is to set the humans free, teaching them to use their powers in a positive way and helping them discover their true PURPOOSES in life!
Poose AFTER DARK (Current show): Created in 2023. This is the fully realized version of Poose The Puppet that premiered at the New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest 2023 and was the highest selling show at the festival.
Summary: Prepare yourself for an immersive pyschadelic/black light experience in Poose After Dark. Visually stunning puppets designed in collaboration by Princess Peetza (Local New Orleans artist and fashion designer) and lights hypnotize you out of your seat and onto your feet in a hilarious and absurd puppet experience. Let Poose be your light and find your PURPOOSE even in the darkest realms of your heart. Audience participation encouraged!
COLLABORATIONS WITH NIGHTSHADE
“In The Deadly Night Shade No One Can Hear You Scream Your Purpoose” (2022)
https://www.offbeat.com/news/night-shade-poose-the-puppet-present-horror-and-comedy-next-week/
Summary: “IN THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM YOUR PURPOOSE” is a touring collaboration between the shadow cinema stylings of Night Shade and performance artist interactions of Poose The Puppet. Get lit and witness as Night Shade's illuminated DETH CAST members 'Necromancer Nadia' & 'Dead Mike' enter the No Tomorrow zone to conjure forth giant imagery to invoke an esoteric variety show with interactive interviews from the burial realm, a live alchemistic music video, the ever popular 'Spew Dating Game', the birth of Poose-Berry Crunch, plus ~ the secrets of Necromancy.
Pop-in a Poose-Berry to unlock your “Purpoose” (purpose in life) in a hilarious, yet profound live interactive experience fueled by audience participation. “Poose The Puppet” creates a compassionate space where people connect with those around them to feel free to be themselves sparking universal love and self actualization. Benjamin Martin aka: Poose the Puppet is an award-winning performance artist based in New Orleans, LA, who has been captivating audiences around the globe for 10+ years.
Illuminate the senses as Night Shade's award-winning puppeteer Sarah Frechette & filmmaker Jason Thibodeaux – manipulate depth and space – in a live cinematic shadow experience never seen before. This Portland, OR-based duo, have toured internationally with epic hand-cut shadow shows and experimental short films, while also honing their skills by working on stop-motion animation such as Adult Swim's The Shivering Truth, the films Coraline, ParaNorman and soon to be released Netflix’s “Wendell & Wild”.
“IN THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE THE POOSEMARE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN” (2023)
Summary: Night Shade and their band White Knives mutates into one organism with Poose The Puppet to take on a presentation of comedic and horrific proportion titled IN THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE THE POOSEMARE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN featuring special guest appearances by Michael Myerz, Choose Hellth, Veronika (My Cousin Christina), Break Fast Puppets and Playdoh.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct 20-22, 2023
Shows start at 8pm
Teen and Adult Audience 15+
Mudlark Public Theatre located at 1200 Port Street in New Orleans, 70117
Get lit and witness as Night Shade's illuminated ZINE as 'Necromancer Nadia' & 'Dead Mike' rise from the grave and conjure their own brand of DeTh RoCk with their band WHITE KNIVES. Haunting imagery slices across the shadow screen invoking an esoterica shadow show from the burial realm. Step through the door to enter the void with Poose The Puppet and together face her demons in a hilarious, yet profound live interactive hand puppet experience fueled by Poose-elation as we exerciiiiiiise the demon!
Special sacrifices include Off-Beats’ Veronika as My Cousin Christina, Playdoh and traveling performance artists Michael Myerz, Choose Hellth, and Break Fast Puppets!
The ALL HALLOWS PUPPET SCREAM will have different guests each night.
Friday, Oct. 20 ~ Choose Hellth & Playdoh perform. Matthew Hellth’s project combines techno music, puppetry and psychedelic visuals.
Saturday, Oct. 21 ~ Musicians My Cousin Christina and Michael Myerz perform. Atlanta’s Michael Schwartz is the offbeat rapper Michael Myerz, who has released more than 30 albums incorporating genres from punk and metal to electronica and noise pop.
Sunday, Oct. 22 ~ Clowning and performance group Break Fast Puppets join us.
CLOWN BABY ADOPTION PROGRAM
Summary: (2023) Art installation funded by Engulf Regional Burn Artist Grant program($1000). Interactive art installation where Benjamin Martin created 100s of unique clown baby dolls and gave them up for adoption to burners in several performances throughout the burn weekend. This featured the Clown Birth Canal Puppet and original clown adoption music and sound effects along with multiple unique props and costumes. Burners came to the stage and had to prove themselves to be good clown parents through a series of clown challenges and games. The project became a hit at the burn and started several rogue projects including the Clown Baby Protective Services program which rescued and re-homed clown babies that were being neglected at the burn.
Video Work and Television Appearances
Appe
America’s Got Talent Audition
The Puppets Who Fought In Vietnam
Winner of the Southern Shorts Awards “Best In Puppetry Award.” 2023 (Editor, Director, Puppeteer)
Stan (A parody of Eminem's "Stan" song) for Toybox
Winner of the “Fringiest of the Fringe Asheville, NC Fringe Festival 2022 Award.” (Editor, Director, Actor)
My Amazing Cheap Date, New Orleans Start at 16:02 for Poose.
Finding Your Purpoose
Winner of the “Funniest at Fringe & Fan Favorite Asheville, NC Fringe Festival 2021 Award.” (Editor, Director, Puppeteer)
Toybox Vs Two Crazy Fans
(Editor, Director, Actor, Puppeteer)
Awards, Articles, Highlights
PRESS:
https://www.offbeat.com/news/puppets-with-poose-ben-martin-magical-show/
Awards/ Certifications:
1. Funniest at Fringe & Fan Favorite Asheville, NC Fringe Festival 2021
2. Fringiest of the Fringe Asheville, NC Fringe Festival 2022
3. Winner of 6 “IFFY” Awards, Buffalo Infringement Fest 2022
4. Clown Academy Certification, Academy of Clown Arts 2022
5. Best In Puppetry Southern Shorts Awards 2023
6. Artist Grant for Art installation. Engulf Burn, New Orleans, LA 2023
Major Shows and Performances
1. Burning Man, Center Camp Main Stage. 2023
2. National Puppetry Festival w/ Heather Henson (Daughter of Jim Henson). 2023
3. New Orleans Mid City Bayou Boogaloo Music Festival. 2022
4. Fete Du Void Music Festival. Oakdale, LA. 2023
5. Engulf Burn, New Orleans, LA. 2023
6. New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival. 2022 and 2023. ( Highest selling show of the festival 2023)
7. Asheville, NC Fringe Festival. 2021 and 2022
8. Buffalo Infringement Fest, Buffalo, NY. 2022
9. Rhuinas Concierto Musical, Mexico City, Mexico. 2022