Handspring Puppet Company Wins Tony

Gina Wilhelm Actress - Handspring Puppet Company Wins Tony

Tony Award nominations were announced today (May 3). In addition to the usual nominations, a Special Tony award was announced for Handspring Puppet Company.

Handspring is the Cape Town, South Africa, puppet company that created the incredible horse puppets for the play "War Horse."

The puppets are made of plywood and cane, are operated by 3 puppeteers, move with ashtonishing realism, and are ridden by the actors during the course of the play

The horses are incredibly durable; some from the London run of the play lasted over 1000 performances.

"War Horse" opened on Broadway last month. One reviewer called the play "astonishing" (the play itself is also nominated for a Best Play Tony).

William Kentridge, who had worked with Handspring in the past, also praised the company's work, saying, "you can't stop yourself believing the reality of those horses.

"It's kind of magical."

Gina Wilhelm Actress