at least one day per season since Season 25, and we just finished shooting Season 49 this past fall,” she says.
“ Getting to work on‘ Sesame Street,’ even as an unseen, unknown entity, was my big break,” she says.“ Not just because I’ d achieved a dream job, but also because it led to my involvement in the first staged readings of‘ Avenue Q’ in May of 2000,” she continues. She stayed with the show through its development, and after it opened on Broadway in 2003, she performed in it for two and-a-half years.
“ Avenue Q” gave D’ Abruzzo some amazing experiences. She performed at Stephen Sondheim’ s 75th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl, and she was a“ celebrity” player on the syndicated version of“ Pyramid,” during Broadway Week.“ Granted, I had to play with Kate Monster on my hand, and that made it a little harder to play the game, but I had an incredible time and managed to help win $ 10,000 for each of my contestant partners” says D’ Abruzzo.
“ Sesame Street” has also given D’ Abruzzo some mind-blowing experiences. Almost 20 years ago she got to sing the Kate Pierson part when R. E. M. performed“ Furry Happy Monsters” on the show, and she did the recording alongside Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.“ I have literally sat at the feet of greatness, and sometimes I’ ve gotten to riff with them as well in off-camera moments.” she says.
D’ Abruzzo has a long list of people to thank for helping her to get where she is today.“ It mostly consists of teachers, both at the Peters schools and at Northwestern, as well as my college friends who rounded out my cast and crew on my puppet projects and who cast me in their student films and who inspired me constantly. I especially thank my husband, Craig, who gave me a home and a heart and a life in New York City, and who has always understood and supported what I’ ve wanted to try to achieve. As someone who actually worked briefly with Jim Henson, he understands what a labor of love it is to keep carrying on these characters and how important and fulfilling it is to bring Jim Henson’ s work to new audiences.”
Over the years, D’ Abruzzo has tried to pay it forward whenever she can. She’ s an alumni advisor for the Theatre for Young Audiences concentration at Northwestern and has returned a few times since graduation to do some screenings and puppetry workshops. She’ s performed in countless benefits for various causes in New York City. In the past 16 months, D’ Abruzzo has become more proactive in that department and has been volunteering for New York Cares— working with several different organizations including libraries, pantries and meal services.“ In 2017 I did more than 135 projects over more than 375 hours,” she says.“ It keeps me engaged when work is slow— which it so
often is in the freelance world— and it lets me give back to a city that I love.”
“ I will not forget my hometown, though!” she continues.“ I still root for the Steelers and Penguins and Pirates, and I order Sarris Candies almost every holiday season. I have gotten the cast, crew and puppeteers absolutely hooked on the chocolate-covered pretzels that I bring in each December during production.”
As a freelancer, D’ Abruzzo’ s future plans always have a big question mark over them.“ Things come up at the last minute, things fall through,” she says.“ You have to learn to go with the flow and save your kopeks when you get them so you can survive the dry spells. I may never fulfill all of my showbiz aspirations or play my dream roles, and I may never get back to Broadway, but even if I never get another day of work in my chosen field, I can’ t deny how lucky I’ ve been to make a living as a performer— and qualify for health insurance through my actor’ s unions— for more than a few decades.” ■
“ I credit much of my success to the vast experiences I had being able to take so many arts-related electives at Peters,” says D ' Abruzzo.
PHOTO BY DAVE CROSS
SOME OF STEPHANIE D’ ABRUZZO’ S PUPPETRY CREDITS INCLUDE:
TV PUPPETRY CREDITS:“ Sesame Street,”“ Julie’ s Greenroom,”“ Scooby Doo Adventures: The Mystery Map,”“ Jack’ s Big Music Show,”“ Oobi,”“ The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss,” and she has also performed a few puppet and mascot characters on“ Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.” She also played Grizzy and some other small characters in the 1999 feature film“ The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland.”
VOICEOVER CREDITS: TV series“ Nature Cat,”“ Welcome to the Wayne,”“ Wallykazam!,”“ Wonder Pets,”“ Sheep in the Big City,”“ The Book of Pooh,” the video games“ Bioshock: Infinite” and“ Neverwinter Night 2,” as well as many commercials, promos, demos, industrials and Scholastic preschool audiobooks, including“ Clifford the Big Red Dog” and“ Miss Spider’ s Tea Party.” She also did the audiobook for“ Juror # 3,” a James Patterson BookShot, that will be released this March.
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