Some are born to puppeteer. Some have puppeteering thrust upon them.
Spencer Meyers falls into the latter category.
After Spencer successfully manipulated not one but two puppets – including the lead – in 2002’s Straz production of Avenue Q, Jobsite Theater’s Producing Artistic Director David Jenkins tapped him to create puppets for Alice, Jobsite’s surreal cabaret take on Lewis Carroll.
“So I had to learn how to make puppets. I thought it was going to be much easier than it was,” said Spencer. “That was six months out of my life and a lot of pain and a lot of respirator masks. It was a rough process, but I did learn how to make foam puppets.”
For Jobsite’s production of The Butterfly’s Evil Spell, Spencer puppeteered in a new medium: cardboard.
“It was [David Jenkins’] decision to use cardboard,” Spender said. “I thought that might be easier than foam, but cardboard came with its own slew of issues.”
The main issue being motion: “you’re dealing with hard boxes, which have been contorted and made to be these hard-shelled bugs, but your hand can only have so much free movement.”
The play, the first written by Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, concerns an injured butterfly, an amorous beetle and other creatures from the insect world, portrayed by actors using Spencer’s puppets.
Spencer researched folk art for design inspiration, but not imitation. His designs are meant to look handmade.
“I wanted them to look old world, hand-painted with mistakes. Nothing is perfectly symmetrical on any of the puppets,” Spencer said. “I embraced every flaw. I encouraged some of the flaws.”
By day, Spencer is Straz Center’s group sales manager. By night (and matinees), he’s a prolific actor who’s earned accolades for performances in Shockheaded Peter, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Threepenny Opera and Gorey Stories.
Spencer also paints, draws and sculpts. He’s currently illustrating three children’s books and painting his own deck of tarot cards.
Even if he’s not on stage, theatergoers might see some of Spencer’s work. For example, he made the Demogorgon used in the parody musical Stranger Sings presented at Straz last year.
“I love when I can combine the art and the theater world together,” Spencer said.
Creativity runs in Spencer’s family, which includes painters, musicians, singers and sculptors. Spencer received encouragement for any and all creative endeavors.
“The answer was always ‘yes’ when I wanted to start a new venture,” Spencer said. He began drawing and painting at age 4, and first took the stage in kindergarten, singing “If I Only Had a Brain’ at a school talent show.
“The curtains open and I saw the audience’s faces, I lit up,” Spencer said. “I was like, ‘Here we go.’ I’ve always loved performing.”
Being an arts polymath is a full-time job in itself, but Spencer is cut out for that role.
“Performing, singing, art – they’re all in my blood,” Spencer said. “I inherited all these things, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m never bored.”
Jobsite Theater’s The Butterfly’s Evil Spell will be presented May 22 through June 1 in Straz Center’s Shimberg Playhouse. Tickets are available here.
