Bill’s 44th
New York Times Critic’s Pick
“Outstanding puppetry”
2025 drama desk nominee
“A rare achievement”
THE TIMEs
the award-winning show co-created by Andy Manjuck and Dorothy James.
The streamers are hung, the punch has been poured, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Now all Bill has to do is wait for his guests to arrive. Bill’s 44th is an original comedic show about one very worried leading man - Bill. Many styles of puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité all collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time.
A New York Times’ Critic’s Pick, Bill’s 44th has been awarded a “Citation of Excellence” from UNIMA-USA, won “Best Performance” from the Seoul Arts Awards in ‘24, was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for “Outstanding Puppetry” in ‘25, was named a finalist for “Best Theater” from The OFFIES in ‘24, and sold-out its ‘24 Edinburgh Fringe Festival run.
The show was developed as part of St. Ann’s Puppet Lab along with funding from The Jim Henson Foundation. The show has also received support from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Cheryl Henson, and New York State Puppet Festival.
“[a] superb, wordless, tragicomic puppet show”
TELEGRAPH
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2025
Flipside Festival - Singapore
DukeArts - Durham, North Carolina USA
2024
Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland [Sold Out Run]
HERE - New York City
New York State Puppetry Festival - Perry, NY USA
2023
Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland [Sold Out Run]
London International Mime Festival, London, England [Sold Out Run]
2022
Center for Puppetry Arts - Atlanta, GA USA
OKCRep - Oklahoma City, OK USA
St. Ann’s Warehouse - Brooklyn, NY USA [Puppet Lab]
Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, USA
2021
Dixon Place, New York City
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2025
Drama Desk Nomination - “Outstanding Puppetry”
2024
Winner of Seoul Arts Award - “Best Performance”
Sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Finalistt for Offie OFF-FEST Award for Theater
2023
Stagey Place Nomination - “Best Ensemble”
Sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Awarded “Citation of Excellence” by UNIMA-USA
Sold-out run at London International Mime Festival
2022
Awarded “Allelu Award International Travel Grant”
Awarded “Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation USArtists International Grant”
2021
New York Times Critic’s Pick
2020
Awarded Jim Henson Foundation “Project Grant”
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CREATED BY
Andy Manjuck & Dorothy James
DEVISED BY
Andy Manjuck & Dorothy James with Jon Riddleberger
PUPPETEERS
Andy Manjuck
Dorothy James
Jon Riddleberger
ORIGINAL SCORE BY
Eamon Fogarty
LIGHTING DESIGN BY
M. Jordan Wiggins
TOURING LIGHTING DESIGNER
Alex Vásquez Dheming, Caitlin Smith Rapoport, Matt Lazarus
PUPPET DESIGN BY
Dorothy James
SOUND DESIGN BY
Andy Manjuck
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Taryn Uhe
DRAMATURG
Helena Pennington
ADDITIONAL SCENIC & PROP ELEMENTS BY
Peter Russo, Joseph Silovsky, & Taryn Uhe
CREATIVE COLLABORATORS FOR ORIGINAL DIXON PLACE PRODUCTION
Nick O’Leary, Consulting Director
Leigh Walter, Creative Producer
Peter Russo, Technical Direction
Ben Wright Smith, Livestream Videographer
“This isn’t the birthday that Bill had hoped to have. But for the audience, his 44th is a gift.”
NYTIMES [ critic’s pick]
