About the artists

Since 1998, writer and performer Chris Griffith (Cherokee Nation) has been leading people to the power of playfulness as Co-Creative Director and Founder of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz (with Shari Aronson). Their combination of hand-crafted puppetry, quirky humor and live music has won support from the Jim Henson Foundation, Puppeteers of America, MN State Arts Board, Ordway Center and Jerome & McKnight Foundations. 

Chris Griffith was also co-founder and artistic director of Galumph Interactive Theatre (nationally recognized pioneers in participatory theater) and served as Education Coordinator for In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. As a comic juggler, he has performed for the MN Children’s Museum, MN Fringe Festival and Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival. A 2009 winner of an Ivey Award for puppet design, his work has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and multiple awards from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Shari Aronson earned a B.A. in Drama education, developed interactive environments and written plays for Minnesota's History Center, Science Museum and Children's Museum. Shari's stage adaptation of Eric Kimmel's beloved children's book "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" has been produced by theaters across the country. Shari studied physical comedy with Sigfrido Aguilar, Theatre of Oppressed with founder Augusto Boal and puppetry with Sandglass Institute.