Heart of the Tiger: From UMD to Broadway and Back

By Mia Glatter-Droll

Onstage, a three-foot-tall figure with bamboo legs and a fabric body wobbled unsteadily, its uneven gait hinting at the character’s inner turmoil.

The puppet was part of a 2005 production created by senior Betsy Rosen ’06 and graduate student Eric Van Wyk M.F.A. ’07, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s first ever puppetry piece. Adapted from a poem by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, “Dis/Appearing” featured handmade figures crafted from bamboo, fabric and foam. The piece later traveled from campus to the D.C. and New York Fringe Festivals.

After Jane Henson ’55, co-creator of “The Muppets,” came to UMD that year to see the show, she partnered with the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) to create an Artist in Residence program, bringing acclaimed puppetry artists to the school for in-depth residencies and production activities.

Years later, Rosen would make her Broadway debut in "Life of Pi," performing as part of the puppeteer team that brings the tiger, Richard Parker, to life onstage. Now, the 2006 alumna, who studied theatre and mathematics, has returned to UMD as the TDPS Puppetry Artist in Residence, working with students to develop new pieces, lead workshops and explore the possibilities of the form.

We caught up with Rosen during her time on campus to talk about her early influences, her journey from Maryland to Broadway and what it means to return to where it all began.

What first drew you to puppetry?

I grew up on “Sesame Street,” “Zoobilee Zoo,” “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “Lamb Chop.” Did I know that was puppetry? No. But there was something about those shows and those characters that I connected to on a deep level.

Then my dad found a nonprofit in my hometown (Reisterstown, Maryland), called Open Space Arts. I spent more than 10 years there—every summer, all summer long, learning how to papier-mâché and sew costumes. During the school year, I took acting classes there and I eventually taught the younger acting classes. It became my second home.

A lot of it was puppetry, but it was other art forms too. To me, being an artist was whatever I was doing at Open Space.

What did you take away from your time at Maryland as an artist?

One of the things that really suited me about studying theatre at Maryland is that they’re creating whole artists. I was acting, working in the scenic and paint shops, collaborating with designers.

It was perfect for me because there wasn’t just one facet that I was excited by. It all excited me. I got to learn and explore the actor I wanted to be while still being fed and supported by all these other artistic outlets.

How did your time at Maryland shape your path into professional work?

During my senior year, faculty connected me to an audition at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, where I was cast in “Velvet Sky.” So I was fully performing at Woolly Mammoth in D.C. while finishing my senior year.

That led to a summer touring production of “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” And then one of the design professors was designing for a production of “A Prayer for Owen Meany” at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, and I auditioned and booked that. So before even graduating, I booked the first three shows of my professional career from being at Maryland.

How did “Life of Pi” come about and what was that experience like?

I auditioned in 2022 when the show was coming to the American Repertory Theater in Boston. Finn Caldwell, who is the puppetry director, had us work with a mock-up tiger and I remember feeling 100 percent dropped in. I forgot I was at an audition because I was just having the best time.

I didn’t get cast at first and I was really heartbroken. But three months later, I was in Turkey for my friend's wedding and I woke up one morning, checked my email and I had gotten cast.

The rehearsal process was one of the most challenging I have ever done in my life, physically and emotionally, especially performing inside the tiger. It's very dangerous and vulnerable to be connected to and trust people when you can't see anything. But I knew if I just showed up with my whole self, I could do it.

On the first day of rehearsal for Broadway, Finn asked me to take over as puppetry captain. I made my Broadway debut doing puppetry and playing Richard Parker, this ferocious tiger, which was surreal. When we closed on Broadway and they were starting to plan the tour, Finn reached out to me and asked me to perform and be a part of the creative team for the tour. So it was this really beautiful circle of events.

How does it feel to be back at UMD for this residency?

It all came flooding back and felt familiar. There are new faces, but also some old ones. I'm most excited about working with the students, helping them develop their pieces, consulting on puppetry and leading workshops. It’s such a gift to get to feel reconnected to a time in my life that was really special and inspiring. I'm hopeful that I can bring that same inspiration to the department.

What is your advice to students who want to explore puppetry or theatre?

One of the magical things about this work is that we don't always know where we're headed. You have to find inspiration in the journey. I always tell younger people to build a full life they  love. Yes, fill it with your career, but also with things outside it because it's a long haul. There will be months when you're worried about paying rent, working four jobs and filming your self-tape at 1:00 a.m. What sustains you is having a sense of purpose beyond that.

As the TDPS Puppetry Artist in Residence, Rosen is mentoring the Jim Henson Fund for Puppetry student recipients and helping develop their pieces. She will host the 2026 Henson Awards Showcase and moderate the post-performance talkback. She will also be joining College of Arts and Humanities Dean Stephanie Shonekan for “A Night with Betsy Rosen,” a free event where the two will discuss Rosen’s career and experiences along with a short puppetry demonstration. To close out her residency, she and  D.C. theater artists and TDPS students will host a theater for young audiences’ work-in-progress puppet show, “Emil and the Detectives,” at The Clarice’s Cafritz Foundation Theatre on May 1.