The Barbarian and the Troll
Trailer
Synopsis
In the fantasy realm of Gothmoria, Brendar, a warrior expelled from the Royal Order of Warrior Princesses, sets out on a quest to avenge the attack that killed her mother and took her younger brother. Her path crosses with Evan, a bridge troll who dreams of becoming a traveling bard and abandons his post to see the world. Joined along the way by the wizard Horus, his daughter Stacey (transformed into an owl) and a sentient, enchanted talking axe, the pair face witches, demons, dragons and all manner of creatures as they unravel the mystery behind Brendar's turbulent past.
Context & Trivia
The show was created by longtime puppeteers Mike Mitchell and Drew Massey, friends since the early 1990s who reconnected in 2018 to finally make a puppet project together. Massey, a three-decade puppetry veteran best known for his work on The Muppets, co-created and wrote the series while also performing and voicing the troll Evan. Over a hundred puppet characters were built for the show, mostly out of the Los Angeles shop: Jurgen Ferguson served as the series' main builder (Scott Johnson built the pilot's puppets), working alongside Russ Walko, while Christine Papalexis, Rachel Burson and Gabby Padilla produced puppet skins, backgrounds and costume pieces, and Carol Binion served as costume designer. In Vancouver, where the series filmed, Dusty Hagerud and Justin DeLima worked as puppet wranglers, and Gordon Smuder built additional puppets in Minnesota. Mitchell and Massey designed the puppets themselves. Only eight puppeteers performed the entire puppet cast, often swapping characters mid-scene. No dialogue was recorded live; all voices were dubbed afterward via ADR with a celebrity voice cast. Vancouver-based puppet studio Puppet Island additionally built, directed and performed two separate segments for the series.
Puppeteers
Drew Massey, Colleen Smith, Allan Trautman, Sarah Sarang Oh, Nicolette Santino, Peggy Etra, Victor Yerrid, Bobby Moynihan
Voices
Gina Yashere, Phil LaMarr
Puppet design
Mike Mitchell, Drew Massey
Puppet building
Jurgen Ferguson · Russ Walko · Scott Johnson · Christine Papalexis · Rachel Burson · Gabby Padilla · Carol Binion · Dusty Hagerud · Justin DeLima · Gordon Smuder
Created by
Mike Mitchell, Drew Massey
Direction
Mike Mitchell
Writing
Mike Mitchell, Drew Massey, Jenn Lloyd, Kevin Bonani, Jess Pineda, Eileen Conn
Cast
Spencer Grammer, Drew Massey
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