Anthony Michael Stokes a multidisciplinary artist teaching artist and award-winning educator from El Paso, TX. He holds B.F. A’s in music theatre and dance and a Master’s in Education from UTEP, he has also trained as a puppeteer with the Jim Henson Company, the Sesame Street Puppeteer workshop and was awarded the 2020 Black Puppeteer Empowerment Grant from Puppet Showplace Theater, where he debuted his short puppet film “Bawba Sheep’s Black”. Stokes has been awarded grants from the Jim Henson Foundation to further develop his piece The Scarecrow” this includes being a proud recipient of a 2023 Production Grant, a 2022 Workshop Grant, and the 2023 O'Neill Residency from The Jim Henson Foundation. His works and puppetry pieces have been seen at the El Paso Museum of History, University of Texas at El Paso Union Art Gallery and the Crossland Art Gallery. He recently directed the workshop reading of the new play Genesis for Titan Theatre Company in NYC. He has previously appeared as an actor with Titan Theatre Company off-Broadway in The African Company Presents Richard III (Papa Shakespeare) and in the radio play series production Rendezvous with Death. He has served as a resident director of El Paso Kids n Co as well as the program director for the summer music theatre program. He has worked in South Korea as a teaching artist. His acting credits include numerous national tours, other recent credits also include Next to Normal (Dan), Othello in Othello (SOTR), and the 1st national tour of Clifford where he originated the roles of Charley/Mr. Partland.
www.anthonymichaelstokes.com
This puppet artist residency is supported in part by Cheryl Henson and The Jim Henson Foundation.
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What fuels me as an artist and creator is finding a clear perspective and cause to tell a story that will inspire, educate, and allow for self-reflection. I love to package a story in such a way that you are thoroughly entertained and when you least expect it, you are hit with a deep moment that can change your entire perspective. This piece showcases a purposefully truly diverse company both on-stage and off-stage while also raising visibility for the different type of artists of color that exist and showing that we exist in our own unique powerful ways. I want my work to enlighten, empower and entertain while using puppetry, music and theatre to connect everything. I am so grateful God for this ever-evolving journey of life and opportunity, for my family and to the artists and individuals who have joined me on this journey, supported each other and held me up so that we could share this story.