About the Performers
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph
Puppeteer | Writer | Creator
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph is the multiple–Emmy Award–winning performer behind Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby and Tango. A multi-faceted entertainer, writer, and creator known for her hilariously poignant signature blend of weird whimsy, Leslie created an original show for Disney, headlined a sold-out NYC cabaret residency, and received a Jim Henson Foundation grant and a UNIMA Citation of Excellence for her off-Broadway show Wake Up Your Weird.
A graduate of San Francisco State University, where she designed her own major (BA, Child Development Through the Arts), Leslie began her career creating programs for at-risk youth before becoming a puppeteer on Muppets Tonight. Her work spans PBS, Nickelodeon, Apple TV+, Netflix, and films including The Muppets and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Leslie continues to bridge generations, touring with her candy-loving 5-year-old alter ego, Lolly Lardpop, and speaking everywhere from schools and fundraisers to conferences — including twice as a keynote speaker for Google. She delights in reaching the young and the young at heart with the company she co-founded, Humor with a Heart, helping children and adults navigate life creatively.
A graduate of San Francisco State University, where she designed her own major (BA, Child Development Through the Arts), Leslie began her career creating programs for at-risk youth before becoming a puppeteer on Muppets Tonight. Her work spans PBS, Nickelodeon, Apple TV+, Netflix, and films including The Muppets and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Leslie continues to bridge generations, touring with her candy-loving 5-year-old alter ego, Lolly Lardpop, and speaking everywhere from schools and fundraisers to conferences — including twice as a keynote speaker for Google. She delights in reaching the young and the young at heart with the company she co-founded, Humor with a Heart, helping children and adults navigate life creatively.
Jamie Donmoyer
Puppeteer | Writer | Arts Integration Specalist
Jamie Donmoyer is a lifelong puppeteer, writer, and arts integration specialist with nearly 30 years of experience working with children, educators, and social service and mental health professionals to develop programming that taps into their natural creativity. She has performed on Sesame Street, the Disney Channel, and the Sprout network, and has toured schools throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, and beyond with educational productions addressing topics such as bullying prevention.
As an arts integration specialist, Jamie has worked in hundreds of schools, guiding students to strengthen communication skills, deepen empathy, and build self-worth. A survivor of child abuse, she transformed her trauma into action by co-founding Humor with a Heart, which helps children and adults navigate life creatively. Jamie is the editor of The Puppetry Journal – the national magazine of Puppeteers of America – and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology at Rollins College (Fred Rogers’ alma mater).
As an arts integration specialist, Jamie has worked in hundreds of schools, guiding students to strengthen communication skills, deepen empathy, and build self-worth. A survivor of child abuse, she transformed her trauma into action by co-founding Humor with a Heart, which helps children and adults navigate life creatively. Jamie is the editor of The Puppetry Journal – the national magazine of Puppeteers of America – and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology at Rollins College (Fred Rogers’ alma mater).
