A Puppeteer’s Dream

My name is Megan Piphus. I first became interested in puppetry when I was ten years old. I borrowed some videotapes from the library and watched them over and over again. I then taught myself how to control the puppets with my hands. I also learned how to talk without moving my lips.

From there, I started to practise with puppets after school. And I tried to convey values, such as honesty and kindness, in my performances. In my junior year of college, I took part in America's Got Talent. My performance got yeses from all four judges. I was so happy!

After graduate school, I worked in real estate for a few years, but I never stopped performing puppetry. In 2020, Sesame Street invited me to work with them. After a year of training, I became the first black woman puppeteer on the TV show. I started to play the role of Gabrielle, a six-year-old black girl puppet.

Until I made it to Sesame Street, I kept practising and dreaming. I always told myself, "Tomorrow, I will be a better puppeteer." And now, I want to inspire young girls like ten-year-old me. We all have our own gifts. Keep dreaming and keep working hard. The right door will open for you, just as the door of Sesame Street opened for me.