Meet Carissa Schaeffer | Puppeteer and Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carissa Schaeffer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carissa, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Growing into an adult, you find yourself losing the ability to see the magic in certain moments. I often watch guest interactions at theme parks with costumed mascots and wonder, what makes the moment so special? I never could have guessed that something as silly-seeming as puppeteering could help open my eyes and realize how important, and rare, true moments of magic are. Be it bringing the loud and bossy T-Rex to a school for the kids to brave and pet, or giving trinkets from a dragon at a renaissance festival- it brightens me knowing that in some small way, we have made an influence on people’s lives.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The success of our troupe lies solely on the furry and feathery shoulders of “Namu the Griffin”. Namu came to us originally as nothing more than a prop for a costume at an anime convention. At that time, we laughed at the idea of being called a legitimate “puppeteer”.. Namu traveled to many conventions, and gained a small following- it was at that point that someone uttered that magical sentence: “You should take him to the Renaissance Festival.” – and it was magical. As soon as we walked through the gates, Namu was no longer a prop. He became a real, living creature right before my very eyes. Patrons adored him- asking for photos, giving scratches and seeking us out. I even found myself, someone who is quite shy and doesn’t interact well with children, acting and enjoying my time in the spot light. It all became real when Namu and I were making our way down the gravel pathway, and we were approached by a gleeful little girl. Her golden hair matched her dress, which was only outshone by her bright smile. Instantly, she was enthralled with this magical beast I hoisted on my back. Suddenly, I found myself coming up with tales for this creature- what does he eat? What’s his favorite toy? How old is he? We felt so welcome at the festival that we ended up coming back every weekend for the final three weeks of the show. Each time, our smiling little friend would greet us with a running start yelling “NAMU!” and ending with a hug.
Today, we are our own small business. We sell and make art that we never thought possible. We have five amazing creatures, with more on the way. I thank my stars every moment I can that I was able to capture that moment. That moment when magic was undeniably real, and I was the one who had helped create it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Being from St. Louis, we have a whole bunch of fun things to do- and yet, I would pick the St. Louis Renaissance Festival every time! But, if you happen to visit in the off season, the St. Louis Zoo is the number one attraction for anyone visiting. Others to include; St. Louis Science Center (As a former supervisor, I know all the fun spots!), City Museum, the Arch and all kinds of small businesses to shop from!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Every person who has ever given me something to work towards deserves recognition, but in this case, I will shine the light onto the many brilliant and talented artists I work with all over the world. We could not be where we are without the help of artists such as; Dominique DeLeon Cosplay, Lady Joey Adam, Keep Drawing Charlie, and so many more. It is thanks to these creative individuals that I, myself, have been able to branch out into the artistic market.

Website: www.cariscreatures.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/cariscreatures

Facebook: Facebook.com/cariscreatures

Youtube: St. Louis Fantasy Puppetry

Other: TikTok: @Cariscreatures

Image Credits
Images taken by: Retro Hawk Production Inferno Imagery