Harry Mayronne is a Renaissance man: a musician, composer, arranger, artist, and puppeteer. His personal style and creative life blends as one and when he performs with his look-alike marionette, a puppet controlled from above by strings, that he dresses and then matches his outfit. “It has been exciting to be a part of music and theater scene for all of my adult life,” he says. “From studying with Julliard graduate Orval Klopp for several years to being baptized by my father’s love of music, my career was set in motion at an early age. Now one of my great loves is making self-portrait marionettes.” He goes on to explain that he is a puppeteer and puppet maker who specializes in marionettes, which he creates using the old-school method of wood putty.
Harry Mayronne is a Renaissance man: a musician, composer, arranger, artist, and puppeteer. His personal style and creative life blends as one and when he performs with his look-alike marionette, a puppet controlled from above by strings, that he dresses and then matches his outfit. “It has been exciting to be a part of music and theater scene for all of my adult life,” he says. Largely influenced by my parents' love of music, my career was set in motion at an early age. Now one of my great loves is performing with my marionettes, which I also create.” Then he explains that he has recently begun doing commission portrait marionettes, which he creates using the old-school method of wood putty.
Like most talented artistic individuals, Harry enjoys creating his own style. “My style goes from all black for puppeteering to black tie,” he adds with a smile. “It’s just whatever the occasion calls for.” Then he shares a secret that he loves dressing up at times in a black velvet jacket from his time living in New York and his favorite shoes that he purchased in Berlin.
A graduate of St. Martin’s Episcopal High School and the University of New Orleans, Harry’s name has been synonymous for decades in music circles throughout the entertainment heart of New Orleans. “I began piano lessons with Betty Downs, a well-known local teacher, when I was six year old and continued until I was 14,” he says. He continued piano lessons as an adult with Klopp for several years as he launched his career.
Harry’s love of music began early since his father owned Harry Mayronne Studios in the French Quarter, where he would go to watch the talented artists who worked for him draw. “My parents took me to the theatre often, and as early as eight I can remember putting on puppet shows as well as lives show in the garage of our Metairie home,” he says. “My parents were very supportive of my creativity.” Then as a teenager, Harry went through a filmmaking phase and made movies using his sister, and cousins as the actors.
At some point Harry’s father transition from art director to musical booking agent. He began with the Olympia Brass Band and Harry would tag along as much as possible on road trips. “When my father passed away, my mother and I continued to travel with the band. Eventually, I would have my own jazz group, and later, my restaurant-themed musical comedy, with Ricky Graham, who wrote the book and lyrics, while I wrote the music, became known as “Waiting Around.” It was a restaurant-themed musical comedy, It had a three-year run at Le Chat Noir, on St. Charles Avenue, played Off-Broadway in 2006, twice at the Greenbrier, and just completed a second engagement at the Bayou Playhouse in Lockport.
"The music, theatre and puppetry have all opened doors and led to some amazing international adventures,” he continues. "It has included trips to Paris and Berlin, where I performed in Nina Hagen's Brecht concert with my portrait marionette of Bertolt Brecht. I guess you could say that I am doing the same things I was doing at home when I was a child, only now it's a profession. I even live in the old Harry Mayronne Studio in the French Quarter. Where else can you hear a virtual music festival every time you go to the bank or the grocery store? Yes, although I love to travel, but New Orleans will always be home.”
Today, Harry’s busy career allows him the freedom to create his own eclectic style. “I like fun accessories such as scarves and ties,” he says. “My favorite is a copper-colored metallic scarf that I found at the Berlin flea market. My friend, artist Richard Pendleton, has done several hand-painted ties that I like to wear, and a favorite jacket is a classic black velvet coat from Sak's in New York City.”