Picks and Pans Review: Spotlight on

By TOM GLIATTO, RYAN PIENCIAK

UPDATED 02/26/2007 at 01:00 AM EST • Originally published 02/26/2007 at 01:00 AM EST

>John Tartaglia

A Sesame Street puppeteer at 16, Tartaglia, now 29, grew up to star with puppets onstage (Avenue Q) and on Disney Channel's Johnny and the Sprites, about a guy befriending magical creatures.

PUPPET MASTER When I was 16, I wrote down this idea about woodland creatures. It's amazing to think of something at that age and have it happen as a show.

DOUBLE DUTY I'm on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast as Lumiere. What's wonderful is I've always been a huge Disney fan. I'm kind of a theme-park geek.