Jennifer Barnhart is a veteran puppeteer who took over the role of Gladys the Cow on Sesame Street. Barnhart, who received her BFA in puppetry from the University of Connecticut, began her puppetry career working on the Animal Planet series "Once Upon a Tree" and subsequently played Cleo the Lion on Between the Lions, before joining the cast of Sesame Street. Barnhart is currently performing on the Broadway puppet musical Avenue Q, continuing her original roles of Mrs. Thistletwat and all-purpose assistant, and understudying the roles of Kate Monster and Lucy T. Slut.
For the 2009/2010 Goodspeed production of Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, Barnhart assumed the role of Madame Squirrel.
Barnhart also performs on John Tartaglia's Johnny and the Sprites.
Credits
- Sesame Street: Gladys the Cow, Mama Bear, Rosalyn, Karina the Ballerina, Ming, Granny Snuffle, Super Chicken, Yo-Yo (voice only), Mommy Snuffleupagus, Goldilocks (2005), Taylor, "Dinner Theatre" Magenta cousin (from "Annie Get Your Gumbo")
- Bear in the Big Blue House: Ms. Maxwell
- Sesame Beginnings: Make Music Together
- Happy Healthy Monsters
- Cameos: as a mom in Sesame Street Episode 4091
Non Henson Credits
- Between the Lions: Cleo Lion, Female Monkeys, Animated Voices
- Lomax, the Hound of Music: Delta