The Nick Jones of the Flat Broke Puppet Co. has been lighting up the corner of 24th and Mission for a year now with his goofy breed of musical puppetry, much to the delight of children and adults alike.  Recently, the Chronicle caught up with him to get his story:

Jones, 35, ran away to San Francisco as an “angry gay teen” when he was 17. He didn’t fit into the small fishing town in Rhode Island where he grew up, but when he arrived in San Francisco, it wasn’t the mecca of acceptance he had hoped for.

Like other teens who land in the city searching for answers to their complicated problems, Jones found a world of addiction and tough streets. Over the years he came and went from San Francisco, struggling to find a place where he could fit in.

Four years ago, he landed here again. This time, he found a community through his puppets.

Jones makes his own puppets with material donated by friends. Wolfie, a ratty faux-fur wolf with button eyes, was his first. The collection has grown to more than 20, but he still calls Wolfie his No. 1.
Wolfie comes to life with a touch of a rough-and-tumble East Coast accent that Jones says is inspired by his grandfather. Jones’ other creations include a cat, three dinosaurs, a shark, a witch, a 1960s wannabe diva kangaroo and Mary Jane Lane — a wide-lipped drag queen he calls his chanteuse.

Keep reading on SFgate, and be sure to watch this profile put together by Mission Local.