Commissions and Special Projects

In many ways, special commissions that support larger theater and community events are the most entertaining projects of all.  Here is the chance to make the really big puppet or the puppet that has a single critical role in a play.  Over the years, Mock Turtle has produced a fair amount of specialized puppets including a nearly life sized elephant, Beauty’s Beast, dragons and the featured twenty-five foot high puppet featured here, Lord Vishnu’s avatar, in the Demon King.

Lord Vishnu- The Demon King

The launching of the huge creature from floor to ceiling in Lehigh University’s Zoelliner center was a study in creative collaboration.  On the musical end was the Lehigh University Choral Arts Chorus lead by Steven Samitz.  His original composition for the Demon King, written in partnership with Indian musician Arati Singh provided the stage and inspiration for Mock Turtle’s twenty-five foot version of the god  Narasimha– an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Mock Turtle employed six performers who helped devise the movements and the timing to support a toughly dramatic spectacle in music, light and puppetry.

The Implementation of Specialized Puppets

The success of commissioned works in puppetry is, of course, in the planning.  But, just as important is the establishment of a full agreement on how the puppet will be built and how it will work from the start of the project.  This requires a high level of communication between all of the various members of the project.  In my experience, simply making the puppet as an independent art project and shipping on to the stage production team is a very poor practice.  Making specialized puppets work successfully is best done as a full collaboration between puppet-maker, play director, cast and tech crew.

Goals and Outcomes of Commissioned Works

The puppet’s ability to transform the stage into a dream sequence, a mythic scene, or a psychological episode is a well explored facet of contemporary theater.   To do it well with  good puppets and inspired puppet/actor interplay can lift a good play into a memorable one.  In this, our use of puppetry to bring a full, new dimension to a theater piece is our principle objective.