Perhaps the most ambitious undertaking Blind Summit’s embarked on to date. El Gato Con Botas or “Puss in Boots” (a collaboration with the Tectonic Theatre group and Gotham Chamber Opera in New York City), boasts a menagerie of 28 puppets, ranging from shoals of fish, bunraku cats, a life-size lion and a 10 foot ogre!

On this incredible project I had the pleasure of carving a macaw parrot in styrofoam, sculpting ‘super sculpey’ hands, fabricating marionette bodies, making half a dozen white rabbits, a lions body and limbs, and much more, its hard to recall, there was just so much happening!? The project brought together so many talented individuals, it was wonderful to all be together under one roof.

Actor, Puppeteer, and puppet maker Henry Maynard, posing with Marionette style puppet. Armature by Henry Maynard, fabrication by Billie Achilleos, covering by Greta Schuckert.

Macaw by EVERYONE!

Puss In Boots directed by Moises Kaufman, premiered at The New Victory Theatre, New York, on the 2nd October -10th October 2010.

Wonderful photos of the production can be viewed here, featuring the phenomenal 10 foot ogre, created largely by pattern cutting genius Becky Johnson.

(In sesame street style) The puppets of Puss In Boots were brought to you this Autumn by :- Nick Barnes, Becky Johnson, Billie Achilleos, Paul Vincett, Henry Maynard, Greta Schuckert, Rachael Sheppard and Sindy Buissink.