Tim Sharp's LASER BEAK MAN Takes Maiden Flight at La Boite

Australian theatrical powerhouse Dead Puppet Society returns from New York City to premiere their most ambitious production to date: Laser Beak Man; an eye-popping extravaganza based on the drawings of award-winning Queensland artist Tim Sharp.

Co-produced with La Boite Theatre Company and Brisbane Festival, Laser Beak Man boasts an all-star creative team helmed by Dead Puppet Society Artistic Director David Morton, Executive Producer Nicholas Paine and Sharp himself, with original music from Ball Park Music front man Sam Cromack and design by Helpmann Award winner Jonathon Oxlade.

Jam-packed with Sharp's trademark visual puns and kaleidoscopic characters, the world of Laser Beak Man is given spectacular life by seven actors and more than 40 original puppets, including fully-functional 3D puppets and Dead Puppet Society's trademark form-pushing animations along with drone-like flying objects.

"From the beginning, we fell in love with the world that Tim created for Laser Beak Man: its quirky sensibility, bright colours, fantastical nature and visual puns," Dead Puppet Society Executive Producer Nicholas Paine said.

"We're excited to highlight the intricacies of his creation alongside our own storytelling and aesthetic to make Tim's hilarious drawings three-dimensional on stage."

Dead Puppet Society is one of Australia's most celebrated exports, with countless box office knock-outs including the recent five-time Matilda Award winning and Helpmann nominated The Wider Earth, the NY Lincoln Center smash Argus and the groundbreaking The Harbinger.

Laser Beak Man is the company's biggest undertaking to date, developed transnationally over four years including a development Off-Broadway at the New Victory Theatre; New York City's oldest theatre in the heart of Times Square.

La Boite Artistic Director and CEO Todd MacDonald said La Boite was proud to present the production's world premiere with Brisbane Festival.

"La Boite is thrilled to continue to produce and present extraordinary work with Brisbane Festival," MacDonald said.

"Dead Puppet Society and Tim Sharp are world-class Brisbane artists and we know Laser Beak Man is going to blow audiences away."

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold described the work as "pure entertainment with an even purer heart".

"Queensland darlings Dead Puppet Society are taking the world by storm, and this sparkling stage adaptation of Tim Sharp's cheeky and charming superhero creation will cement their position as one of Australia's most exciting visual theatre companies," Berthold said.

"I'm thrilled that we can play a part in this world premiere of a work of high spirited entertainment - part puppet show, part pop concert, all heart."

For this world premiere, US puppeteers Nathaniel Claridad, Jon Riddleberger, Betsy Rosen and Maren Searle have traveled to Brisbane to join local talents Lauren Jackson (The Wider Earth), Jeremy Neideck and Helen Stephens.

"We believe that both Tim's personal story of living with autism and that of Laser Beak Man deserve global celebration, and we are excited to continue our transnational exchange by bringing these brilliant US and Australian artists together for Laser Beak Man's maiden flight," Paine said.

Laser Beak Man plays La Boite's Roundhouse Theatre 9 - 30 September 2017. For tickets and information, visit www.laboite.com.au.

Photo credit: Dylan Evans

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