Michael Curry (puppet designer)
Encyclopedia
Michael Curry is an American
production designer who lives in Portland, Oregon
. He is also the owner and President of Michael Curry Design Inc. in Scappoose, Oregon
, which was started in 1986.
Curry works widely in technical development with such renowned entertainment companies as Cirque du Soleil
, the Metropolitan Opera
, London's Royal National Theatre
, Walt Disney Theatrical
, Los Angeles Opera
and Universal Studios
. He works regularly with directors such as Robert Lepage
, Nicholas Hytner
, Julie Taymor
and William Friedken. He has also worked with production designers such as Mark Fisher and Eiko Ishioka
. Michael has been the recipient of many distinguished and sought-after awards from his peers, including various awards for his puppet and costume work on Broadway
, Olympic
ceremonies and his continuing creations and views in the fields of visual effects and puppetry design. He owns, operates, and leads Michael Curry Design Inc., which designs and creates live-performance oriented dimensional characters and productions, such as those seen by worldwide audiences in the 1996 and 2002 Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, in the 2000 Super Bowl
, and New York City
's epoch 2000 millennium
event.
in 2002
. The first notable American event following the September 11, 2001 attacks
, the ceremony blended light, puppets, and story.
, which were a mix of movement, costume, and puppetry.
, in Disney World
, Curry created 120 towering puppets, which he titled the Tapestry of Nations
(would later become Tapestry of Dreams), that paraded around the lake when sunset arrived. This parade featured the largest speaker system in the world, featuring 416 speakers and 137 amplifiers.
The parade ended in March 2003 in its Tapestry of Dreams form. The puppets themselves have occasionally been brought out for special events.
trilogy by Philip Pullman
. Curry also designed the costumes for the opera
version of Oedipus Rex
.
. He would join the rest of the cast and crew to win six Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical
for Disney Theatrical Productions, Best Direction of a Musical
for Julie Taymor, and Best Choreography
for Garth Fagan
. Curry and Julie Taymor would team up to win the Tony Award for Best Costume Design.
This show was a huge success, and Curry designed the costumes, along with Taymor once again.
(directed by Robert Lepage
at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
, and LOVE
(directed by Dominique Champagne at the MGM Mirage
, also in Las Vegas
). He also designed the illusions for the upcoming show, Cirque du Soleil and Criss Angel
at the LUXOR 2009.
in Atlanta, Georgia
- an interactive full-body puppet of a praying mantis
, a 9 feet (2.7 m) animatronic original by Curry called the Trashcan Phoenix
, and a user-controlled animatronic puppet of Xelas
, a shapechanger from Native American mythology
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
production designer who lives in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He is also the owner and President of Michael Curry Design Inc. in Scappoose, Oregon
Scappoose, Oregon
Scappoose is a city in Columbia County, Oregon, United States. It was named for a nearby stream, which drains the southern part of the county...
, which was started in 1986.
Curry works widely in technical development with such renowned entertainment companies as Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
, the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, London's Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
, Walt Disney Theatrical
Walt Disney Theatrical
Disney Theatrical Group, also known as Disney Theatrical Productions, is the stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company...
, Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
and Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. He works regularly with directors such as Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage, is a playwright, actor, film director, and stage director from Québec City, Québec, and is one of Canada's most honoured theatre artists.- Life and work :...
, Nicholas Hytner
Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director. He has been the artistic director of London's National Theatre since 2003.-Biography:...
, Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor
Julie Taymor is an American director of theater, opera and film. Taymor's work has received many accolades from critics, and she has earned two Tony Awards out of four nominations, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costume Design, an Emmy Award and an Academy Award nomination for Original Song...
and William Friedken. He has also worked with production designers such as Mark Fisher and Eiko Ishioka
Eiko Ishioka
is an Oscar-winning costume designer, known for her work in stage, screen, advertising, and print media, and has been called "Japan’s leading art director and graphic designer," though she now works primarily in New York City....
. Michael has been the recipient of many distinguished and sought-after awards from his peers, including various awards for his puppet and costume work on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
ceremonies and his continuing creations and views in the fields of visual effects and puppetry design. He owns, operates, and leads Michael Curry Design Inc., which designs and creates live-performance oriented dimensional characters and productions, such as those seen by worldwide audiences in the 1996 and 2002 Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, in the 2000 Super Bowl
Super Bowl XXXIV
Super Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's epoch 2000 millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
event.
2002 Winter Olympics
Curry designed the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 2002
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. The first notable American event following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the ceremony blended light, puppets, and story.
1996 Olympics
Curry also designed the opening ceremonies for the 1996 Olympics1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, which were a mix of movement, costume, and puppetry.
Epcot
At EpcotEpcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
, in Disney World
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
, Curry created 120 towering puppets, which he titled the Tapestry of Nations
Tapestry of Nations
The Tapestry of Nations was a parade at the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World, Florida, USA, that ran around the World Showcase Lagoon from 1999 to 2001, after which it was rethemed as Tapestry of Dreams. The parade had a unity and world peace theme and featured a variety of large puppets and...
(would later become Tapestry of Dreams), that paraded around the lake when sunset arrived. This parade featured the largest speaker system in the world, featuring 416 speakers and 137 amplifiers.
The parade ended in March 2003 in its Tapestry of Dreams form. The puppets themselves have occasionally been brought out for special events.
Theatrical work
Curry works often in theatre, often collaborating with Julie Taymor. He has worked on Broadway, at The Metropolitan Opera, and at festivals such as the His Dark MaterialsHis Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights , The Subtle Knife , and The Amber Spyglass...
trilogy by Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman CBE, FRSL is an English writer from Norwich. He is the best-selling author of several books, most notably his trilogy of fantasy novels, His Dark Materials, and his fictionalised biography of Jesus, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ...
. Curry also designed the costumes for the opera
Oedipus rex (opera)
Oedipus rex is an "Opera-oratorio after Sophocles" by Igor Stravinsky, scored for orchestra, speaker, soloists, and male chorus. The libretto, based on Sophocles's tragedy, was written by Jean Cocteau in French and then translated by Abbé Jean Daniélou into Latin...
version of Oedipus Rex
Oedipus the King
Oedipus the King , also known by the Latin title Oedipus Rex, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE. It was the second of Sophocles's three Theban plays to be produced, but it comes first in the internal chronology, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone...
.
The Lion King
Curry was made famous not only by the Olympic ceremonies he designed, but also for his puppet design in the highly acclaimed musical, The Lion KingThe Lion King (musical)
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well...
. He would join the rest of the cast and crew to win six Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Musical, first awarded in 1949. This award is presented to the producers of the musical.-1940s:* 1949: Kiss Me, Kate – Music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Samuel and Bella Spewack...
for Disney Theatrical Productions, Best Direction of a Musical
Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical
This is a list of winners and nominations for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. Prior to 1960, category for direction included plays and musicals.-1950s:Note: this category was for both dramatic and musical productions...
for Julie Taymor, and Best Choreography
Tony Award for Best Choreography
-1940s:* 1947: Agnes de Mille – Brigadoon / Michael Kidd – Finian's Rainbow* 1948: Jerome Robbins – High Button Shoes* 1949: Gower Champion – Lend An Ear-1950s:* 1950: Helen Tamiris – Touch and Go* 1951: Michael Kidd – Guys and Dolls...
for Garth Fagan
Garth Fagan
Gawain Garth Fagan, CD is a Jamaican modern dance choreographer. He is the founder and artistic director of Garth Fagan Dance, a modern dance company based in Rochester, New York.-Early years:...
. Curry and Julie Taymor would team up to win the Tony Award for Best Costume Design.
The Magic Flute
Main article:The Magic FluteThe Magic Flute
The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a Singspiel, a popular form that included both singing and spoken dialogue....
This show was a huge success, and Curry designed the costumes, along with Taymor once again.
Cirque Du Soleil
Curry designed the puppets for the Cirque Du Soleil shows KÀKà (Cirque du Soleil)
Kà is a show by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Created and directed by Robert Lepage, the show and the theater cost $220 million to develop....
(directed by Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage
Robert Lepage, is a playwright, actor, film director, and stage director from Québec City, Québec, and is one of Canada's most honoured theatre artists.- Life and work :...
at the MGM Grand Las Vegas
MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the third largest hotel in the world and largest hotel resort complex in the United States in front of The Venetian. The MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in...
, and LOVE
LOVE (Cirque du Soleil)
Love is a 2006 theatrical production by Cirque du Soleil which combines the re-produced and re-imagined music of The Beatles with an interpretive, circus-based artistic and athletic stage performance. The show plays at a specially built theatre at The Mirage in Las Vegas.A joint venture between...
(directed by Dominique Champagne at the MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
, also in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
). He also designed the illusions for the upcoming show, Cirque du Soleil and Criss Angel
Criss Angel
Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos , better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, writer, director, musician, and actor...
at the LUXOR 2009.
Center for Puppetry Arts
Three major pieces by Curry are on permanent display at the Center for Puppetry ArtsCenter for Puppetry Arts
The Center for Puppetry Arts, located in Atlanta, is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to the art form of puppetry. The Center focuses on three areas: performance, education and museum. It is one of the only puppet museums in the world. The Center is located in Midtown, the city's arts...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
- an interactive full-body puppet of a praying mantis
Mantis
Mantis is the common name of any insect in the order Mantodea, also commonly known as praying mantises. The word itself means "prophet" in Latin and Greek...
, a 9 feet (2.7 m) animatronic original by Curry called the Trashcan Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
, and a user-controlled animatronic puppet of Xelas
Xelas
Xelas, sometimes called Xe'las, is a "transformer-culture-hero" of the Lummi people of the Puget Sound region....
, a shapechanger from Native American mythology
Native American mythology
Native American mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Native American religion from a mythographical perspective. Native American belief systems include many sacred narratives. Such spiritual stories are deeply based in Nature and are rich with the symbolism of seasons,...
.
Awards
- Emmy Award for the 2002 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Salt Lake City
- Emmy Award for Puppet Design of the 2002 Olympics
- Emmy Award for 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremony (Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program)
- Emmy Award for Oedipus Rex (Best Masks, Costumes, and Body Sculpture)
- Tony Award for Best Costumes
- Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for The Lion King (Outstanding Puppet Design) - Top 100 Honoree by Irish America Magazine, 2000
- Cannes Film Festival, Performance Pieces, Art Director (Best Fiction, Short)
- Best Live Opera for Oedipus Rex (European Opera Assoc.)
- The American Theater Wing Designer Award for The Lion King
- Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, (Distinguished Achievement) 2000 Mask & Puppet Design, Co-Designer, The Lion King
- Entertainment Design and Theatre Crafts International, 1999 EDDY Award (Puppet Designer)
- Featured Artist, Prague Quadrennial (2007)
- Risorgiomento Creativity Award (for life long creativity and risk taking in the fields of technical and Artistic Design), 2001
- Dora Mavor Moore Award for The Lion King, Co-Designer (Independent Theatre Outstanding Costume Design) 1999-2000