Moon Sailors Puppets
Client: Naomi Woodward
Moon Sailors, written by Naomi Woodward and illustrated by Rachel Gregg, takes readers on a whimsical journey of imagination as two children sail past constellations of whales to the rockpools of the moon, encountering extraordinary creatures along the way.
In collaboration with Naomi, A Blanck Canvas brought the enchanting characters of Moon Sailors to life through meticulously designed puppets, including:
- Constellation Whale: A magnificent inflatable and illuminated puppet operated by two puppeteers. Its lifelike swimming movements are achieved with synchronized control of the tail and fins, creating a captivating flow.
- Moon Snail: A vibrant, large-scale sea snail puppet, animated by a single puppeteer who controls its realistic movements through hand manipulation of the tail.
- Starfish: A colorful hand puppet designed to engage young audiences with its playful, interactive nature.
- Jellyfish: A lively rod-controlled puppet with flowing fabric tentacles that mimic the graceful, floating motion of real jellyfish.
- Seaworm: A dynamic rod puppet operated by one puppeteer, offering remarkable flexibility as its head and tail twist and turn with a 180-degree range of motion.
These expertly crafted puppets add depth and magic to the Moon Sailors experience, captivating audiences both young and old.
Naomi Woodward has an extensive background in the Australian Arts, Education, Libraries, and Bookselling industries. Her experience includes work as a scriptwriter and performer in children’s entertainment, as well as a seasoned theatre educator across Australia. With a strong foundation in literature and critical thinking, Naomi published her debut picture book, Moon Sailors, in October 2022 through Ford Street Publishing. The book is currently in pre-production for a stage adaptation. Additionally, the first two books in her upcoming junior fiction series, Wendy, Weather Watcher, are set for release later this year.
