Cirque du Soleil: Toruk

Toruk is an imaginative story created by Cirque du Soleil taking inspiration from James Cameron’s Avatar. A visually stunning show that features acrobatic performances, immersive projection, and life sized puppets to tell a new tale about the world of Avatar.

My Role

AchesonWalsh Studios was tasked with redesigning the Viperwolves for Toruk. Several changed needed to be made that took into account weight, size, and durability. As Lead Experience Designer and Fabricator, I took on the responsibility for giving the puppets life building the outer bodies as well as painting their heads to match the pattern on their “skin.”

Prototyping & User Testing

We did a series of user tests with the Viperwolf performers or puppeteers to create our initial prototypes, designing for things like weight and ergonomics for the performers & puppeteers.

Due to the nature of the performance, durability was a big factor in how we redesigned each Viperwolf. The puppets were made out of a series of wood, foam, paint, 3D printed elements, with basic electronics for the eyes. The Viperwolves had to be nearly identical as well as all parts, easily replaceable. Prototyping with different types of foams and plastics allowed us to narrow in on the best use materials., resulting in puppets that were easy to maneuver, but that would last through weeks of intense performances.

Fabrication

I took charge of the fabrication, pattern making, and painting process for the Viperwolves. I cute out the foam for each of the Viperwolf body parts, adhered the “skin” to the foam, and overlaid the foam onto the flexible frame. Creating usable patterns for maintenance on damaged parts is key as there is a lot of wear and tear with several performances per week if not multiple per day. I also painted all six of the Viperwolves heads by hand, being careful to make them look as identical as possible. I used acrylic paint and then used a glossy sealant to ensure the paint would stay in tact.