Noriko Nishimoto, Japanese-born Australian puppeteer, Died at 75

Noriko Nishimoto died on May 16, 2016.

She was a Japanese–Australian puppeteer.

Nishimoto began studying drama in Osaka, but turned to puppetry after a friend took her to see a puppet show.

She joined Osaka’s La Clarte Puppet Theatre, where she spent 16 years working as a performer, writer and director, before going freelance.

During 1980, Australian puppetry director Peter Wilson saw one of her shows in Osaka, and invited her to perform at the Festival of Perth in a puppetry performance of Faust.

Following a six-week season in Perth, Nishimoto returned to Japan, but was invited back by Wilson in 1981 to join his new company, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre in Fremantle, Western Australia, as a puppet master.

Originally started on one year tenure, Nishimoto stayed for three years and relinquished her Japanese citizenship to take up Australian citizenship.

In 1987, Noriko became the assistant artistic director at Spare Parts, and artistic director in 1997.

When she had spent 19 years with the company, she stepped down to work as a freelance director and puppet artist.

During 2008, Noriko was identified by the international puppeteers association UNIMA for her work in Australia, and was presented with an award for outstanding contribution in puppetry in 2012, at the World Congress and Puppet Festival in Chengdu, China.

Noriko Nishimoto passed away at 75 yrs old.