Mime and mask expert Michael Cooper dazzled Hillsdale’s youth last Friday with his performance of “Masked Marvels and Wondertales”.
People of all ages gathered at Markel Auditorium on Sept. 20 to watch Cooper put on eight different skits with the help of 15 different masks. From “The Baby and the Old Man,” a skit about a newborn learning about his environment and an old man caring for his grandson, to “Fish-or-man,” a skit about a fish fishing for humans, each skit was different from the last.
“I liked how he could transform himself by wearing a mask,” Hillsdale resident Heidi Dunn said.
The children at the show were especially excited when he selected a few of them to take part in a skit simulating walking down stairs. Even some adults were invited to the stage, including Professor of English Stephen Smith.
The general opinion from post-show interviews named “The Clumsy Giant” as the favorite act. During this segment, Cooper stood on stilts and danced, even incorporating jumps and one-legged twirls.
“I was awed by the fact that he could keep his balance,” freshman Dani Morey said.
Cooper personally designs and creates each mask he uses in the show.
“Hundreds of pieces of paper-mâché go into each mask,” he said.
Cooper began designing masks and crafting his show 40 years ago, after watching a similar performance when he was 19.
“That first show compelled me to get into theatre,” Cooper said.
Cooper studied at the Paris School of Mime in the 70s and then moved to New York City where an old friend trained him. He completed his training in his home state of Maine, and from there he began performing for the nation using his developed skills and creations.
“Making things with your own two hands is ten thousand times more rewarding,” Cooper told the audience.
Another inspiration for mask making comes from his parents. Their interest in Native American art, especially the masks, fascinated him as a child.
“I was always intrigued by what it means to conceal and reveal,” he said. “If you make your own mask, you reveal something about your own life.”
The final reason Cooper offered for liking masks is simply because they fascinate him. He has been creating masks on his own since he was a small child.
Cooper managed to show his experience by incorporating the mistakes and hazards into his act.
Twice the accompanying music stopped when it shouldn’t have, but he played it off as intentional, and, when a child participant on the stage began to play with the masks and other props, Cooper calmly dealt with it before it became an issue.
“I would definitely go again,” said Lilly Hobbes, daughter of the Tower Dancers director Holly Hobbes.
Cooper was very enthusiastic throughout the show, and he encouraged the children to pursue the arts if they interested them.
“If you like art, sculpture, dancing, masks, performing, don’t let anyone tell you no! Pursue your dreams,” Cooper said.
