People | PuppetSoup

"Puppetry. For Everyone"

Our Team

Making Puppetry with Everyone

Our team come together under the banner of PuppetSoup and work across our specialisms to create work that is truly collaborative.

PuppetSoup’s team trained at some of the world’s leading universities and drama schools and we want to pass on our skills and knowledge through workshops and shows.

Below are some of the talented people who collaborate under the banner of PuppetSoup.

Fagner Gastaldon

Founder, Puppeteer, Director

Fagner Gastaldon is a multi award winning puppeteer originally from Brazil but settled for over fifteen years in the Wales, UK. His passion for puppetry developed as a child in Brazil where puppetry is a commonplace art form considered to be for both adults and children alike.

Fagner co-founded ‘PuppetSoup’ in order to create unique and beautiful puppetry that inspires audiences. He is passionate about puppetry and taking the artform to as many people as he can. He specialises in crafting puppets and performing contemporary puppet theatre, Teatro Lambe ( “Theatre for one”) as well as being an accomplished mask performer.

Fagner is the puppetry director and the primary workshop leader of PuppetSoup. He has created, devised and built all of the work that PuppetSoup has made along with the PuppetSoup team.

Fagner trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, gaining an Honours in Puppetry.

He has puppeteered and collaborated with numerous companies and organisations in addition to PuppetSoup within the UK and overseas and he has also set up ‘PuppetryCourses.com’ to offer courses and training to both adults and children who have an interest in the craft of puppetry.

Cass Gastaldon

Founder, Puppeteer, Director

A co-founder of PuppetSoup, Cass is from Wales and has been involved in making puppets and puppetry for over a decade.

Cass is a multi award winning performer who has had a lifelong passion for theatre, performance and making dolls and puppets.

Cass trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London gaining an Honours Degree in puppetry and has a particular interest in using puppetry for social and community benefit.

Cass is an accomplished puppeteer and is highly experienced at devising new theatre pieces. She is involved in the creation of all of PuppetSoup's work and performs in most of PuppetSoup's shows. Cass is especially interested an animal puppets and table top puppetry.

She is an experienced teacher and workshop facilitator in addition to having performed with a wide variety of puppet and object related medium.

Associate artists

ChristineSmith

Charities and Communities Manager.

Funding Officer.

Tour Booker (Wales)

Christine is a Wales based Arts coordinator specialising in touring schedules within Wales. She has extensive experience in Arts Education and expanding community outcomes through arts activities. Christine worked as a Special Inspector for Gwent Police for 23 years in addition to working as a teaching assistant with children with additional needs.

Christine has worked with PuppetSoup for several years expanding the touring schedule and in 2020 PuppetSoup were delighted that Christine accepted the role of Charities and Communities Manager, and funding officer.

Naomi Doyle

Actress (English and Welsh Speaking)

Welsh Language Arts Coordinator

Welsh Language Officer

Naomi Doyle is a bilingual actress, storyteller, performer, puppeteer and workshop leader with over 15 years of working in community theatre, theatre in education, touring productions and educational drama workshops. Before working with PuppetSoup she worked with companies such as Theatr Powys, Impelo, Travelling Light, Loud Mouth Theatre and Lingue Senza Frontiere. She has also recently been running arts and drama workshops in schools across South Wales for the Arts Council Of Wales as part of their Lead Creative Schools Scheme. With PuppetSoup she has performed in Land of The Dragon, Arthur the Bear King and created and recorded the Welsh Language elements for Jack.

Ana Maio

Designer, Artist, Performer

Ana has worked with PuppetSoup for several years both designing and performing. She is a talented artist who produces the artwork for PuppetSoup and has had a hand in all of PuppetSoup's productions either through providing design and performance services or through supplying her wonderful artwork for shows and posters. Ana trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London gaining an Honours Degree in design. Ana works in both theatre and animation and her website is anamaio.com.

Joshua Macrow

Puppeteer

Josh is a freelance puppeteer for theatre and film, specialising in muppet and table top puppetry. He has joined PuppetSoup on both Land of the Dragon and in developing 'Cat Town'. Josh runs his own successful company called JJ Puppets, providing shows and puppetry services for events, parties, and schools. He trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama gaining an Honours Degree in Puppetry.

From Josh:

"My aim is to create the highest standard of puppetry possible, through hard work and collaboration. I believe puppetry is always at it’s best when supported by the other aspects of theatre, therefore I also have gained skills in lighting, sound, and set making to help create spectacular puppet shows!"

Christopher Gadd

Puppeteer

Chris Lyon

Technician and lighting designer

Chris has kindly worked on many projects with PuppetSoup offering his extensive skills in lighting and sound management, and design.

Chris also works with Bath University on many of their major productions and has a Masters Degree in Mathematics.

Jacob Anderson

Designer and Technician

Jacob is a production designer, studying Design for Stage at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. His passion for storytelling was sparked at a young age, designing youth theatre shows and working as a lighting technician at the New Vic Theatre. Jacob completed a 2-year technical theatre course at Newcastle-Under-Lyme Collage, where he honed his production skills in sound, lighting, scenic art and construction as well as set and costume design. Since then, he has been working as a scenic artist for the RSC and has freelanced as an assistant designer and scenic artist for shows such as James Corden’s ‘The Late Late Show’, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cinderella’ and Marianne Elliott’s ‘Death of a Salesman’. Recently, he has worked as a lighting technician on Puppet Soup’s ‘Land of The Dragon’. Jacob is determined to work in areas with low theatre engagement, promoting the artform within the wider community and helping to celebrate different cultures and stories through his designs.

Diego Redel

Photograther

Diego has kindly worked on many projects with PuppetSoup offering his extensive skills in Photography as well as managing the PuppetSoup archive.

Diego also works with numerous organisations around the world and have covered many arts festivals such as the Festival Mondial des Theatres de Marionnettes in Charleville Mezieres - France and the international dance festival of Joinville - Brazil. Diego is currently researching Opera's around the world with the intention of publishing a book in the near future.

Daniel Balfour

Sound Designer

Norvydas Genys

Lighting Designer

Richard Semmens

Collaborator

Our special thanks go out to our past collaborators and colleagues :

Dr Cariad Astles – Director, Head of Puppetry at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Dr Francesca Cleugh – Consultant Paediatrician at St Mary’s London – Lead collaborator on ‘Fix Freddie’.
Darren East – Puppeteer, Director
Rachel Warr – Dramaturg and Director
Guilherme Peixoto – Master Puppeteer, director
Monica Longo – Director, producer, puppeteer
Paulo Nazareno – Puppeteer and puppet maker
Natalie Wilson – Scenic Artist (created the outer casing of the large opening tree featured in Land of the Dragon)
Dr Gwilym Morus – Acclaimed musician and expert in Welsh mythology (collaborted on Land of the Dragon) – Please visit his websites at www.mwncinel.com and www.welshmythology.com
Professor Roger Kneebone
Ted Beresford
Sam Conor Smith – Sound Design (Land of the Dragon)
Heledd Gwynn – Performer (Land of the Dragon)
Alida Bratinger Costume Designer (Fix Freddie)
Annalisa Spezzacatene – Costume Designer (Land of the Dragon)
Anna Galek - Puppeteer