StaFF
Mark Down
Master-Puppeteer, Artistic Director
Mark Down is Artistic Director and co-founder of Blind Summit. He originally trained as a doctor before retraining at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on the MA Advanced Theatre Practice course.
Over his 20 years of leading Blind Summit he has developed a method of working with puppets that integrates, writing, designing, directing and performing into one process which he calls "Follow the Puppet".
His original productions for Blind Summit include The Table, Low Life, 1984, Call of the Wild and most recently Citizen Puppet. He directed Le Rossignol in collaboration with Bregenz Festival, and co-directed the US Premiere of the Helmut Lachenmann's The Little Match Girl for Spoleto Festival.
As Puppet Director and designer Mark has worked with world class artists to put puppetry in new and unusual places: Sorrow in Anthony Minghella's Madame Butterfly at ENO and the Metropolitan Opera, the singing dog Sharik in Complicite’s A Dog’s Heart at ENO, DNO and La Scala, and the 18 feet tall Voldemort at Danny Boyle’s 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony. He most recently directed the puppetry for Emma Rice’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe in 2016.
He is a visiting lecturer at UAL Wimbledon and Royal School of Speech and Drama.
Ina Wieczorek
Project Producer
Ina produced Peter and the Wolf at the Hollywood Bowl. She is currently seeking future opportunities for collaborations and revivals of the is and other productions.
Fiona Clift
Administrator
Fiona Clift has been working with and for Blind Summit for over ten years. She is a puppet designer, puppeteer, character comedian. Her work with Blind Summit includes assistant director on 1984, performer in Olympics, The Table, Citizen Puppet, Henry, The Magic Flute, designer and performer in The Little Match Girl, Le Rossignol, and Peter and the Wolf. She was a founder member of Teatro En Villo. She performs character comedy on the stand up circuit and works part time as administrator at Blind Summit.
Katherine de Halpert
Bookkeeper
Katherine is a freelance bookkeeper who specialises in theatre.
Ana Sala
Ikebanah Arts Escenicas
Ana Sala represents Blind Summit in Spain and Portugal.
Contact her directly on: anasala@ikebanah.es
Mark Price
Amanda Howard Agency
Mark Price represents Blind Summit's interest for Puppetry Design and Direction collaborations.