Noriko Nishimoto was a Japanese-Australian puppeteer, puppet artist, writer, and director best known for doing freelance work throughout her career. Her career started out in Japan, spending 16 years as a performer, writer, and director for Osaka's La Clarte Puppet Theatre before going freelance. Noriko was soon discovered by Australian puppetry director Peter Wilson in 1980, who invited her to Australia to perform at the Festival of Perth in a performance of Faust. A year later, Nishimoto was invited again to join Wilson's company, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre as a puppet master. After a three-year tenure down under, she relinquished her Japanese citizenship to take up Australian citizenship. Nobody can blame her for doing that, because that was a huge opportunity that impacted her career over the years. After a time as being puppet master of Spare Parts, Noriko Nishimoto became assistant artistic director in 1987 then ten years later became the artistic director. She soon stepped down from the company 19 years later to work as a freelance director and puppet artist as well as a puppeteer. I personally wish Sesame Street would've done an Australian co-production, because then she could be one of the performers for that series. Eventually in 2008, Noriko was recognized by the International Puppetry Association UNIMA for her work in Australia, then receiving an award at the World Congress and Puppet Festival in China four years later. Nishimoto was yet another female puppeteer to make an impact to the world, which is very impressive and would be a great reason to be historic. Sadly, her life came to an end for she died of cancer in May 2016, and I bet everyone was saddened. She'll never be forgotten in Australia, Japan, and other parts of the world for all the puppet things she's done throughout her life. Noriko Nishimoto, you were a wonderful puppeteer and a great artistic director for Spare Parts and other companies. I hope you're still watching from above and that your projects will be shared to the world by those who have admired you. You've done well in your life. Sayonara Noriko. Rest in peace Nishimoto!
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