Weird Al inspires marionette show by Halifax's Darren Moreash

What started as a homage to Weird Al Yankovic has turned into an exhibit for marionette-maker Darren Moreash.

The self-dubbed "Geppetto" of Harrietsfield, N.S. has crafted a set of wooden marionettes inspired by some of Weird Al's most famous videos, including 1984's Eat It,1988's Fatand 1996's Amish Paradise.

He will be displaying the collection of Weird Al puppets at Argyle Fine Art July 23 and 24 in advance of the performer's show at the Halifax casino.

"People, if they want to come down early, can stop by there, get psyched up for him and then go to the show," he says.

Moreash has completed six mini Als and hopes to finish another three or four.

Moreashtweeted a photo of the Like a Surgeon figure, andWeird Al himselfre-posted it. He intends to save as a gift for Yankovic.

"The best thing I think could happen would be if he was actually going by the Argyle and would go in and looked at all of them, that would be great." he says. "But just meeting him would be good enough for me."

This won't be Moreash's first brush with the performers he pays tribute to. He says it's become a way to connect with the musicians and actors he admires.

"If a band comes to town that I like, I try to get in touch with people, see if I can make one of them. Maybe get some tickets, get a backstage pass. It's been working pretty good so far," he says.

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The marionettes are a passion project. Chiselling away in his basement workshop, each puppet takes hours to carve. He spends days labouring over the tiniest details. His wife, Julie Moreash, paints the figures. Dubbed "Darrionettes," they also do custom orders.

"It's all in the face," he says of the process of transforming a photo into a wooden caricature.

His living room is lined with marionettes from the Alice Cooper he gave to his wife as a present before they were dating to a tiny Don Cherry.

The walls display photos of him with various performers who he has gifted his work. He's met everyone from Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, Ozzy Osborne, John Cleese to "The Fonz" Henry Winkler.

Cheap Trick even used his marionettes in their I Want You For Christmasvideo in lieu of the actual band members.

"I've had so many posters of bands and stuff, paraphernalia around my house, then I see a photo of something I've made [in their homes]," he says. "People that I've liked since I was a kid, 15, that I get to meet now. That's just amazing."