How do the puppets in Disney's The Lion King work? Colorado native and puppet assistant explains

The most successful musical of all time, Disney's The Lion King, is once again visiting the Buell Theatre. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts first launched the tour of the show more than 20 years ago, and fans from around the region still make their way to the DCPA to see the show when it is in town.

The production, which follows the storyline of the hit animated film closely, is filled with some of the most iconic theatrical moments ever. That includes the cast walking through the audience during their rendition of "The Circle of Life," which they sing while walking puppets through the theatre.

On stage, nearly everyone in the cast is wearing some type of costume or operating a puppet that makes them appear to be an African animal. Some of the puppets are rather simplistically made, while others are intricate and valuable.

CBS News Colorado was taken behind the scenes at the Buell Theatre to see how the puppets were created, as explained by Julie Talty, puppet assistant for the tour.

Talty, a Colorado native and resident, tours with the production for their hundreds of shows they complete each year for thousands of people each night.

Talty, who still calls Colorado home, said she was thrilled to be back in the shadow of the mountains and breathing the thin air.

She showed how her team designed and built puppets and other iconic items from the musical. That includes a mask that the actor portraying Simba wears, which she hand-painted. She said it took many dedicated hours and several color palettes to get it exactly right.

She also noted how many of the puppets that cast members wear on their heads are secured through mechanisms commonly found in construction safety hard hats.

Several of the puppets also feature basket weaving and other items imported from Africa.

Zazu, the iconic and rambunctious bird seen in the musical, is a smaller but very intricate puppet that is operated by an actor. The actor can make the puppet blink, close its beak, flap its feathers, stretch its neck, or even rest on their head.

Talty said many wonder how they built the neck of the bird within the puppet. She shared a secret with CBS News Colorado, laughing as she said the feathers of the bird conceal a slinky within.

The main characters in the production, like Simba and Scar, have mechanics in their costumes. The mechanics allow the puppet heads above the actor's head to move forward, turn, and tilt.

The actors use a remote control in their hands to make the devices operate, often adding intensity to the scene.

The DCPA still has tickets available to some productions of The Lion King. The show is only in town until Nov. 16.

Go online for more information on purchasing tickets. CBS Colorado is a proud partner of the DCPA.