The multifaceted performer, who studied in Paris under famed mime Etienne Decroux and later American “theatrical everyman” Tony Montanaro, visited Fraser-Woods as part of the school’s ongoing cultural arts series, “Myths, Folklore, and Legends.”

The entire school, from toddlers to eighth graders, was invited.

“All of my masks and costumes are handmade,” Mr Cooper said. “Now, it’s perfectly fun to go out and buy [a product]. But it’s a thousand times more fun to make it yourself!”

Drawing from equal parts imagination and real-life experience, Mr Cooper brought the physicality of theater to new heights — literally — through characterizations of a cowboy atop a bucking steed and later his ceiling-scraping-high giant.

With cowboy hat slightly askew and archetypal swagger, Mr Cooper twisted, galloped, and reared across the stage to a medley of instrumentals from classic Old West films.

“He really takes the children’s minds to wonderful places,” whispered Joann Hornak, a Fraser-Woods teacher. Her eyes remained glued to Mr Cooper as she continued, “It’s amazing how realistic he makes these scenes! He really taps into the imagination.”

As a towering giant, Mr Cooper donned stilts (handcrafted, of course), long, pointed rubber feet, and a mask he later informed the audience was made, in part, of a brown paper bag.

The mask’s massive rubbery chin and tiny beady eyes resembled the visage of a leprechaun, and, sure enough, Mr Cooper-as-giant soon began striding jubilantly around the room to the sounds of an Irish folk song.

He later explained precisely how the giant costume worked, including the application of suction cups on the bottoms of the feet to sustain balance.

At one point, Mr Cooper also drew several students from the audience to demonstrate the magic of mime. Volunteers were taught how to slide their stocking feet across the stage so it looked like they were going down an escalator. He also taught them how to gradually bend their knees so it looked as though they were descending in an elevator.

“Play with what’s around you,” Mr Cooper encouraged.

He also told students to not hesitate to pursue a career in arts if it was truly their dream.

“Don’t let anyone hold you back,” he advised.

For more information on Mr Cooper, visit www.themaskedmarvel.com.