0 s , ▁including ▁Or son ▁W elles ' ▁Mercur y ▁Theatre ▁tr oupe . ▁Love ▁also ▁appeared ▁on ▁stage ▁in ▁a ▁bit ▁part ▁as ▁a ▁student ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁play ▁N aught ▁N aught ▁ 0 0 . ▁ ▁Love ▁worked ▁with ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁figures ▁of ▁mid - century ▁Broadway ▁and ▁American ▁bal let . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁cost umer ▁for ▁the ▁Ag nes ▁de ▁M ille ▁bal let ▁R ode o ▁( 1 9 4 2 ), ▁for ▁the ▁Kurt ▁We ill ▁musical ▁One ▁Touch ▁of ▁Ven us ▁( 1 9 4 3 ), ▁and ▁for ▁Mer ce ▁C unning ham ' s ▁The ▁Wind ▁Rem ains ▁( 1 9 4 3 ) ▁and ▁Jer ome ▁Rob b ins ' s ▁bal let ▁F ancy ▁Free ▁( 1 9 4 4 ). ▁For ▁George ▁Bal anch ine ▁he ▁designed , ▁amongst ▁other ▁items , ▁a ▁ ▁mar ion ette ▁giant ▁for ▁Don ▁Qu ix ote ▁( 1 9 6 5 ). ▁ ▁In vol vement ▁with ▁the ▁Mu ppets ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁Love ▁first ▁crossed ▁paths ▁with ▁Jim ▁H enson ▁through ▁Don ▁Sah lin , ▁who ▁ur ged ▁him ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁H enson . ▁The ▁three ▁first ▁collabor ated ▁on ▁The ▁La ▁Ch oy ▁Dragon . ▁Love ' s ▁the atr ical ▁background ▁had ▁given ▁him ▁particular ▁skill ▁at ▁handling ▁full ▁body - pu ppets ▁and ▁tail oring ▁them ▁to ▁allow ▁freedom ▁for ▁the ▁perform er '