Prepping for “Circus of Death”

Steven Hull’s roomy Hawthorne studio is stuffed with items and sketches for his artist-designed theme park, “Circus of Death,” which will go on view on Saturday as part of the comedy show, “Festival Supreme.” (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Oct. 21, 2014 1:02 PM PT

Steven Hull has been prepping a wild interactive artist-designed theme park for Jack Black’s comedy fest, “Festival Supreme.” It will contains acts and installations created by a bevy of L.A. artists, including Hull himself.

The show starts at the ticket booth, which Hull describes as having an “Emo-Goth” look. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Train rides will lead visitors through the theme park, through a plastic iceberg and a wood windmill stuffed with monsters. Seen here: one of the artful cabooses. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Hull has created the main structural pieces for the park, including a series of figurative sculptures that will contain speakers for a sound piece created by Gibby Haynes (otherwise known as the lead singer of the Butthole Surfers). (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

In one corner of Hull’s studio sits a seat for the Circus of Death merry-go-round. All of these have been painted by hand. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

A marionette depicting a character named Cindy, an invention of artist Barry Morse, sits in a corner of the studio. Morse will be decked out in a similar ensemble for “Circus,” which includes a central stage that will feature puppet shows and musical acts. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

An element of one of Hull’s carnival attractions pokes out from behind a stack of wood crates in Hull’s studio. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Hull says he read countless books about circuses in researching aspects of his carnival. A pair of clown heads sits on a pair of plastic trumpets. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

With “Circus of Death” being prepped, Hull’s studio is like a laboratory of carnival elements -- such as this jar of clown noses. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)