World-acclaimed puppeteer Basil Twist is bringing his extraordinary puppets to the Washington, D.C. area this spring for a festival celebrating his art.  During The Basil Twist Festival 2012, four local performing arts organizations, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, The Studio Theater and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland will host original productions and discussions by the puppeteer who has been described as "one of the most ambitious and imaginative...in contemporary puppetry."  

Petrushka premiered with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 2001 as a re-imagining of a 1911 Ballet Russes production.  In this tragic love story, Petrushka the clown falls in love with the Ballerina at first sight, but must compete for her affections with a conniving and rich Moor.  The Ballerina rejects the earnest advances of Petrushka, who, upset and lonely, confronts the Moor.  Set at a Russian carnival against a backdrop of a two-piano version of Stravinsky's score, the three puppets magically fly, dance and float in midair under the hidden influence of nine puppeteers.  The performance combines Czech and Japanese puppetry traditions in an utterly unique and sophisticated production.  Approximate running time is 55 minutes. Recommended for children in third grade and above.

Petrushka is appearing at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th Street NW, Washington, DC, from March 16-25, 2012.  Tickets are available through the Shakespeare Theatre Company's website or by calling 202.547.1122.  The Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh box office is open weekdays and on performance weekends.  Tickets are $22.50-$50.00.  Kids under 18 get in FREE with purchases of adult tickets with promo code: KIDS.   To enter to win a pair of tickets, e-mail your full name and mailing address to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with "Petrushka" in the subject line.  Winner will notified on February 29, 2012.  (Name and address used only for purposes of mailing tickets to the winner.)  

Additional Basil Twist programming includes:

Free Happenings at the Harmon: Local Puppeteers (March 21) (free)

Conversation with Basil Twist (March 22) (free), a moderated conversation with Basil Twist that will focus on the breadth of Twist's work and allow audience members to ask questions and view puppets from his productions.

Symphonie Fantastique (March 29-31), an innovative show performed entirely in a specially constructed water tank and set to the five movements of Berlioz's 19th century classic composition.

Arias with a Twist (April 4-May 6), an array of magical songs sung by drag diva Joey Arias amongst a backdrop of Twist's fantastical puppets (intended for adult audiences only).

Dogugaeshi (April 12-22), an intimate journey of images and emotions influenced by Japanese dogugaeshi stage mechanism technique.