BASIL TWIST

Originally from San Francisco, is a 3rd generation puppeteer who lives and works in New York City.  Original creations:  The Araneidae Show, Symphonie Fantastique, Petrushka, Master Peter's Puppet Show, Dogugaeshi, La Bella Dormente nel Bosco.  Collaborations:  Arias with a Twist, Beind the Lid and Red Beads.  Partnerships with The Spoleto Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center's Voice and Visions Series, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Japan Society and Gotham Chamber Opera.  Premiered his second opera, Hansel and Gretel with The Houston Grand and Atlanta Opera Companies.  Awards:  Obie Award, four UNIMA Awards for Excellence in Puppetry, two Bessie Awards, New York Innovative Theatre Award, and Henry Hewes Design Award, Guggenheim Fellow and inaugural United States Artist Ford Fellow.  He will team with Lee Breuer to premiere Streetcar Named Desire at The Comedie Francaise; Fall 2010.    He designed the puppetry for The Addams Family and is the Director of the Dream Music Puppetry Program in New York.