A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at Shakespeare Theatre Company to Feature Puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Shakespeare Theatre Company has announced its partnership with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, which began construction last month on featured puppets for the theatre's upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The production, directed by Artistic Director Simon Godwin, includes puppetry design and direction by Basil Twist. A Midsummer Night's Dream plays STC's Harman Hall from December 4 through January 10.

“It has been an incredible process with Basil to discover how puppetry can elevate the magical elements of Midsummer,” says Godwin. “I've always been inspired by the brilliance of Jim Henson's work in the fantasy realm, and Basil has run with that. It's exciting to finally share the partnership with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, whose world-class artisans are crafting these one-of-a-kind creatures as we create a fantastical world.”

Jim Henson's Creature Shop is a leader in the field of character creation and effects. Its long history of combining an extraordinary array of puppet making skills with cutting-edge animatronic and digital technologies has been part of pop culture for decades, showcased in live, film, and digital entertainment. In recent years, their work has been part of stages around the world, from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Lady Gaga performances.

'As always, working with Basil Twist is proving to be an exciting, ambitious creative adventure. We are enjoying helping to bring to life such a well-known and iconic story with a unique approach. Puppets allow us to play with scale, movement, and design so we can populate the fantastical world of this production in a completely original way,” said Jason Weber, Creative Director of Jim Henson's Creature Shop in New York.

Basil Twist is a recognized name in puppetry design and direction, both nationally and internationally. The only American to graduate from the Ecole Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette in France, his work includes theatre, opera, dance, and more, including multiple collaborations with Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Their collaborative work is currently wowing audiences on London's West End in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of My Neighbour Totoro, based on the popular Miyazaki animated film.

“This will be the fourth time I've worked with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, and I'm still star struck by them. The quality of their work is beyond anything else,” says Twist. “I've loved working with Simon on figuring out how puppets will inhabit the world of the fairies, the forest, and also how puppetry can pop up throughout the story in unexpected and magical ways.”

The design team for the production includes Choreographer Jonathan Goddard, Scenic Designer Robert Brill, Costume Designer Heather C. Freeman, Lighting Designer Tim Lutkin, Sound Designer Christopher Shutt, and Composer Michael Bruce.

As previously announced, the cast will include recent familiar STC faces Melanie Field (Othello, The Wild Duck) and Ben Turner (Macbeth, Othello) as Titania/Hippolyta and Oberon/Theseus, respectively. The complete cast, which includes a mix of actors and puppeteers, will be announced at a later date.