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Basil Twist
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Basil Twist
Known the world over for his astonishingly innovative puppet shows, Guggenheim Fellow Basil Twist spins new magic around the legendary Ballets Russes production of Petrushka at Boston’s Paramount Theatre.
Originally from San Francisco, Basil Twist is a third generation puppeteer who lives and works in New York. He became the only American to graduate from the École Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette in Charleville-Mezieres, France, one of the world’s premier puppetry training programs.
Twist’s work was first spotlighted in New York in 1995 with his creation The Araneidae Show, for which he was awarded a 1997 Bessie Award and a UNIMA Citation of Excellence. 1998 was a landmark year for Twist with a Drama Desk Award nomination for his work with Theatre Couture’s Off-Broadway hit Tell Tale, and the premiere of Symphonie Fantastique at HERE Arts Center. Since 1998, Twist has continually expanded the realm of puppetry by creating and touring new works, focusing especially on work integrated with live music. Twist was the underwater puppetry consultant on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and just completed creating creatures for The Addams Family Musical on Broadway. His puppetry is featured in the Broadway production of The Pee Wee Herman Show, opening in October 2010. In 2000, his Petrushka premiered in New York and was awarded a 2000 UNIMA Citation of Excellence.
Twist is the director of The Dream Music Puppetry Program at HERE Arts Center, the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a United States Artists Fellow.
More info: http://here.org