Baba Yaga

The masterful take on the Russian Fairy Tale returns to Madison. Baba Yaga, a dark and fanciful dance-drama featuring costumes by NYC’s David Quinn, masks, puppets, and sets of artist Heidi Cooper, along with inspired choreography from Artistic Directors Lisa Thurrell and Robert E. Cleary, Kanopy's Kerry Parker, and guests Elise Snyder and Kiro Kopulos. In traditional Russian tales, Baba Yaga is portrayed as a hag who lives in a hut atop a pair of dancing chicken legs; the fence outside is made with bones with skulls. Young Vasilissa is sent by her nasty stepsisters on an errand to Baba Yaga and is captured for the witch’s evening meal. To win her freedom, Vasilissa must perform three impossible tasks. Her magic doll given to her by her mother awakens to help her on her journey. “…Both Thurrell and co-director Robert Cleary have a Midas touch...” –S. Kepecs, Daily Page