Some productions need a long runway. The Firebird has had standing ovations at the Hollywood Bowl, Ravinia, The Mann Center and Wolf Trap, and Johannesburg is finally getting its turn. Janni Younge Productions brings the show to The Teatro at Montecasino from 4 to 6 December for six performances only.

Directed by award-winning South African puppet theatre artist Janni Younge and choreographed by Jay Pather, the production sets Stravinsky's electrifying score within a contemporary South African fusion of larger-than-life puppetry and powerful dance. First created by Younge and Pather in 2016, it returned to South Africa in 2026 for a sold-out season at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, followed by performances with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in the United States. San Francisco is next in 2027.

At its heart is the Seeker, a young woman on a quest to unleash her creative power. Drawn into a vivid, shifting world, she meets forces that test her capacity for transformation. Towering puppet creatures, among them a dragon with a 12-metre wingspan, move through a landscape that shifts between intimacy and spectacle, building to the moment the Firebird takes flight. Cathy Cahill, President and CEO of The Mann, has called it "an artistic triumph and game changer."

The ensemble of 15 combines international experience with a new generation of South African artists. Crystal Finck takes the role of the Seeker, with Elvis Sibeko as Kashai. Lead puppeteers Siyamthanda Sinani, Nkosinathi Mngomezulu and Samkelo Zihlangu bring credits that include Handspring Puppet Company's War Horse and Younge's Hamlet.

The casting carries a story of its own. Jacqueline Manyaapelo, the Seeker in the original ensemble and a respected Cape Town dance teacher and mentor, plays Bird Woman, a mentor to Finck's Seeker. She has helped train generations of young dancers, Finck among them, so a real relationship finds an echo on stage.

Younge says the work crosses generations: "Puppetry has this unique ability to reach adults and children simultaneously." Pather calls it "a heart-wrenching work about the choices we face in love, in our work and in our quest for freedom." The show requires no knowledge of dance, puppetry or classical music, and it runs for one hour, making it a good pick for families. It is recommended for children aged six and older.

Showtimes:

• Friday 4 December: 19h30

• Saturday 5 December: 11h00, 15h00 and 19h30

• Sunday 6 December: 11h00 and 15h00

Tickets: R150 to R580 per person via Webtickets. Early Bird specials run until the end of October, and Family Specials start at R150 per person when booking four or more tickets. Seats are limited.