Manual Cinema is an Emmy Award-winning performance collective, design studio, and film production company that creates innovative live theater, film, and immersive visual experiences.
Founded in 2010 by puppeteers and graphic artists Julia Miller, Drew Dir, and Sarah Fornace, along with composer/musicians Kyle Vegter and Ben Kauffman, the group combines handmade shadow puppetry, cinematic techniques, and live music to tell visually striking, emotionally resonant stories.
Based in Chicago, Manual Cinema has performed at major cultural institutions across the U.S., including in October 2024 at Shannon Hall. Its work blurs the boundaries between stage and screen, memory and myth, light and shadow.
The latest creation from Manual Cinema is a stunning reimagination of Shakespear’s “Macbeth.” “The 4th Witch,” which first premiered in June 2025 at the Spotleto Festival in South Carolina, centers around a young girl who is swept into the shadowy realm of three witches, becoming their reluctant apprentice. As she learns to wield an unfamiliar and formidable power, she must confront the weight of her choices and the cost of vengeance. Featuring breathtaking visuals and an eerie, immersive score, this production casts “Macbeth” in an entirely new light where magic, memory, and morality collide onstage.
But this isn’t Shakespeare as you know it.
Without any spoken dialogue or narration, Manual Cinema tells this tale entirely through live shadow puppetry, silhouetted actors, cinematic projections, and a mesmerizing live score
While rooted in Shakespeare’s classic, “The 4th Witch” isn’t about regicide or royal ambition. It’s about grief, resilience, and the cycle of violence, explored through the eyes of the innocent left behind.
The story reveals the deep emotional toll of conflict, especially on those who are too young to understand its causes but are forced to endure its consequences. When pain is left unacknowledged, it transforms into something darker; grief becomes rage, and memory becomes a weapon. Imagination emerges not just as a means of escape, but as an act of resistance against the forces that seek to silence or erase it.
From its handmade shadow puppets to its emotionally rich storytelling, “The 4th Witch” proves that, sometimes, the most powerful stories are those told without words. In a time of noise and chaos, Manual Cinema invites us to sit in the dark and watch something spectacular.
Whether you're a fan of Shakespeare, shadow puppetry, or shows sure to leave an impact, “The 4th Witch” is a must-see.
Get tickets to see the Oct. 17 performance here.
Recommended for ages 12 and up. There are loud sounds and flashing lights.