ST. LOUIS – For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

This time, the story takes place within the St. Louis Zoo, and animals like the sea lion are the understudies.

“A sea lion is actually depicted as the prince in the play and Juliet and her mother are played by grizzly bears,” said Michael Macek, St. Louis Zoo Director. “But live animals are not in the production.”

Wednesday inside Forest Park, FOX 2 had the chance to see a California sea lion and grizzly bears in honor of the St. Louis Zoo and St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “Romeo & Zooliet.” 

Ticket sales launched today in honor of Shakespeare’s 461st birthday.

“It’s a twist on ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ where all the characters are created by these stunning puppets from the folks who did the Lion King on Broadway,” said Tom Ridgely, Producing Artistic Director of St. Louis Shakespeare Festival.

Using animal puppetry by world-renowned Michael Curry design, the show is known for its work on Broadway’s “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and Olympic and Super Bowl ceremonies.  

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre will be the zoo’s historic hill area.

No live animals will take part in the production Tuesdays through Sundays, July 8th through August 17. 

But you can bet the puppet Montagues are herbivores, and the Capulets are carnivores.

“The production will take place in the zoo in our historic hill area,” Macek said. “The zoo at that time closes at five or six o’clock. It’s a full 85-minute production that’s just going to be spectacular.”