Pop culture vignettes of Shakespeare plays accompanied by a live jazz band
With its elegance, wit, and theatricality, this program highlights some of Adam Sklute’s favorite works. Jiří Kylián’s highly athletic and profoundly emotional Return to a Strange Land deals with love and loss, set to the evocative piano music of Leoš Janáček. In 1958, modern dance pioneer Merce Cunningham created his unique Summerspace in collaboration with composer Morton Feldman and artist Robert Rauschenberg. Ballet West becomes one of a very few companies in the world to produce this fascinating exploration into movement, music, and art. The program closes with British choreographer David Bintley’s brilliant The Shakespeare Suite. At times intense, at times hilariously funny, the ballet is a series of pop-culture vignettes of different Shakespeare plays accompanied by the jazz strains of Duke Ellington.
“This Program is really a ‘Director’s Choice.’ The three works I’m presenting are unexpected favorites that are theatrically and artistically brilliant in unique ways. The little gem, Return to a Strange Land was one of my most favorite ballets to dance; Summerspace is a supreme collaboration of art, music, and dance; and The Shakespeare Suite delighted me from the moment I first saw it performed in England.”
—Adam Sklute
AT THE JANET QUINNEY LAWSON CAPITOL THEATRE
| PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE | |
| April 13 | Evening 7:30pm |
| April 14 | Evening 7:30pm |
| April 18 | Evening 7:30pm |
| April 19 | Evening 7:30pm |
| April 20 | Evening 7:30pm |
| April 21 | Matinee 2:00pm |
| April 21 | Evening 7:30pm |
CASTING – SUBJECT TO CHANGE
RETURN TO A STRANGE LAND
FRIDAY 4/13 – WEDNESDAY 4/18 – SATURDAY 4/21 EVE
Beckanne Sisk, Rex Tilton, Hadriel Diniz
Emily Adams, Chase O’Connell, Lucas Horns
SATURDAY 4/14 – FRIDAY 4/20
Katherine Lawrence, Christopher Sellars, Alexander MacFarlan
Emily Adams, Chase O’Connell, Lucas Horns
THURSDAY 4/19 – SATURDAY 2/21 MAT
Arolyn Williams, Christopher Ruud, Jordan Veit
Allison DeBona, Adrian Fry, Tyler Gum
SUMMERSPACE
FRIDAY 4/13 – WEDNESDAY 4/18 – FRIDAY 4/20 – SATURDAY 4/21 EVE
Katlyn Addison, Katie Critchlow, Jenna Rae Herrera,
Chelsea Keefer, Oliver Oguma, Joshua Shutkind
SATURDAY 4/14 – THURSDAY 4/19 – SATURDAY 4/21 MAT
Kimberly Ballard, Emily Neale, Oliver Oguma
Gabrielle Salvatto, Kristina Weimer, Joshua Whitehead
THE SHAKESPEARE SUITE
FRIDAY 4/13 – WEDNESDAY 4/18 – FRIDAY 4/20 – SATURDAY 4/21 EVE
Hamlet: Alexander MacFarlan (4/18, 4/20 Kyle Davis)
Petruchio and Kate: Christopher Sellars, Katherine Lawrence
Richard III and Lady Anne: Ronald Tilton, Emily Adams
Lady MacBeth and MacBeth: Allison DeBona, Rex Tilton
Bottom and Titania: Tyler Gum, Arolyn Williams
Othello and Desdemona: Adrian Fry, Katie Critchlow
Romeo and Juliet: Chase O’Connell, Beckanne Sisk
Chorus:
Paige Adams, Dominic Ballard, Kimberly Ballard, Lindsay Bond,
Trevor Naumann, Oliver Oguma, Elizabeth Weldon, Joshua Whitehead
SATURDAY 4/14 – THURSDAY 4/19 – SATURDAY 4/21 MAT
Hamlet: Rex Tilton (4/19 Alexander MacFarlan)
Petruchio and Kate: Hadriel Diniz, Chelsea Keefer
Richard III and Lady Anne: Trevor Naumann, Katlyn Addison
Lady MacBeth and MacBeth: Gabrielle Salvatto, Christopher Ruud
Bottom and Titania: Joshua Whitehead, Jenna Rae Herrera
Othello and Desdemona: Lucas Horns, Emily Neale
Romeo and Juliet: Jordan Veit, Sayaka Ohtaki
Chorus:
Dominic Ballard, Kyle Davis, Olivia Gusti, Kazlyn Nielsen,
Oliver Oguma, Jordan Richardson, Joshua Shutkind, Kristina Weimer
