On Stage: Bringing “Paris” Home

Paris is (or should be) on everyone’s bucket list, whether it is the City of Light itself or the original movie starring Gene Kelly. Now An American in Paris can come calling to a city nearby. That is, in this case, Pittsburgh, where the Civic Light Opera was instrumental in bringing the Tony Award-winning production to life and is presenting it on its first national tour.

Original Cast members Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild. Photo: Angela Sterling

So Paris recently made its way to the Benedum Center where it became one of the few productions to truly fill this 2,800-seat house, maybe even better than on Broadway. The star, of course, is the sweeping score, with so many George Gershwin favorites setting a blend of engagement and sophistication that inspires the rest of the production.

If you are looking for a remake of the Kelly movie, don’t bother. For director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon et. al. have used the story of an American soldier with a talent for art and filled it with so much more.

Instead of Kelly’s Jerry waking up to the sounds of Paris, the audience finds a piano center stage, signaling the importance of the music. The musical Paris virtually billows from there, beginning with the Arc de Triomphe hovering in the background and a huge French flag that covers the stage.

The spectacle continues with the art, so Parisian. It virtually draws the various buildings with charcoal lines as Jerry might have, along with such references as Monet’s light on the Seine and abstract modern art on display. There is a huge production number, ala the Art Deco design of Radio City Music Hall, and the climactic ballet sequence has a touch of Mondrian, with primary colors in geometric shapes.

There is much to bedazzle the viewer. Wheeldon’s vision is epic, where everything seems to be choreographed, even Bob Crowley’s Tony Award-winning set pieces that create a gliding jigsaw puzzle across the stage and drift down and up like clouds. When it’s all over, the audience has been on its own effortless Parisian tour.

And if the set dances on its own, the talented performers, culled from major companies in New York, Chicago, Miami and such, take the ballet style and give it an elegance and purity of line that has never been seen in a Broadway musical up until now, an achievement in itself. (And, by the way, they can sing and act up a storm as well.)

If there is a glitch, it’s that Craig Lucas’ book, taut as it is, builds up the secondary characters. It’s  a great idea on paper, but something that diminishes the relationship between Lise (the vocally superb Sara Esty) and Jerry (National Ballet of Canada principal McGee Maddox). Composer Adam, Etai Benson with a superb dry wit, gets the theatrical emphasis at the start. And Henri, a booming Nick Spangler, gets the benefit of the Radio City Music Hall mega-production.

A word to the wise: with so much to absorb and the huge vision of it all, this delicious Parisian truffle probably would be best to see seated at a distance, the better to savor it. And just like you need time to appreciate Paris itself, maybe it would be good to return for an encore, because this production builds its own stairway to paradise.

Original cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy

 

On Stage: The Tale of Two Streetcars

Eve Mutso as Blanche. Photo: Andy Ross

With its unbridled passions and slow descent into madness, all set against the gradual decay of the Deep South, Tennesse Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire could be adapted into The Great American Ballet. As it turned out, two European companies, Hamburg Ballet and Scottish Ballet, have led the way, although, as it turns out, a pair ex-pat Americans, Hamburg’s artistic director John Neumeier and Scottish director Nancy Meckler, had a profound impact on their respective productions.

Of all the cities in world, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the only one to have seen them both.

The productions came at varying points in their careers, however, with Neumeier in one of his first full-length ballets (1983) and Meckler commissioned by the Scottish Ballet towards the end of a long and distinguished theatrical career (2012).

Erik Cavallari (Stanley) and Sophie Laplane (Stella). Photo: Andrew Ross

Not surprisingly, Neumeier created a sumptuous, more traditional ballet dripping with projections, an extended stage and atmospheric lighting that worked in the expanse of the 2800-seat Benedum Center.  Meckler went for an edgy contemporary look, packing the stage with crates that became a part of the choreography as the dancers constructed the various scenes in the ballet and acted as a Greek chorus. A bare bulb served as a centerpiece, the symbol of Blanche Dubois’ fading hopes and dreams.

The musical scores couldn’t have been further apart. Neumeier tapped Visions Fugitives by Sergei Prokofiev and, for the second act, the jarringly acute Alfred Schnittke, which carried the drama to excruciating heights for some. But Meckler chose both original music and a musical cyclorama of the age, familiar in a way, which perhaps made the Scottish Ballet production more dynamic and accessible. That production was placed on the smaller Byham Theater stage, which could have added to the intensity by compressing it, throwing the emotional intimacy into the audience with unabashed accuracy.

In the end, however, these were told from a masculine and feminine angle, giving them a different weight and perspective. Neumeier’s Blanche was, as I noted, a “wounded butterfly” from the start, with Stanley the manimal as expected. Meckler’s Blanche was drinking in the foreign world around her, but still retaining a certain dignity as she withdrew. Her Stella developed from a young sister to a woman comfortable in her own sensuality. With choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa on the Scottish artistic team, the women had more substance and complexity in their stage presence, particularly in the duets where their roles were heightened.

Blanche’s (Eve Mutso) world is falling apart. Photo: Andy Ross

Both productions had their moments of ecstasy. Neumeier was to be lauded for his coordination of choreography, costumes and scenery as a young artist. However, it was the Scottish Ballet that truly captured the epic relationship between Blanche, Stella and Stanley, for a ballet that gave Tennessee Williams’ classic a new relevance more than 60 years after its debut.

It also made a strong case to incorporate more women in ballet.

 

 

 

 

Dance Beat: Remembering Mary and Ron

Point Park University’s dance department was dealt a double blow with the recent deaths of Marion Petrov and Ron Tassone.

Mary, the wife of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre founder Nicolas Petrov, was remembered by Mackenzie Carpenter in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I remember Mary performing as a soloist in the early days of PBT, particularly her Russian dance in Swan Lake, so full of a heartfelt nuance. I also took classes with her at Point Park after her retirement. They were challenging, built on a Russian technique, but so musical that 90 minutes seem to fly by. Most of all, though, I remembered her flashing dark eyes and quick wit. To be missed…

Jazz teacher Ron Tassone began the dance program at Point Park following a rich performing career that included seven Broadway shows, plus films and television. After he joined the staff at Point Park in 1974, he choreographed for the Civic Light Opera and numerous regional groups. Read about it in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Prolific and with a purported photographic memory, he seemed to be everywhere. On stage his students and performers captured his signature Broadway brio that fostered many professional dancers.

Always kind and generous, Ron most recently became a father figure to students and colleagues, a jazz treasure to everyone around him. To be missed…

Dance Beat: Kyle, Attack, Tammies, PearlArts

Another Kyle Success. It’s becoming more and more apparent that Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is passing up on a golden opportunity to hire Pittsburgh native Kyle Abraham for a commissioned work. The MacArthur “Genius” Award-winner has turned many knowledgable heads with work on his company, Abraham.In.Motion. and recently produced a duet for New York City Ballet principal and international star Wendy Whelan, which is still touring. Now he garnered a rave review in the Chicago Tribune for a premiere he created for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Hopefully it isn’t too late for PBT artistic director Terrence Orr to jump on the Kyle bandwagon…

New Attack. Attack Theatre founders Michele de la Reza and Peter Kope did an entertaining tag team announcement of AT’s upcoming season in their home studio at the Pittsburgh Opera recently. Click on AT for more info. Also on tap — there will be two new dancers for the opening series, Are You Still There? (opening Oct. 3). Both are Juilliard School alumnae (as is de la Reza) — James Jude Johnson, who gave us a sample of his fluid movement at the announcement even, and Brittanie Brown, who hadn’t arrived yet, but has also danced with Kyle Abraham.

Tammies Go Solo. The Duquesne University Tamburitzans, long a staple under the wing of Duquesne University will become an independent, nonprofit organization over the next two to three years. That will enable them to audition students from other universities, as well as Duquesne, which will make up for the 40 percent drop in applicants over the years. DU will still provide scholarships for the Duquesne students and will donate $2 million in buildings, land, costumes, instruments, vehicles and equipment. The school will also provide transitional support while the group establishes itself and hires an executive director with a volunteer board. In the meantime, the Tamburitzans Executive Council will provide additional support.

A Day to Celebrate. The Pittsburgh City Council is declaring September 23 Mary Miller Dance Company Day for 30 years of excellence in dance performance and education. Congratulations!

 

Nurturing at PearlArts. With their welcoming studio on North Braddock, Staycee and Herman Pearl have become an indelible part of the community. Recently they sponsored a night for young urban artists, many from the Alumni Theater Company. Led by Len Starr and Cherish Morgan, this was a night of dance, song and just hangin’ out.

Dance Beat: BRAZZIES, Carmen, Abby Lee, SYTYCD

Leslie Anderson-Braswell, Alan Obuzor and Julia Erickson (L to R).

JULIA AND ALAN. Greer Reed of REED DANCE awarded the second annual BRAZZY Awards to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre principal Julia Erickson and Texture Contemporary Ballet founder Alan Obuzor during her REED DANCE summer intensive this past weekend at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater. It turned out that there was a strong PBT connection here. The award is named for Leslie Anderson-Braswell, who began at PBT, trained at Stuttgart Ballet and performed with Geneva Ballet and Dance Theater of Harlem before returning to Pittsburgh following a career-ending injury. Here she taught and was recognized by President Ronald Reagan with an Outstanding Teacher Award at the White House among other awards. As for the recipients, Julia had a stellar performing year, showing great range, not only in Swan Lake, but in the Twyla Tharp program, where she glamorized Sinatra Songs (in a designer dress and heels) and then turned around and became a Stomper (in tennis shoes) for In the Upper Room. Alan already occupies a singular place in Pittsburgh dance, having started at PBT and, after an injury, founding Texture. There he wears many hats, operating as artistic director, choreographer and dancer. This season the Dance Magazine award winner (25 To Watch) is now branching out, as was seen in the softly sculpted jazz inflections of Looking Back and Moving Forward, a terrific collaboration at the Dance Alloy with songstress Angwenique Wingfield.

CARMEN. Most people don’t yet know that the Kelly Strayhorn Theater is bringing a piece of living dance history — Carmen de Lavallade — for three evenings! See a documentary film, Carmen and Geoffrey (Holder, her husband) and talk with Carmen Sept. 10 at Dance Alloy, then take in her solo evening Sept. 12 and 13 at the Kelly Strayhorn. An uncommonly rich woman who was one of the first African American ballerinas,  encouraged Alvin Ailey to dance, artist in so many facets of life and former professor at Yale University. A once in a lifetime experience!

BIG. Abby Lee Miller is gradually assembling a juggernaut business as an offshoot of Dance Moms. She sent a photo of a class in Australia — 900 students!

 

SYTYCD NEWS. I was waiting to see how far So You Think You Can Dance would go in translating two to three minute routines into something longer and more developed choreographically. It has already had an impact on concert dance, both amateur and professional. But I think jaws dropped over the announcement a couple of weeks ago that choreographer Sonya Tayeh would be working with the Martha Graham Company. A late starter to dance, Sonya doesn’t have an extensive Graham history, but has been assembling a resume including Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch (2009), an Emmy nomination (2013) and choreography for Madonna, Florence and the Machine, Kyle Minogue and Miley Cyrus. Judge Nigel Lithgow also revealed that Emmy-nominated Travis Wall wants to choreograph for the New York City Ballet. We shall see…

 

On Stage: More Texture

Kelsey Bartman and Alan Obuzor Photo: Katie Ging

Dance is art for the young, able to seemingly and fearlessly leap tall buildings at a single bound. But it is most satisfying when those developing dancers start making mature artistic choices, as Texture Contemporary Ballet began doing at its latest effort, Life, Love, & Jazz, at the New Hazlett Theater.

In previous programs, both choreographers and dancers only relished movement in the moment, so big and bold that it all began to blend together and the viewer’s eyes glazed over. LLJ was still full of passion this time around, but more internalized, so that there was space to breathe. The “textures” of the dance were now noticeable and memorable, such that the audience could differentiate between the various choreographies.

Bravo! This is now a company not only to watch, but to savor.

Kelsey Bartman, who always wears her passion on her sleeve (or leotard) contributed Fun. (as she always seems to do). That might have been her only inspiration, but she also demonstrated a heightened awareness of group movement, densely social and weighted as the dancers mixed and matched. Fun. meant the tongue-in-cheek kind, a sense of happy.

But Bartman drew inward for “Stars,” where “I have faded in the dark.” It was more introspective, a curling welcome that revealed more about her as a dancer and capitalized on her use of emotion.

The program continued with three smaller works. Bartman and Obuzor created Hollowed, where they conveyed a new level of intimacy, literally scooping out each other along the way. Amanda Summers seemed to be spinning out of control in “Spinning Plates,” taking advantage of her neat, quick footwork. Gabriel Gaffney Smith said it all in his title, Detachment. Without Reason. The first segment featured a large morphing group, pulsating into the earth, where two couples “detached” themselves from the crowd. By reducing the group to a trio, the second part, in a way, “tested” how much a couple knew about each other with a touch of humor — to no avail. In the third section, so poignant, Darren McArthur tried to bring Henry Steele and Alexandra Tiso together, again to no avail. Smith’s choreography seemed to come at the title from many oblique angles, ripe with emotional details that gave it a full-bodied, pungent sense of humanity.

Alan Obuzor took the program title, Life, Love, & Jazz, and did what he does best, explored the music, this time Marty Ashby’s comfort-driven original score for the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild quartet. This was a glam jazz ballet, playing (or not playing) with black hats and Bob Steineck’s nifty geometric lighting design, which laid out alleyways and squares for a landscape.

Obuzor set the mood with a solo that was as light as a feather, toying with the rhythmic pulse (as he does so well) set by Ashby. Tiso then made a night of it in her playful number with five guys. But there was an even better connection (this company tends to the audience rather than engaging with each other) between the leggy Katie Miller and Obuzor in a duet where she was so relaxed, due to his expert partnering skills, and where they created a mesmerizing aura.

Even though this is the annual program that brings in so many dancers, encouraging the choreographers to expand their vision, it was so good to see the small things that added a malleable “texture” to Texture.

On Stage: PBTS Sneak Previews

Photos: Rich Sofranko

Last year Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School started a ballet immersion in its annual recital. There the advanced students performed highlights from Swan Lake, one of the major upcoming productions of the season. This year it was La Bayadere, only the staff chose it as a theme for the whole school.

Set in the exotic Middle East, the Bayadere dances gave the students a chance to peruse a different culture, with more sinuous arms. Not only was it entertaining and certainly something different, they looked as if they enjoyed it and, better yet, understood it.

Marisa Grywalski and Andrew Kaczmarek

More importantly it gave the advanced students a head start on this iconic Russian ballet, so that when the company performs it next season, they will better complete the effect of a large ballet, especially the signature scene where the corps descends to the stage in a series of penche arabesques, so deceptively difficult.

Maine Kawashima and Masahiro Haneji

The first half truly belonged to the school, with two pieces (Gust and Dovetail) created by PBTS graduate student Caroline MacDonald and choreographer and high school student and composer Jack Hawn. Not only were they lovely, they showed substantive thought. Jack provided a piano accompaniment for both works (When does he find the time?) They set up different tempi and textures for Caroline’s choreography. Then she showed a knack for developing an interesting vocabulary and provided a lovely complement to the music, a choreographer who certainly bears watching.

On Stage: Kiesha Has Her Eyes On Dance

The good news is that Kiesha Lalama’s The Bench is moving forward. We first saw the production in 2009 as part of Point Park University’s dance series. it was a family affair from the start, with cousin and composer David Lalama and tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama a part of the holiday package.

It told the story of a young man and woman who met, fell in love and married. What followed was the everyman story of an everyday family, where relationships cause both difficulty and great joy. It was something that virtually everyone in the audience could relate to in a different way as they reflected on their own lives, like “a family album come to life.”

So people warmly responded to scenes like the “crazy aunt” at the table scene and the wedding, where the daughter walked down the aisle with her dad.

But there is more good news. It evidently has legs, strong and sure, and has been renamed The Bench: A Journey Into Love. Subtitled “A New Musical Dance Spectacular.” The evening-long work falls into a family-friendly version of productions like “Movin’ Out” and “Contact,” where dance formed the thread.

There was much interest at the outset from Titus Theatricals LLC founder and CEO, Eric McCree to take it to Broadway. With his input, though, that meant that Kiesha had to reconstruct certain elements of the story.l

Now two narrators, both singers, will express the secret thoughts of the main characters in song. Scotland’s Joel Mason, lyricist, joined the team to add another dimension to David’s score.

They were going to do a staged reading, but they bypassed it in favor of a full-blown workshop, according to Kiesha. This has enabled her and David to stay “true to the values” of their work. They added about 20 minutes and got deeper into the characters. While the mother’s stage-dominating dress will remain, the dinner table, a pivotal scene in the original production, will be lengthened and will rotate on a platform to increase its visual impact.

This past week Kiesha and her team, including Point Park staffer Jason McDole and James Washington, who played the son in the original cast, traveled to Boise, Idaho. “Idaho,” you say? Sometimes called the Potato State, it also grows dance companies in the state’s largest city — the critically-acclaimed Trey MacIntyre Project and Ballet Idaho, which made a brief appearance on the reality ballet series “Breaking Pointe” when one of the dancers got dumped from Ballet West and picked up a job there.

So some of those local dancers populated the production and Broadway veteran Tituss Burgess (Jersey Boys, The Little Mermaid, Guys and Dolls) and Angela Birchett (Hairspray, national tour) joined the 15-member cast.

Kiesha met Tituss a while ago and he never left her thoughts. “You know, you meet someone along they way and you don’t know the impact they will have on your life,” explains Kiesha.

But there is more good news. A Pittsburgh group, including traveled there and several Broadway backers, who shall remain nameless for now, as well.

“In some ways, it’s been bigger than I anticipated,” says Kiesha, who is looking to go straight to New York’s Musical Theatre Festival next year.

It’s a difficult process, most likely filled with the kind of obstacles that Dorothy faced in Oz. But Kiesha appears to be determined, noting that  “I am secure with kind of artist that I am.”

 

On Stage: A More Substantive Texture

Movin’ and groovin’ in only its second year, Texture Contemporary Ballet has tightened its execution while extending its choreographic vision. The company’s latest effort was titled There’s Something About Fontina, a wry reference to the dancers’ obsession with eating cheese and a perceived connection with increased creativity. To be sure, though, this group was hungry to move and that made it all the more exciting.

But there was a fine commitment to the details, giving it a sleeker, more professional look. Plus, founder and artistic director Alan Obuzor and associate artistic director Kelsey Bartman rewarded the others with an assortment of juicy solos.

I loved Bartman’s choice of two Philip Glass’ “knee plays” or interludes from Einstein on the Beach, an iconic Robert Wilson production from the ’70’s. She called it Well…On the Other Knee — this group embraces its humor — and packed it with an eccentric array of hyper-active dance, with knife-like arms echoing traditional pointe steps. Her use of canon was quite effective, though, and there were moments, such as a sequence of bourrees that morphed into running in circle. It capsulized the disintegration of ballet and that had a fresh perspective.

Obuzor produced one of his endlessly beautiful ribbons of dance, although under a convoluted title, Can Reality Acutely Create Knowledge?. That didn’t diminish the harmonious nature of the movement, slipping in and out like tidal patterns on the shore. Yes, slipping. The choreographer clad his dancers in socks and took advantage of the unpredictable nature it leant to the dance. A few skids, teetering on the edge of danger, a sense of freedom — all those gave Obuzor’s usually smooth tactics an offbeat look.

A series of short pieces completed the program, most of them generated by choreographic teams. Christopher Bandy and Aaron Ingley performed Near, a terrific buddy duet with a sweet, almost childlike simplicity, although Regina Spektor’s quizzical lyrics to Two Birds meddled a bit with the overall effect.

Jamie Erin Murphy and Renee Danielle Smith produced Accidentally on purpose, you might say. It could have been a variation on a blind date or love being blind or finding the right person in order to truly see — that wasn’t clear. But the choreography itself had wonderful connections on its own.

While company member Alexandra Tiso provided a pleasant solo for Shannon Biery, Crest, Bartman and Obuzor took Jamie Cullum’s spare version of Not While I’m Around and gave it an slender air of intimacy. In Ice Ice, Gabriel Gaffney Smith provided a Vanilla Ice-type accompaniment for a piece that played with the uneven look of one pointe shoe and one boot (including Obuzor — what can’t he do?), which actually share the concept of work footwear. Even better, Bartman and Obuzor could have explored the lopsided qualities further.

Speaking of choreographic levels, a kitchen table provided the arena — above, below and around —  for Ode to Divorce, performed by Bartman and Obuzor, who shared credit with Joseph Ian Steinauer. This is a prop that has been used quite a bit by Attack Theater over the years, but this duo had a sinuous intrigue and charismatic connection all their own.

So there was quite a range of dance on this entertaining program. But then, that begged the question of where will they go? What path will they choose?

Certainly Texture has the potential to become an experimental alternative to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in a similar vein with San Francisco Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Among Texture’s dance elements was an exoticism filtered through the off-center hip action that can be found in LINES, particularly in Obuzor’s choreography.

Or they could head into a European flavor, although this is an outside chance. A number of choreographers, perhaps the off-center deconstruction of a young William Forsythe.

Perhaps they will breed an American brand of hip hop and ballet. Certainly choreographer Dwight Rhodes, one of Obuzor’s favorites, has toyed with that in his choreography and now it’s a hot trend.

New York City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan is experimenting with some up-and-coming choreographers, set to debut at Jacob’s Pillow this summer. In the meantime, there will be a preview at the Guggenheim that will be streamed live on Sun. Apr. 14. And the New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay was enamored with Lil Buck, who performs a Memphis jookin that borders on balletic.

All those elements were hinted at in the program in varying amounts. It will be fascinating to see them jell into a distinctively Texture-d voice.

Dance Beat: KST, PBT, CPAC

KST FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Kelly Strayhorn Theater executive director janera solomon is taking Center Stage, not literally, but a cultural diplomacy program organized by the U.S. Department of State. janera and three other arts leaders from the United States and Pakistan are on a 10-day trip to Morocco, where they will select between six and eight ensembles from three countries to tour the United States from June to December, 2014. solomon reports, “It’s exciting to be here. We are meeting with artists and independent producers. I’ve learned that as producers, we face many of the same challenges such as funding and audience development and we share a passion for connecting people with great artists. The possibility of bringing Moroccan artists to Pittsburgh or sending our local talent there is exciting.”

PIROUETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre celebrated National Women’s History Month at Carnegie Library in Oakland with a trio of PBT “stars” — principal Alexandra Kochis, ballet master Marianna Tcherkassky and marketing director Aimee Waltz. They explored the role of the ballerina over the years and connected gender and relationships as they were depicted in the Victorian-inspired Jardin Aux Lilas (Lilac Garden) ballet by Antony Tudor.

GRAND RESULTS. PBT student Sophie Silnicki has achieved high honors at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) semifinals in Indianapolis, enough to earn her a place at the finals at the Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City Apr. 12-17. Her winning combination consists of Gone, a contemporary solo by Adrienne Canterna (1st place) and the classical variation from Raymonda Act II (3rd place), Congratulations, Sophie!

Gabrielle Prevade

SNOW WHITE. Monica Ryan’s latest childrens’ ballet will use 60 children from surrounding communities this weekend for the Carnegie Performing Arts Center. They will play Russian Dolls, Carnival Dancers and Jewels in the production at Andrew Carnegie Music Hall in Carnegie. For more information, call 412-279-8887 or visit www.carnegieperformingartscenter.com.