Milwaukee Ballet promises fairies and fun in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Milwaukee Ballet promises fairies and fun in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Ballet.
MILWAUKEE – May 15, 2019 – Milwaukee Ballet closes its 2018-19 season with Bruce Wells’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set to Felix Mendelssohn’s famous score. This dance adaptation of Shakespeare’s popular tale of magic and mischief runs May 30-June 2 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
“Bruce Wells created a version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream that is as beautiful as it is humorous, and the design elements are outstanding. This production truly has something for everyone: comedy, romance and beautiful music,” said Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink. “Fans of ballet, classical music and Shakespeare will equally enjoy this season finale.”
Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra returns, joined by artists from Florentine Opera Company and Milwaukee Children’s Choir, to perform Mendelssohn’s iconic score under the baton of Music Director Andrews Sill.
Nearly 50 students from Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy join the international dancers of the Company and Milwaukee Ballet II.
Emmy Award-winning lighting designer David Grill returns to illuminate the elaborate enchanted forest set.
The story follows the mischievous Puck, who stirs up trouble for fairies and mortals alike with a magic love potion.
Choreographer Bruce Wells premiered this adaptation in 1986 at Boston Ballet. It has since appeared in several cities in the United States and Canada. This is the second time Milwaukee Ballet will present this production following its Wisconsin premiere in 2008.
As a soloist with New York City Ballet, Bruce Wells worked directly with legendary artists including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Frederick Ashton and Anthony Tudor. He moved onto Boston Ballet where he served as a principal dancer, resident choreographer and company teacher with Violette Verdy and Rudolf Nureyev, and associate artistic director under Bruce Marks. Wells has also served as resident choreographer at Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.
This two-act ballet has a running time of one hour and 53 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.
As a part of its Community Engagement programming, Milwaukee Ballet will present a matinee for 1300 students May 31.
This is the last production company will rehearse in its Jodi Peck Center before moving its administrative offices and rehearsal studios to the new Baumgartner Center for Dance in September 2019 in celebration of its 50th anniversary season.
Next Door Book Drive Partnership
Milwaukee Ballet will host a book drive benefitting Next Door during the run of A Midsummer Summer Night’s Dream. Next Door is a nearly 50-year-old nonprofit organization in Milwaukee providing high quality early childhood education programs for central city families. One of its programs is Books for Kids, which distributes close to 6,000 donated books per month for free to its own students and children.
Patrons are encouraged to bring new or gently-used children’s board and picture books to the show. Next Door especially welcomes multi-lingual and multi-racial books. Books for children 0 to 5 are preferred but books for older children will also be accepted.
Next Door’s Book Bins will be in the Atrium level at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Anyone who would like to donate, but does not have tickets to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, can make their donation in the Book Bin just inside the Marcus Center Stage Door.
Ticket Information
A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs May 30-June 2 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N Water Street in Milwaukee, Wis.
Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased online at milwaukeeballet.org or through Milwaukee Ballet’s box office at 414-902-2103. Walk-up sales are also available at the Marcus Performing Arts Center.
The performance schedule is as follows:
- Thursday, May 30, 7:30pm
- Friday, May 31, 7:30pm (Student Matinee)
- Friday, May 31, 7:30pm
- Saturday, June 1, 2:00pm
- Saturday, June 1, 7:30pm
- Sunday, June 2, 2:00pm
Principal Casting
Evening Performances
Titania: Annia Hidalgo
Oberon: Randy Crespo
Puck: Barry Molina
Hermia: Marize Fumero
Lysander: Davit Hovhannisyan
Helena: Alana Griffith
Demetrius: Patrick Howell
Bottom: Timothy O’Donnell
Matinee Performances
Titania: Lahna Vanderbush
Oberon: Parker Brasser-Vos
Puck: Barry Molina
Hermia: Marie Harrison-Collins
Lysander: Ransom Wilkes-Davis
Helena: Itzel Hernandez
Demetrius: Isaac Sharratt
Bottom: Patrick Howell
FREE Pre-Show Presentations
Milwaukee Ballet invites ticket buyers to arrive early and learn more about the production in the Marcus Performing Arts Center Atrium. The topics for A Midsummer Night’s Dream are as follows:
- Thursday, May 30, 6:30pm
Choreographer Bruce Wells shares insight into his ballet in a discussion with WUWM’s Bonnie North.
- Friday, May 31, 6:30pm
To be announced.
- Saturday, June 1, 1:00pm
Children 12 and under are invited to a mini-ballet class with Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy’s Victoria Stevenson.
- Saturday, June 1, 6:30pm
Learn more about Felix Mendelssohn’s score from Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s Meaghan Heinrich.
- Sunday, June 2, 1:00pm
Children 12 and under are invited to a mini-ballet class with Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy’s Victoria Stevenson.
Credits
Choreography: Bruce Wells
Music: Felix Mendelssohn
Scenic Design: Lewis Folden
Costume Design: Edward Baker
Lighting Design: David Grill
Conductor: Andrews Sill
The 2018-19 Season
A Midsummer Night’s Dream concludes Milwaukee Ballet’s 2018-19 season, which included Michael Pink’s Dracula (Oct. 25-28), The Nutcracker, Genesis 2019 (Feb. 14-17, 2019) and Lambarena (April 4-7, 2019) The 2018-19 season is presented by Donna and Donald Baumgartner with support from United Performing Arts Fund.
About Milwaukee Ballet
Milwaukee Ballet was founded in 1970. Led by Artistic Director Michael Pink, Milwaukee Ballet transforms lives and connects communities through inspiring performance, community engagement, education and training. Milwaukee Ballet hosts an international company of dancers and is one of the few companies in the nation to maintain its own orchestra. Milwaukee Ballet School & Academy is the only professional dance school in the Midwest accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. Milwaukee Ballet’s award-winning Community Engagement department servers nearly 40,000 people in Southeastern Wisconsin each year through original, interactive programs. Milwaukee Ballet celebrates its 50th Anniversary next year in the 2019-20 season.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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