BWW Reviews: ARB's ROMEO AND JULIET is Majestic at The State Theatre

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) performed a spectacular production of Romeo and Juliet at the State Theatre in New Brunswick on Friday night to a full house. Dance enthusiasts of all ages attended the show. Choreographed by their Artistic Director Douglas Martin, the evening showcased the talents of New Jersey's preeminent ballet company and provided the audience with the thrill of seeing this exquisite show elaborately staged. With costume design by Michele Ferranti, the show was breathtaking from the very first moment.

The Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kynan Johns, performed Sergei Prokofiev's beautiful score flawlessly and proved to be a splendid collaboration with the ARB.

Based on the play by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet is the story of strong family bonds, romance, bitter differences, and tragic, untimely deaths; ARB's portrayal of the beauty and the drama of this classic was impeccable. Martin's intricate choreographies gave full life to the story and his company performed their roles seamlessly to relate the plot with complete clarity. Martin himself participated in the cast as Lord Capulet.

Mattia Pallozzi starred as the robust and romantic Romeo and Karen Leslie Moscato as the very delicate Juliet; they were the ideal pairing of the couple whose joys and trials captured the imagination of the audience. Juliet's Balcony scene with Romeo is the pas de deux that will long be remembered by the State Theatre audience.

Portrayals of the House of Montague, the House of Capulet and the Ball were stunning with the dancers in full control of their artistry. This talented company is a gem in New Jersey and the ARB is poised to continue this season with performances to delight metropolitan area audiences.

The American Repertory Ballet has performances in October including their American Artist Showcase at The Hamilton Stage in Rahway and Premieres at Raritan Valley Community College. The Nutcracker Suite will have multiple performances in locations throughout New Jersey. For information and ticketing, visit their web site, www.americanrepertoryballet.org.

Photo Credit: George Jones

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