University of Minnesota Morris, Edson Auditorium to Present COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SHOW BY BALLETS WITH A TWIST

From coast-to-coast, Ballets with a Twist is presenting its signature production, Cocktail Hour: The Show. Watch as mocktail “Shirley Temple,” “Manhattan,” “Martini,” and more spring off the menu and onto the stage in a series of vignettes. Suitable for audiences of all ages, the show transports theatergoers through time and around the world with original choreography, music, and costume design.

Ballets with a Twist will make its Minnesota debut as part of the University of Minnesota Morris's 2024-25 Performing Arts Series. This event is hosted by UMN Morris Chancellor Janet Schrunk Ericksen and thanks to a generous donation by an anonymous donor, the performance is free and open to the public. Chancellor Ericksen will also host a reception prior to the performance in Oyate Hall. No tickets are needed for this performance, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To request disability accommodations, please contact Disability Services at 320-589-6178 at your earliest convenience but no later than 48 hours prior to each event.

The Show

Created by artistic director and choreographer Marilyn Klaus, Cocktail Hour: The Show melds the glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age with a sleek, state-of-the-art sensibility. Elegance, electricity, and all-American energy combine in a series of delightful dancing drinks. It's high-style entertainment for the whole family!

 Program highlights include

• “Champagne” — A glittering ballroom bubbles to life in this silver-screen dream.
• “Manhattan” — After a big-city evening, a socialite steps out with her dearest companion. As they stroll past each lamppost on Park Avenue, a jazz trumpet echoes the mood of the changing skyline.
• “Scotch on the Rachmaninoff” — In this symphonic duel, slapstick is the weapon of choice.

The Company

Marilyn Klaus, whose choreography has been seen internationally, formed Ballets with a Twist in association with Grammy-nominated composer Stephen Gaboury and Costume Designer Catherine Zehr. Her company has appeared in a wide range of venues throughout the country, from Cleveland's Playhouse Square and New York City's Beacon Theatre to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Tribeca Film Festival. — "This troupe blends vaudeville flash and flair with tutus and pointe shoes." (The New York Times) 

Stephen Gaboury's compositions have been performed by celebrated musicians nationwide. As a pianist, he has collaborated and toured the world with pop/rock icon Cyndi Lauper for more than a decade, most recently joining her alongside the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at its historic home venue. He has also accompanied such artists as Patti LaBelle, Norah Jones, and Sarah McLachlan, and has performed at internationally televised events such as the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony and the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball Drop. Gaboury's music has been heard in concert, on television, and in films (including Boyhood and American Beauty). 

Catherine Zehr is the artistic force behind the company's costume design. Her creations evoke the origins and essence of each dance with brilliant colors and ornamentation. Zehr honed her skills while working at major American fashion houses, then by designing and manufacturing attire for her own label. She studied art and design at Washington University and New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology, where she and the company delivered the presentation “Designing Costumes for Ballets with a Twist” as part of The Museum at FIT's Fashion Culture series.

Craving more Twist culture? Visit balletswithatwist.com.

The Venue

Edson Auditorium in the Edward J. and Helen Jane Morrison Performing Arts Center is more than just a performance space: it represents the totality of the University of Minnesota Morris's mission to enable broad participation in meaningful exchanges and provide a venue for high-quality arts events. Edson Auditorium is essential to UMM's role as a regional center for education, culture, and research.

For more information, visit https://give.morris.umn.edu/edson-auditorium.

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