Irina Dvorovenko Joins Cast of SHADOWS: A DANCE MUSICAL

This gothic and ghostly love story whispers of forbidden love ... in this world and the next. And leading that "next" world is former principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, Irina Dvorovenko as the mysterious "Woman in Red."

Ms. Dvorovenko began her career with the National Opera Ballet of Kiev in 1990 and joined American Ballet Theatre in 1996, where she thrilled audiences in every major classical role as a principal dancer from 2000-2014. Her career took her straight to Broadway, where she received critical acclaim in Encores' On Your Toes and as fading ballerina Elizaveta Grushinskaya in Grand Hotel. Television appearances include leading cast of the TV series Flesh and Bone (Starz), and guest appearances on Forever (ABC) and The Blacklist (NBC), as well as multiple appearances in Power (Starz) and The Americans (FX).

Shadows follows the secret romance of Claire (Janine DiVita, who appeared on Broadway in Grease, Mystery of Edwin Drood, and Anything Goes plus on National Tour in Finding Neverland, If/Then, Young Frankenstein) and Alex (John Arthur Greene, who will be appearing in Tootsie on Broadway, with previous Broadway credits of School of Rock, West Side Story, Matilda, and on NBC in Peter Pan Live).

There is another romance - on the ethereal plane, uniquely explored through dance, led by Ms. Dvorovenko, featuring Waldemar Quinone-Villanueva (Broadway: West Side Story; former member of Ballet Hispanico); Nickemil Concepcion (Broadway: Cinderella; Off-Broadway in George C Wolfe's On The Town and a former member of Eliot Feld's Ballet Tech and Cedar Lake Dance Company); Naomi Kakuk (Broadway: Encores' Crazy for You; Chess; The Producers); Kyreed Jordon (Indie film: Are You Holding Me, Or Am I Holding Myself?) and Omar Nieves (principle dancer, Virginal Ballet)

Shadows is a mesmerizing new dance musical directed and choreographed by Broadway notable, Joey McKneely, haunting melodies by mini orchestra, Edison Woods; composer, Maxim Moston; and British singer/songwriter, Karen Bishko, enfold around an eerie and erotic story by Randall David Cook, whose been scoring kudos Off-Broadway.

SHADOWS was born between a collaboration of playwright and choreographer, using dance as an equal form of narrative to the book. The dances either tell of past encounters, reveal parallel emotions with the main characters, or foreshadow events. In addition, we have two main female composer/lyricists who give this musical a unique voice by alternating from hauntingly poetic, alternative dance music to emotional, character driven songs. Along with our third composer, the score creates a modern complexity by using music to set the mood of the characters inner selves. Also, we use Kabuki style staging to create the world of the supernatural. It's a six-character musical, 2 actors and 4 dancers, with 2 crew/dancers to be the Kabuki presence.

Stage and film professional, Joey McKneely, is a two-time Tony Nominated Broadway Choreographer (Smokey Joe's Cafe and The Life) and the international Director and Choreographer of West Side Story. Other Broadway credentials include Twelfth Night, The Wild Party, The Boy From OZ and the West Side Story revival. He directed/choreographed the U.S. National Tours of Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie Get Your Gun, Crazy For You and Smokey Joe's Café. Internationally, he directed/choreographed the world premieres of Love U Theresa, Ah, Kuling! and Jiu Gan Tang Mai Wu in China; The Beautiful Game, Thoroughly Modern Millie, West Side Story in Japan; Evita and Dusty in London. On film, McKneely is known for his work on Zoolander, The In Crowd, and Far East.

Tickets: shadowsmusical.brownpapertickets.com

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