ROMEO AND JULIET, THE LITTLE PRINCE and More Set for Festival Ballet Providence in 2016-17

Festival Ballet Providence's (FBP) 2016-2017 Season will feature reimagined adaptations and fresh perspectives including a new production of Romeo & Juliet, which fuses dance and spoken word in a multidisciplinary collaboration.

The season will also feature Cinderella, a traditional adaptation by founding FBP co-director Winthrop Corey; a new adaptation of the charming tale The Little Prince; and a new perspective on resident choreographer Viktor Plotnikov's 2003 ballet Carmen. Just time for Halloween, the spooky Hansel & Gretel returns due to popular demand, and the holiday mainstay The Nutcracker will delight audiences once again, as it has for decades.

The thirty-ninth season runs October 29, 2016 through May 12, 2017; season subscriptions go on sale July 5, 2016; individual tickets for most programs go on sale September 6, 2016.

It's been more than a decade since FBP last performed Shakespeare's iconic tragedy Romeo
& Juliet, and for this new production Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric brings together dance and drama to create a multidisciplinary production. Gamm Theatre artistic director Tony Estrella and emerging choreographer Ilya Kozadayev will collaborate to weave together theatrical scenes from Shakespeare's play with original choreography to bring to life the famous story of star-crossed lovers. Mr. Djuric said, "I'm thrilled to bring together Tony and Ilya, and cannot wait to see how they will draw on their combined talents and experiences to create a fresh and new retelling of this famous story."

The timeless fairy tale Cinderella will glisten as audiences are swept away by the choreography of Winthrop Corey, FBP co-founder and long-time artistic director. "It's an honor to bring back a towering figure in Rhode Island dance to set his magnificent ballet on the company he helped create and led for many years," Mr. Djuric said. Mr. Corey said, "It's always a joy to return to FBP and set my ballets on the company." Since leaving the company in 1987, Mr. Corey, who is currently Artistic Director at Mobile Ballet, has returned to set Dracula in 2000 and Cinderella in 2003. "The quality and the work ethic of the company is always a pleasure to work with," he said, adding "Cinderella will really show off the company and their skills."

The newest installment in FBP's highly acclaimed children's series chatterBOXtheatre is an adaptation of The Little Prince, the charming story by Antoine de Saint-Exupe?ry and one of the best-selling books ever published. Former Boston Ballet dancer Boyko Dossev will create new choreography; Mr. Dossev-who will also join the FBP company as a dancer-has two previous chatterBOX works to his name: Mother Goose Goes to Hollywood and Little Red Riding Hood, in addition to many original works created for Up Close on Hope. The company will also bring back to this series Hansel & Gretel by Ilya Kozadayev, following a completely sold-out run last season.

Up Close on Hope, the company's popular Black Box series will feature two different programs: A mixed bill (Program 1) with repertory yet to be announced, and Program 2 which will feature Viktor Plotnikov's 2003 ballet Carmen. Then an unknown choreographer, Mr. Plotnikov made a name for himself with Carmen, his first full-length ballet. The Providence Journal remarked on this striking new style, "brace yourself-for something refreshingly different. This Carmen is contemporary, and good." Mr. Djuric said, "Viktor came out of the gate with a bold and unique choreographic style that our audience immediately embraced. Transposing it to the Black Box will give everyone a new and profound appreciation for this work."

"I'm delighted that this season allows us to give these treasured favorites new life and new perspective," Djuric said. All told, the 39th Season is comprised of seven programs in 34 performances overall, including four school-day Discover Dance educational performances.

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FESTIVAL BALLET PROVIDENCE 39th Season (2016-2017)

chatterBOXtheatre

Hansel & Gretel

Choreography: Ilya Kozadayev
Music: David Ikard
Venue: FBP Black Box Theatre (825 Hope St., Providence RI 02906)

Oct. 29, 2016 - 4:00pm Oct. 30, 2016 - 1:00pm Oct. 30, 2016 - 3:00pm Oct. 30, 2016 - 5:00pm

Up Close on Hope (Program 1) Venue: FBP Black Box Theatre (825 Hope St., Providence RI 02906)

Nov. 4, 2016 - 8:00pm Nov. 5, 2016 - 7:30pm Nov. 6, 2016 - 6:00pm Nov. 11, 2016 - 8:00pm Nov. 12, 2016 - 7:30pm

Mixed Bill (Repertory TBA)

The Nutcracker

Choreography: Mihailo Djuric
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Venue: PPAC (220 Weybosset St., Providence RI 02903)

Dec. 15 & 16, 2016 - 10:00am (Discover Dance school performances) Dec. 16, 2016 - 7:30pm
Dec. 17, 2016 - 2:00pm
Dec. 17, 2016 - 7:00pm

Dec. 18, 2016 - 1:30pm

Romeo & Juliet (World Premiere)

Choreography: Ilya Kozadayev
Theatrical Direction: Tony Estrella (Gamm Theatre)
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
Venue: The VETS (One Avenue of the Arts, Providence RI 02903)

Feb. 10, 2017 - 10:00am (Discover Dance school performance) Feb. 10, 2017 - 7:30pm
Feb. 11, 2017 - 7:30pm
Feb. 12, 2017 - 2:00pm

Up Close on Hope (Program 2) Carmen

Choreography: Viktor Plotnikov
Music: Georges Bizet
Venue: FBP Black Box Theatre (825 Hope St., Providence RI 02906)

Mar. 24, 2017 - 8:00pm Mar. 25, 2017 - 7:30pm Mar. 26, 2017 - 6:00pm Mar. 31, 2017 - 8:00pm Apr. 1, 2017 - 7:30pm

chatterBOXtheatre

The Little Prince (World Premiere)

Choreography: Boyko Dossev
Music: TBA
Venue: FBP Black Box Theatre (825 Hope St., Providence RI 02906)

Mar. 26, 2017 - 1:00pm Apr. 2, 2017 - 1:00pm Apr. 2, 2017 - 4:00pm Apr. 8, 2017 - 4:00pm

Apr. 9, 2017 - 1:00pm Apr. 9, 2017 - 4:00pm

Cinderella

Choreography: Winthrop Corey
Music: Sergei Prokofiev
The VETS (One Avenue of the Arts, Providence RI 02903)

May 12, 2017 - 10:00am (Discover Dance school performance) May 12, 2017 - 7:30pm
May 13, 2017 - 7:30pm
May 14, 2017 - 2:00pm (Mother's Day)

Pictured: Heather O'Halloran in Viktor Plotnikov's Carmen. Photo by Thomas Nola-Rion.

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