Graham Lustig and the American Repertory Ballet re-create ‘Beauty and the Beast’ in 19th century New Jersey.
By: Jim Boyle
TIMEOFF/FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI
|
From left, Kristin Scott rehearses as the Enchantress, Samuel Pott as the Beast and Peggy Petteway as Beauty for ARB’s upcoming Beauty and the Beast.
|
In the rehearsal room of American Repertory Ballet’s New Brunswick headquarters, Samuel Pott has latched his teeth onto the skirt of Peggy Petteway. Such a scene might normally be met with alarm, but instead of pulling Mr. Pott away and calling the cops, Artistic Director Graham Lustig calmly tells him to move his mouth closer to the hem.
As you may have guessed, nothing salacious is occurring. Rather, the troupe is working out the kinks in its latest show, Beauty and the Beast, in time for its March 13 premiere at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton. The family-friendly program, which also features a performance of Mr. Lustig’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will also be staged at the State Theatre in New Brunswick April 13.
It is the new piece, however, that he is focused on this cold Thursday morning. With Ballet Master Bat Abbit by his side making notes, Mr. Lustig takes the cast through the entire piece, especially helping Ms. Petteway and Mr. Pott with the more difficult lifts. As Beauty and the Beast, the weight of the show rests on their shoulders. It’s a burden that Mr. Lustig knows they can handle.
"Peggy has been with ARB for about six years," he says. "I knew straight away she would play the principal role. And Samuel is six-feet-four-inches tall, so he already had such a big presence, which you need for the Beast."
The story originates from the mid-1700s, attributed to Madame Le Prince de Beaumont, and by now most are familiar with it. After a vain prince is disfigured by a witch, he locks himself away in a castle deep in the forest. He soon captures a man traveling through the woods and forces him to give up one of his three daughters in order to live. One of his children agrees to live in the castle, where she is initially terrified and homesick. As the days pass, fear becomes friendship and then love, breaking the spell and returning the beast to his handsome self.
When Mr. Lustig began working on the show more than a year ago, he wanted to update and incorporate familiar New Jersey qualities and traditions. During a five-minute break, he produces a scrapbook with samples of paintings showing the style of dress in New Jersey during the 1800s, when the new show is set. He took the images to Michelle Ferrante, a Princeton, costume designer, and had her re-create the outfits. He also had a local make-up artist, John Dods, design the prosthetic mask for Mr. Pott. As for the story itself, the French village is now a New Jersey factory town, the father is now traveling to Philadelphia when he meets the beast, whose castle is hidden deep in the Pine Barrens.
"There’s something very mysterious about the Pine Barrens," says Mr. Lustig. "It has a lot of mythology around it, with the Jersey Devil and such. I’ve never seen the Disney version of the show, but the story always seemed to have a Gothic feel to it, and I’m trying to create that."
The show will also feature a narrator, Helena Froehlich, a faculty member of the Princeton Ballet School, and students from the school on stage during the opening tavern scene and closing wedding to provide percussion by playing the bones.
Mr. Lustig brought in 89-year-old Joe Biril from Philadelphia to conduct a bone-playing workshop in January. The origins of the rhythmic art are a little sketchy but some believe Europeans brought the technique to the New World during the 18th century, where it became part of the folk tradition. A pair of bones is placed between the fingers and then shaken together to create a tapping sound.
Beauty and the Beast and A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed by American Repertory Ballet at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial, West Lafayette and Barrack streets, Trenton, March 13, 4 p.m. Tickets cost $25, $15 seniors/students. For information, call (609) 984-8400. On the Web: www.thewarmemorial.com
The program also will be staged at the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, April 13, 7 p.m. Tickets cost $25. For information, call (732) 246-7469. On the Web: www.statetheatrenj.org. ARB on the Web: www.arballet.org