American Repertory Ballet presents a modern version of ‘Cinderella’ at the State Theatre.
By: Megan Sullivan
Perhaps a high rise building isn’t the first place you’d imagine Prince Charming would track down Cinderella. But that’s exactly where he finds her in choreographer Graham Lustig’s modern-day interpretation of the age-old fairy tale.
"I thought, ‘You know, it would just be nice to set it in contemporary times so people don’t feel it’s some story that happened generations ago,’" says Mr. Lustig, artistic director of the American Repertory Ballet.
The earliest recorded version of the Cinderella story dates back to ninth-century China. One of the better-known versions (besides Disney’s animated film), however, was written by French author Charles Perrault in 1697. In the early 1940s, Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote a ballet based on Perrault’s fairy tale, which premiered in 1945 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
Mr. Lustig, a native of London, describes Prokofiev’s music as acutely modern, so he didn’t think it suggested a historical setting. While he has set the classic rags-to-riches story in the present, Mr. Lustig still closely follows Prokofiev’s original scenario. ARB’s production of Cinderella will be presented at the State Theatre in New Brunswick May 6 and 7.
Even though the Cinderella story has been around for centuries, Mr. Lustig says its themes are still a present day reality. "When you listen to the story and the music by Prokofiev, what he wants to focus on is the innocence and beauty in Cinderella, the difference in class between her and the prince and how the obstacles between them are being fulfilled," he says.
Aside from the setting, Mr. Lustig has found other ways to make the story more relevant to the present. For instance, when it comes time for the evil stepsisters to take dance lessons before the ball, they are met with a "medallion man" instead of a traditional dancing master. With an unbuttoned shirt, patent leather slacks and a gold tooth, "he thinks he’s the hottest thing since sliced bread," Mr. Lustig says of the comical character.
One aspect that is slightly different from Prokofiev’s ballet is the creation of another persona for Cinderella’s fairy godmother. In the original, the fairy godmother first appears as a strange bag lady and then reveals her true identity to Cinderella. Not wanting to leave a valuable dancer out of the rest of the production, Mr. Lustig also has the godmother reappear at the ball as a waiter to keep the stepsisters away from the prince.
"She looks after Cinderella’s interests the whole time," Mr. Lustig says. In the final act, the fairy godmother appears again as a neighbor who leads the despondent prince toward Cinderella’s street. "It’s a little aside really," he says. "It doesn’t affect the main thrust of the story."
Mr. Lustig’s Cinderella was originally commissioned for Singapore Dance Theatre in 1996 and has been performed four times since its conception (three times in Singapore and once by ARB in 2001). This year’s production features new costumes by Michelle Ferranti, including a 40-foot cape that Cinderella wears to make a grand entrance to the ball.
In addition to ARB company members and senior students from Princeton Ballet School (ARB’s affiliate), 14 young dancers will be featured as dragonflies, crickets and impish time dwarfs. "It’s not the Disney story with a pumpkin and white mice," Mr. Lustig says. "Prokofiev wanted to stress the naturalness of Cinderella’s world, so he had crickets and dragonflies as her escorts."
The young dancers are ARB DANCE POWER scholars. DANCE POWER is a 20-week program of dance instruction given to each third-grade student in the New Brunswick public school system. This year, dance specialists and teachers from ARB’s Princeton Ballet School taught 646 children. The Princeton Ballet School teaches 70 scholarship students selected from DANCE POWER programs. The 14 scholars chosen to be in the production have been rehearsing since January with the help of DANCE POWER teacher Nicole LaFleur Amadeo and ARB company member and Princeton Ballet School teacher Peggy Petteway.
Despite Mr. Lustig’s contemporary approach, love still overcomes all obstacles to allow Cinderella to marry her Prince Charming. The multifaceted production incorporates humor with pathos, but romance remains the most important ingredient.
"I suppose that universality is what we all find so compelling," Mr. Lustig says. "Hopefully most of us find some love in our lives if not more than once."
Graham Lustig’s Cinderella plays at the State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, May 6, 8 p.m. and May 7, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$40. A complimentary pre-performance insight will be held May 6, 7 p.m. at United Methodist Church, George Street and Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick; available by order with ticket purchase, seating is limited. For information, call (732) 246-7469. State Theatre on the Web: www.statetheatrenj.org. American Repertory Ballet on the Web: www.arballet.org

