Ballet Austin Presents The Taming of the Shrew
Shakespeare’s lighthearted tale of marital mismatch kicks off Ballet Austin’s 2012/13 Season
Photograph : Tony Spielberg
WHO: Ballet Austin
Choreography by Stephen Mills
Music by Antonio Vivaldi, Alessandro Scarlatti, Domenico Scarlatti, Vincenzo Tommasini
Musical Accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra
WHAT: Ballet Austin’s The Taming of the Shrew
WHEN: 8:00 pm on October 5 & 6; 3:00 pm on October 7
WHERE: Dell Hall at The Long Center for the Performing Arts
TICKETS: $15 – $74 online, 512.476.2163
Ballet Austin Box Office at 501 W. 3rd Street
Ballet Austin opens its 2012/13 season with The Taming of the Shrew, October 5-7, and The Long Center for the Performing Arts. Shakespeare’s comedic tale of martial mismatch is given new life and endless energy in Ballet Austin’s recreation, accompanied live by the Austin Symphony Orchestra.
Originally commissioned by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2004, Stephen Mills’ acclaimed choreography shines in The Taming of the Shrew, with an inventive mix of classical ballet and commedia dell’arte. The production’s Kennedy Center premiere prompted The Washington Post to dub Mills “the bard of the ballet” and Ballet Austin as “one of the nation’s best-kept ballet secrets.”
Ballet Austin’s The Taming of the Shrew is a hilarious retelling of the 17th century tale of the trials of courtship, marriage and common courtesy, reminding us that true love is seldom achieved at first sight. With slapstick comedy, dynamic choreography and breathtaking costumes reminiscent of the silver screen’s Kiss Me Kate, Ballet Austin’s production of The Taming of the Shrew enhances Kate’s fiery petulance, Petruchio’s patience, Lucentio’s maneuvers and Bianca’s sweet naiveté.
For tickets to Ballet Austin’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, call Ballet Austin’s Box Office at 512.476.2163 or visit Ballet Austin’s website
Supporting Events
Studio Spotlight – The Taming of the Shrew
Thursday, September 27, 2012
12–1pm or 6–7pm — FREE
Ballet Austin’s AustinVentures StudioTheater
Up-close, personal, and informal, Studio Spotlight gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at choreography and elements from The Taming of the Shrew while it is still in the works: the perfect lunchtime break or happy hour activity. Learn more or sign up.
Footlights – The Taming of the Shrew
Ticket-holder event: One hour prior to all performances | October 5-7, 2012
The Long Center
Join us one hour before curtain to enhance your experience at the ballet with a pre-show discussion and Q&A for all ages. See the last-minute preparations unfold on stage while gaining a unique understanding of the performance. Learn more.
About Ballet Austin
As distinctive and dynamic as the city it calls home, Ballet Austin welcomes audiences near and far to participate in its “classically innovative” vision for the democratization of dance. With a rich history spanning five decades, acclaimed productions, a commitment to creating access to programs and one of the nation’s largest classical ballet academies, the organization is poised for an even greater future. From their home at the Butler Dance Education Center in downtown Austin, Ballet Austin and Artistic Director Stephen Mills actively engage the community, dancers, and audiences alike. The New York Times proclaims Ballet Austin “a company with big ambitions” originating work that is “absorbing.”
Season Underwriter Austin Ventures
The Nutcracker Underwriter Silicon Laboratories
Season Sponsors 3M, Get Page One, The Ampersand Agency, YNN, The Schubert Foundation, Vintage IT Services
Media Sponsors KVUE, Austin American-Statesman, MAJIC 95.5
Education Underwriter JP Morgan Chase Foundation
This project is funded and supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division believing an investment in the Arts is an investment in Austin’s future.
August 31, 2012
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