producing a beloved work that might be racially outdated?

Invite Us to Consult!

 
 

Navigating the conversations around race when producing works from the Western canon featuring outdated representations can be uncomfortable, challenging, and confusing. How do we keep the original spirit and intention of the work while eliminating racial caricature? How do we prepare our performers, our staff, and our audiences to receive this work well?

With over 60 years of experience in the performing arts on stage and off between us (we both started as dancers at a young age!) we have worked with several companies to update aspects of beloved shows that need slight modifications. We are available to work with both professional and amateur/school/community productions.

Collaborators include Arena Stages (Anything Goes, 2018), Ballet West (Le Chant du Rossignol, 2018), Pennsylvania Ballet (La Bayadere, upcoming in 2020), the Princeton School District (Anything Goes, 2018).

We are currently working with dance historian and scholar Doug Fullington on producing a new version of “La Bayadere” based on the original notations. Please contact us if you are interested in co-producing the work.

Works that we can assist with include but are not limited to:

DANCE:
La Bayadere
Le Chant du Rossignol
Le Corsaire
Excelsior
The Fairy Doll
The Nutcracker
Petrushka
Raymonda
Scheherezade
The Sleeping Beauty

and restorations of Martha Graham, Ted Shawn, Ruth St. Denis, among others

MUSICAL THEATER:
Anything Goes
Flower Drum Song
The King and I
Miss Saigon
South Pacific
Thoroughly Modern Millie

OPERA:
Lakme
Madama Butterfly
The Mikado
Nixon in China
The Pearl Fishers
Turandot

 

Please contact us directly to enquire about our process, rates, and availability.

The artists of Ballet West in “Le Chant du Rossignol” Photo by Beau Pearson, courtesy of Ballet West

The artists of Ballet West in “Le Chant du Rossignol”
Photo by Beau Pearson, courtesy of Ballet West

The artists of Ballet West in “Le Chant du Rossignol” Photo by Beau Pearson, courtesy of Ballet West

The artists of Ballet West in “Le Chant du Rossignol”
Photo by Beau Pearson, courtesy of Ballet West