Birmingham News

By Michael Huebner | mhuebner@al.com 
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on October 22, 2013 at 5:00 PM, updated October 22, 2013 at 5:02 PM

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Photo: Arik Sokol 

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama Ballet's Artistic Director Tracey Alvey doesn't like to discourage anyone from attending any of the company's productions, but for “Dr. Jekyll ad Mr. Hyde,” her advice, and that of choreographer Roger Van Fleteren, is to leave the really young kids at home.

The reason? A single scene in which the upstanding Jekyll transforms into the evil Hyde and strangles a young woman in bed. The scene is not graphic, but it is shocking, and “it's in the book,” says artistic director Tracey Alvey. “It's one of the strongest scenes, so I hesitate to take it out.”
The “book” is Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novella, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” first published in 1886, about a professor with a severe personality disorder who changes uncontrollably into a murderer.

Not exactly kids' stuff.

DETAILS
What: Alabama Ballet: "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
When: Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 3, 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25. Call 975-2787, oralabamaballet.org.
Where: Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, Alabama School of Fine Arts, www.artsbma.org.
Opening Night Party: Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m. Free signature cocktail by Angel Negrin.

“I wouldn't bring a 4-year-old,” Alvey said, but added, “It targets adults, but I think it's not really so child unfriendly. When we rehearse, I see kids' faces through the window. They are not put off or concerned, not squeamish at all. Certainly a 10- or 11-year-old could come.”

The company premiered Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren's ballet in 1999, one of the “scary” ballets the company produces annually for the Halloween season. Chapman and Van Fleteren portrayed the dual personalities in the first production. It was staged again in 2008.

“It's always fun to bring back our Halloween ballets,” Van Fleteren said. “Every time we produce it, I try to tweak it here and there to fit the current dancers in the company. We have a lot of new faces this season, and I'm excited to work them into the choreography.”

For the four performances, which take place Nov. 1-3 at Dorothy Jemison Day Theater at Alabama School of Fine Arts, lead roles will be shared. Michael Fothergill and Nukri Mamistvalov will portray Dr. Jekyll, and Noah Hart and Max van der Sterre his evil alterego, Mr. Hyde. Female leads include Catherine Garratt, Samantha Galler, Alana Czernobil and new company dancer Luiza Boaventura.

“We have a really strong cast,” Alvey said. “They're contrasting styles, and really strong portrayals.”

Compposer and organist Thomas Helms wrote the musical score, as he did for “Dracula,” which is planned for next season. It will be heard in a synthesized, recorded version.

As for the “scary” content, Alvey is less concerned about children's reactions than their parents'.

“Kids are so sophisticated today,” she said. “What they watch on TV is way worse than this, and the mind boggles as to what they watch on the internet. That's scary.”