'Dracula' rises once more in Grand Rapids Ballet's Halloween production (photos)
Published: Friday, October 28, 2011, 12:30 AM
EnlargeStephen Sanford portrays Count Dracula with his coven of vampires Chelsea Clow, Laura McQueen and Rachel Riley in GR Ballet's production of "Dracula," opening Thurs. Oct. 27.(T.J. Hamilton | The Grand Rapids Press)Grand Rapids Ballet Company presents Draculagallery (14 photos)
GRAND RAPIDS - In your classic romance, boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, they all live happily ever after, roll the credits.
In your Gothic romance, boy has only just gotten girl, villain steals girl away, boy defeats villain and recovers girl, two of the three live relatively happily ever after, at least until the sequel.
Therein lies the familiar tale of Bram Stoker's "Dracula."
Just in time for Halloween, Grand Rapids Ballet Company under artistic director Patricia Barker has brought to its stage a production of "Dracula," a ballet that's entertaining and well worth an evening spent in GRBC's Wege Theatre.
Voice over narration at the beginning gives the show off to a slow start, but the back story plus supertitles work well to advance the plot. Same for the choreography by Wes Chapman and Roger Van Fleteren in the original ballet first created for Atlanta Ballet.
"Dracula" is an evening of ballet of touching romantic moments between the young Jonathan and Mina Harker, the former danced by the heroic Nicholas Schultz, who descends into madness and back, the later graced by the incandescent Dawnell Dryja, who lights up any scene. The range of characterization both can handle continues to grow, and their opening pas de deux offered some of the night's best moments of pure ballet.
It's an evening of comical touches, courtesy of the explosive Kyohei Yoshida, as Renfield, transformed into a madman. There's a little boot scootin' from Steven Houser as a rowdy Texan, Quincy P. Morris.
It's a horrific tale anchored by Stephen Sanford in the title role, a strong dancer with the magnetism to capture and hold the audience's attention, helped in part by the willowy trio of vampire sister wives, Chelsea Clow, Laura McQueen Schultz and Rachael Riley, in an excellent tour-de-force of ensemble work with touches of individuality.
The choreography is well thought out, with its own vocabulary to illustrate Dracula's hypnotic skills at work, or three rivals for the affections of Lucy Westerna joining together in common cause.
Yuka Oba, as Lucy, was a beautiful dancer in every situation, whether flashing a glimpse of her fangs to the audience or remaining lifeless in a coma, passed through the air from grieving suitor to grieving suitor. Her Lucy was everything except a flirt.
Dave Naquin, a first-year apprentice, doesn't yet have the gravitas for the role of Dr. Van Helsing.
"Dracula" is constricted in part because it's not always clear when it's playing straight or when it's playing for camp. A cleverly constructed bed, revealing its secrets, suggested the former. Dracula's entrances in a cloud of fog clearly was the latter. When some of the audience is sitting spellbound while part is snickering into their programs, that's a giveaway.
Thomas Helm's original music, realized entirely on keyboards, is atmospheric and imaginative, with musical quotes from familiar horror films and unsettling waltzes. Piano is used to good effect. Long stretches of synthesized strings aren't pleasant at all.
Costumes with pleated, new-day skirts and muted mutton sleeves set the scene for the 1890s, necessary because sets were lean to leave room.
A fine corps de ballet filled the large stage with 28 dancers for the debutante ball with a solid performance of frivolity, disturbed by Dracula's appearance.
Sunday's show is sold out. Seating is limited tonight and Saturday night.
So will there be a sequel? Well, why not? Halloween, after all comes, back year after year.
