Festival Ballet Providence Opens Its 41st Season With ROBIN HOOD

By: Sep. 17, 2018
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Festival Ballet Providence Opens Its 41st Season With ROBIN HOOD

Festival Ballet Providence (FBP) kicks off its 41st Season with this fall's addition to the company's popular chatterBOXtheatre series, an exciting adaptation of the classic folk tale, Robin Hood. The show is fun for kids of all ages including those young-at-heart. Led by nationally renowned choreographer Mary Ellen Beaudreau, the production includes live narration by Rhode Island's own award-winning storyteller Len Cabral, and TEDX presenter and "Shakespeare to Hip Hop" performer Marlon Carey; the two will rotate this role on alternate weekends. Robin Hood will run during the weekends of October 13-21 in FBP's Black Box Theater, 825 Hope Street, Providence.

This marks the ninth year of the sellout children's series. FBP's ChatterBOXtheatre productions are intended to impart a bit of wisdom to their audiences, but Artistic Director Mihailo "Misha" Djuric finds Robin Hood's message to be particularly poignant. "This is a timely story that demonstrates the importance of helping those in need." He continued, "It's a familiar story that has been told many times, and I'm excited that our audience will have a chance to see us tell it." Beaudreau was one of Djuric's students at the FBP School and went on to dance and choreograph for major companies around the world. "I try to give as much of myself and my experience to the students I teach," Djuric said, adding, "Now twenty years later, I'm delighted to see Mary Ellen pour her own passion and wisdom into this ballet and watch the Festival Ballet Company dancers bring it to life for the audience to enjoy."

Choreographer Mary Ellen Beaudreau is equally invested in delivering this valuable message to the community through dance. Praised for her FBP choreographic debut last year - the comedic Swimmer's Suite - Beaudreau is delighted to work with the company again. "My roots are here at Festival Ballet. This place gave me so much as a young dancer so it is especially fitting to come back with story that has this powerful message of giving and philanthropy."

Beaudreau's clever choreography comes to life with music spanning a range of eras and styles dating to the 12th Century and incorporates musical compositions from African and the Middle East. Beaudreau, who also serves as sound designer for the ballet, explains, "Historical contexts within the music score and social dance motifs are extracted from the 1100s-1500s, when the story of Robin Hood was adapted and re-adapted." The narrators, Len Cabral and Marlon Carey, who trade off in the role*, will add an exciting element of drama and comedy to the show.

Audiences are invited to join in on this rollicking good time and experience the goodness of giving, as the heroic outlaw and his band of merry men travel through the legendary Sherwood Forest. As with every ChatterBOXtheatre productions, everyone is invited to stay after the show for photos with the cast and complimentary cookies from FBP the founding chatterBOXtheatre sponsor Seven Stars Bakery.

Robin Hood takes aim at FBP's Black Box Theater at 825 Hope Street October 13-21, 2018. Call (401) 353-1129 for tickets or visit http://festivalballetprovidence.org/2018-2019-season/robin-hood/



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