Do not judge a book by its cover. It’s a common word of advice that we’ve all heard at some point in our lives, but for Nigel Burgoine and David Jex, it is the theme for their upcoming production of “Beauty and the Beast” performed by the Ballet Theatre of Toledo.
Burgoine, the artistic director for the Ballet Theatre of Toledo, partnered with Jex, a professor of music at the University of Toledo, to create the production, which is a one-act ballet set to an original score by Jex. Burgoine and Jex spent four weeks preparing for the production and an additional three months of rehearsal.
The Beauty and the Beast Comes to Life
The production features 40 young dancers from seven to 18-years-old that perform the classic story of Belle and her love and dedication to her father. Belle shows that dedication by fulfilling her father’s request that she work for an aristocratic beast.
As the show progresses, Belle realizes that despite the beast’s appearance, he is a kind, loving individual. When Belle declares her love for him, the evil spell is broken, the beast is transformed back to Prince Adam, and they marry and live happily ever after.
Crafting the Perfect Mask
One of the more unique parts of the ballet is the mask that the Beast wears. Burgoine says he had to create a mask that doesn’t prohibit the beast from moving, singing, or dancing on stage. They couldn’t use a rubber mask, and they couldn’t use makeup because there is a 13-second window between scenes to change appearances.
Through the inspiration of another production, Burgoine’s creative juices were flowing, and he began designing a mask with stretch netting to enable the actor to remove the mask and put it back on with ease. “What he’s going to do is fall backward and the backstage crew will simply pull it off his head, then vice versa.”
Helping Kids Grow
Productions such as “Beauty and the Beast” can serve as a steppingstone to children’s futures in dancing and acting. “One of the boys is now a second soloist in the National Ballet of Canada and a girl is a principal dancer with the Louisville Ballet,” adds Burgoine.
Burgoine focuses on helping the kids grow and develop their talents through their time with the Ballet Theatre of Toledo, so he trains them to be dancers, rather than just performing one dance. “You need to be taught how to act, how to react, and how to show emotion on stage, and that’s what we do here.”
Kids begin by participating in smaller roles at younger ages, then they work their way up to larger roles.
Short But Sweet
The ballet is only 12 scenes that total 50 minutes, a length that Burgoine hopes will retain the audience’s attention so they can immerse themselves in the story. “I condensed the whole story so it’s action, action, and more action,: he says. “When the show slows down, that’s when you begin to lose the audience, specifically, the kids.” Because of the shortened run time, having dancers with strength and stamina is key.
The show has two performances, one on March 11 at 7pm, and the following day, March 12 at 2pm at the Franciscan Center on the campus of Lourdes University. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through the Ballet Theatre of Toledo by calling 419-861-0895.
You can learn more about upcoming performances by the Ballet Theatre of Toledo by visiting their website.
