The Indianapolis Ballet will continue in pandemic mode with its first production of 2021, Love Springs Eternal, premiering virtually at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Originally scheduled for live performances the mixed-repertoire production will feature a world premiere by Victoria Lyras, an exciting collaboration between renown artists Ramón Flowers and Rob Dixon, and Stravinsky’s epic The Firebird. Filmed at The Toby at Newfields, it will be viewable on-demand through Feb. 28. For $25 tickets, go to www.indyballet.org/love
The world premiere by Founding Artistic Director Victoria Lyras features the last movement of Bach’s second partita. Created in the isolation of the COVID era, Lyras’s choreography evokes a feeling of “coming out of the darkness” of the pandemic. Ciaconna will feature every dancer of the Indianapolis Ballet’s professional company.
The production also includes a yet-to-be-titled work by renowned choreographer Ramón Flowers and Indianapolis jazz legend Rob Dixon. Flowers presents an exploration of the dancer’s body as an instrument – one that, due to the pandemic, hasn’t been “tuned” in a while. As the piece unfolds, the artists will awaken, feeling the music not simply as beats to be counted, but as moods to be expressed. The end result harkens to a famous line by George Balanchine: “See the music, hear the dance.” Dancers will be accompanied by three compositions from Rob Dixon’s 2018 album Coast to Crossroads.
The Firebird is choreographed by Lyras, featuring music by Igor Stravinsky. Based on a Russian folk tale, The Firebird is a captivating tale of a legendary, magical bird and a prince who enters an enchanted world. Follow Prince Ivan and the Firebird as they join forces to break the evil spell of Kashchei, a wicked magician.
Magic Thread Cabaret is teaming with the Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre to host a pair of homegrown artists for a special virtual show to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Friends and fellow New York City theater performers Cory Lingner and Melissa Schott will star in La La Love, presented on the mainstage and in association with Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, to be livestreamed at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, and available on demand Feb. 12-14 from the Phoenix Mainstage.
“I have missed the creative opportunity to present our shows to Indy audiences since the pandemic hit us last year,” said Dustin Klein, artistic director for Klein & Alvarez Productions. “I have always loved the idea of a Valentine’s show and we are honored to have two of our past headliners joining up for some classic love songs. Cory Lingner and Melissa Schott both will provide much-needed heart, razzle-dazzle and joyful showmanship, with tap dancing and singing for you and your special someone.”
Lingner is eager to get back on stage after his Magic Thread Cabaret debut at The Cat in Carmel broke box-office records in the spring of 2019.
A takeoff of the iconic, Academy Award-winning 2017 film, La La Land, the cabaret will feature plenty of lively and moving solo, duet and tap numbers from the talented pair, along with special guests. The lineup features some of history’s most beloved love songs, making for a perfect date night for Valentine’s Day, to be enjoyed live or on demand from home or anywhere.
Schott grew up in New Palestine and is an accomplished actor, singer, dancer and choreographer with credits across the nation. Lingner grew up in Indianapolis, where he started dancing at age four and later on stage at Carmel’s University High School, before graduating in 2009. He has numerous Broadway credits dotting his artistic resume.
photo above: The Firebird, shown in a 2018 production, is based on a Russian folktale. PHOTO BY SONJA CLARK, MOONBUG PHOTOGRAPHY
