by Mike Hoban

‘Swan Lake in Blue’ – Created and composed by Steve Bass. Staged and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins. Set Design by Tori Oakes; Lighting Design by Chris Fournier; Costumes by Kevin Hutchins. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St, Stoneham through March 1^st.

If you’re looking for a little risk taking in your theatrical experience, suburban Boston is not typically where you’re headed to find it. Many of the venues rely on a steady diet of classic musicals and New York-tested comic and dramatic offerings to appeal to their subscriber base, and with the exception of the seemingly obligatory dose of gender-bending of late, there’s generally not a lot in terms of innovation going on outside of the city. Which is what makes Swan Lake in Blue, an adrenaline rush of a new work receiving its world premiere at the Greater Boston Stage Company, such a thrill.

Read more “GBSC Jazzes up Tchaikovsky with Spirited ‘Swan Lake in Blue’”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Greater Boston Stage Company travels back in time for their latest production, a world premiere of “Swan Lake in Blue.” Swan Lake originally premiered in 1877 and was written by Tchaikovsky. Its incredible choreography, beautiful music and compelling tale brings audiences back to see it year after year. Each production of Swan Lake reinvents itself from the classic take ala the Bolshoi Ballet. However, Greater Boston Stage Company takes us into a new “jazzed up” version with their production of “Swan Lake in Blue: A Jazz Ballet.” The work was created by Steve Bass, a Boston based composer and musician, and choreographed by GBSC’s Associate Artistic Director and multiple IRNE and Elliot Norton Award winner, Ilyse Robbins. The music for the show is all original by Bass. This version is set in 1940’s New York City with the main characters tied up with the mob. Odette is a burlesque dancer who dances nightly at the Swan Club where Broadway Producer Siegfried falls in love with her and tries to help her escape the clutches of Von Rothbart, a corrupt mob boss. Will the lovers escape the evil boss or will their love be unrequited? There is absolutely no dialogue in this show, so the dancing conveys what all the characters are feeling and doing with each other. It is nearly two hours of a 16 piece jazz big band with intricately choreographed tap, jazz and lyrical dancing by a group of 13 dancers that captivate you from start to finish.

Read more “GBSC’s ‘Swan Lake’ a Musical, Dance Extravaganza”