West Hartford-based Ballet Theatre Company will perform ‘Snow White’ at the Bushnell on April 20 and 21.

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Mirror, mirror, on the wall … who is the fairest of them all? Join Ballet Theatre Company (BTC) for Stephanie Dattellas’ Snow White at the Bushnell’s Belding Theater, April 20-21, 2024 to find out!

Dattellas’ rendition of Snow White blends elements from the traditional Brothers Grimm tale with her own ballet twists. First premiered as a ballet for film at the height of the pandemic, BTC is thrilled to bring Dattellas’ Snow White to the stage this weekend, featuring a brand new, custom set piece, the Magic Mirror.

The Magic Mirror is a hanging piece that is a central element of the Evil Queen’s Lair. In the audience’s first interaction with the Evil Queen and her eight siren minions, the Queen consults her Magic Mirror, only to be informed that she is no longer the fairest of the land. The news sends her on a vicious quest to rid Snow White once and for all.

Though the Evil Queen and her Sirens are forces of evil propelling Snow White through her tumultuous journey in response to the Magic Mirror’s decree, choreographer Stephanie Dattellas has also integrated humor into the darkest moments of the ballet. As the Sirens scramble to appease their Evil Queen in her time of need, their absurd and humorous escapades heighten the drama of the Evil Queen’s vanity. The Evil Queen, performed by BTC’s Sarah Berglund, and her Sirens, performed by pre-professional students from BTC’s Junior Corps de Ballet, are driven to hatch extreme plans in response to each of the Magic Mirror’s announcements.  “I’ve loved working with the Junior Corps,” shares Sarah. “The portrayal of their characters are spot on and they continue to inspire me with my character.”

Courtesy of BTC

As the ballet progresses, the Evil Queen returns to her lair between each attempt to take Snow White’s life, only to be informed again and again by the Magic Mirror that her efforts have been thwarted and Snow White is still alive and well. With each failure, the Evil Queen and her Sirens become increasingly frantic.

The Magic Mirror itself is a 10-foot-tall set piece that will be hung several feet in the air. Originally designed by BTC’s Scenic Designer, Jacob Sikorski, the piece was created to resemble a baroque era crested mirror. Being much larger than life, the mirror’s scale allows it to embody the magic and influence that it carries.

Courtesy of BTC

Creating a unit of this size requires the collaboration of many. Beyond the initial conceptualization, the mirror’s structural design and specifications were developed by technical designer David Quakenbush, while the fabrication of the mirror was provided by Denman James. Denman is a parent of a student in the performance who has built scenic pieces for various BTC ballet productions over the years.

Creation of the magic mirror. Courtesy of BTC

Each time that the Queen consults her Magic Mirror, its magic becomes reality through the integration of video design, developed in collaboration with Taylor Edelle Stuart and Michael Beuttler of Paddock Pictures. The team traveled to West Hartford, transforming BTC’s studios into a professional filming set. Over the course of an eight-hour filming day, BTC’s Artistic Director worked closely with the filming team and selected characters to bring the Magic Mirror to life.

Don’t miss your chance to see the larger-than-life Magic Mirror take the stage at The Bushnell this weekend!

Details:

Snow White will be presented in three performances: Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, April 21  at 11 a.m  (Sensory-Friendly); and Sunday, April 21 at 3 p m. All performances will take place in the Maxwell M. and Ruth R. Belding Theater at 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford.

Tickets range between $56-$89. Please contact The Bushnell’s Box Office directly for any questions about seating and tickets at 860.987.5900.

Ballet Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Support for Season 25 is provided by: Connecticut Humanities. CT Office of the Arts, The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, The Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation, The J. Walton Bissell Foundation, Robert and Francine Goldfarb Family Fund, The Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Charitable Trust, Hartford Foundation of Public Giving, The Robert & Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation, The Petit Family Foundation, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund, Triumph Group, The John and Kelly Hartman Foundation, We-Ha.com, Laurel Graphic Design, Cricket Press, Connecticut Public, Massage Envy West Hartford, Homestead Funding, The Bushnell, Theatrical Stage Employees Local 84, and Beam & Barre.

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