Kansas City Ballet Presents Michael Pink's DRACULA, Now thru 3/2

Kansas City Ballet's 56th season continues with the highly anticipated evening-length Kansas City Premiere of Michael Pink's Dracula.

Based on Bram Stoker's classic gothic horror story and performed by the world-class dancers of Kansas City Ballet,Dracula is a spellbinding story of the nocturnal Count who survives on the blood of the living. Audiences will be mesmerized as they venture into the dark and eerie world of the infamous Count Dracula. With the combination of dramatic choreography by Michael Pink, an original, haunting score by Philip Feeney, dazzling costumes by Lez Brotherston, thrilling sets and shocking special effects, Dracula delivers sensuality and danger in a dance/theater narrative combining story-enhancing sound effects like the beating heart that opens the show and the frightened voices of the humans Dracula is stalking. Accompanied by Kansas City Symphony, conducted by Kansas City Ballet Music Director Ramona Pansegrau, and featuring Feeney's gripping score, the dramatic music and cinematic scenery will captivate audience members from curtain rise to curtain fall.

Created in 1996 by Michael Pink, Artistic Director of Milwaukee Ballet Company, this terrifying yet romantic three-act drama has won critical acclaim in England, Australia and North America. According to The Rocky Mountain News, Michael Pink's Dracula is "a bravura work of theatre - a taut, dark tale that happens to speak in the language of dance."

Choreographer Michael Pink states, "Dracula is unlike any other ballet. It's sinister and sensual at the same time; breathtaking yet horrific. The show has developed somewhat of a cult following, breaking box office records all over the world. I'm thrilled to be bringing it to Kansas City Ballet for the first time."

"Kansas City Ballet is excited to present Dracula to our community," Artistic Director Devon Carney said. "This fast-paced work-full of tremendous dramatic content and great moments of terror and love-will challenge and invigorate our artists to craft true three-dimensional characters to tell the haunting tale of Count Dracula."

Bloody Mary Brunch

Kansas City Ballet invites you to a Bloody Mary Brunch on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. Guests are invited to park at the Kauffman Performing Arts Center and travel by shuttle to Centric Projects for delicious Bloody Marys and a wicked brunch. Everyone will be transported back to the Kauffman Center for the afternoon performance ofDracula. Tickets are currently available at $85 each and include brunch and a ticket to the performance at 2:00 p.m.Contact Rene at 816-931-2232 x1346 for more information. Sponsored in part by Contract Furnishings and Centric Projects.

Dracula Performances

Today, February 21-March 2, 2014 | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Music performed by Kansas City Symphony

The classic gothic horror story becomes a frightening and bravura work of dance theatre filled with sensuality and danger.

Due to the intrinsic adult themes that the story of Dracula addresses, it is advised that parents of younger children exercise discretion.

High resolution production photos can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/67555847@N06/sets/72157632609639558/

Tickets are available by calling the Ballet Box Office at 816-931-2232, online at www.kcballet.org where patrons may select their own seats or through our mobile app which can be downloaded here: http://www.kcballet.org/newsmedia/mobile.html.

Sponsors

Kansas City Ballet's 2013-2014 season is supported in part by the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation, Hallmark Corporate Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, and Hotel Phillips - host hotel of Kansas City Ballet. Dracula is sponsored by the W. T. Kemper Foundation, Commerce Bank Trustee and the Metropolitan Performing Arts Fund.

About Kansas City Ballet

To make Kansas City a destination for dance

Founded in 1957, Kansas City Ballet is a 28-member professional ballet company under the leadership of Artistic Director Devon Carney and Executive Director Jeffrey J. Bentley. The company's mission is to establish Kansas City Ballet as an indispensable asset in its community through exceptional performances, excellence in dance training and quality community education programs for all ages.

Kansas City Ballet is home to Kansas City Ballet School with an enrollment of more than 600 children and adults offering professional training for the career-minded student as well as for those ages 12 and up who are simply seeking a healthy lifestyle.

Through its professional company, its second company KCB II and its many community service programs such as Reach Out and Dance (ROAD) and DanceINFORMances we seek to nurture and develop our artists, audiences and students in the values inherent in the creativity, diversity and joy of dance.

Our home, the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity on the campus of Union Station, in conjunction with our Resident Company status at the world-class Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has truly positioned Kansas City as a Destination for Dance.

About the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a new multi-venue center for music, opera, theater, and dance was designed by Moshe Safdie and opened in Kansas City in September 2011. The Kauffman Center seeks to enrich the lives of all Greater Kansas City residents by presenting vibrant performances, educational programming, and creating a tradition of the performing arts as a catalyst for Kansas City's civic, economic, and educational vitality.

Three of the region's leading performing arts organizations - Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City - are performing residents at the Kauffman Center. The Center's two performance venues, the 1,600-seat Helzberg Hall and the 1,800-seat Muriel Kauffman Theatre, offer audiences engaging and intimate experiences, while at the same time providing resident companies with dramatically enhanced performance capabilities. Serving as a cultural cornerstone for Kansas City's dynamic downtown, the Kauffman Center brings a new spotlight to the region's performing arts community while simultaneously attracting some of the world's most talented performers and entertainers, further establishing Kansas City as a major cultural destination. More information on the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is available at kauffmancenter.org.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Student Discounts

Student Rush tickets are available for $15 (with valid ID, one ticket per ID) 90-minutes prior to curtain at all performances based on availability. Rush sales end 15 minutes prior to curtain.

Social Media

Kansas City Ballet's website is mobile and ticket-purchase friendly. Receive daily updates by joining the KCB Fan Page at www.facebook.com/kcballet and following @kcballet on Twitter. Follow our blog at kcballet.wordpress.com, or on YouTube by visiting www.youtube.com/kansascityballet.

Belger Footnote Series

Artistic Director Devon Carney and guest artists offer audience members views on the choreography, history, design elements, and music prior to each repertory performance. These informal discussions are free for all ticket holders andare held at the theater one hour prior to curtain for Kansas City Ballet repertory shows.