Craig Hall News

The New York City Ballet performs four works by four distinct choreographic aesthetics. From Balanchine to Peck 'Classic NYCB' displays alternating moods towards individual expression and ensemble harmony in abstract dance performance.

New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Wendy Whelan will bid farewell to New York City Ballet with a special one-time-only performance tonight, October 18 at 8 p.m. For the occasion, two of the dance world's most acclaimed choreographers, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon, will collaborate on a world premiere piece d'occasion for Whelan.

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21) will present 15 show-stopping musical theater dance numbers performed by stars from the musical theater and dance worlds during its Joyce Theater debut November 11-16, today announced Nikki Feirt Atkins, Founder and Executive Artistic Director and Margo Sappington, Artistic Director. All performances will feature live music and will be directed by Margo Sappington with musical direction by Eugene Gwozdz.

New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Wendy Whelan will bid farewell to New York City Ballet with a special one-time-only performance on Saturday, October 18 at 8 p.m. For the occasion, two of the dance world's most acclaimed choreographers, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon, will collaborate on a world premiere piece d'occasion for Whelan.

On September 21st 2014 at Lincoln Center, Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall delivered a soul stirring al fresco performance of the pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon's 'After the Rain' to the haunting music of Arvo Part. The performance by the pair of New York City Ballet dancers was one of the offerings during the evening portion of the free, day-long Buddhist ceremony called the Shinnyo Lantern Floating for Peace.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen. The program is equally impressive, including Christopher Wheeldon's Liturgy, danced to Arvo Pärt's ”Fratres;” Two Hearts, a collaboration between Benjamin Millepied and composer Nico Muhly; Furiant, created by NYCB Soloist Justin Peck; Sunshine, a solo for Ulbricht by Larry Keigwin; the world premiere of Opus 19. Andante, a duet by critically acclaimed young choreographer Emery LeCrone; and the classic Fancy Free, the first ballet created by Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein in 1944, which subsequently inspired the full-length musical On the Town. Cast subject to change.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen.

Daniel Ulbricht/BALLET 2014 offers an exclusive opportunity for audiences to experience some of today's most remarkable ballet dancers in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, July 16-20. New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht directs and performs with a select ensemble of top stars including Tyler Angle, Craig Hall, Robert Fairchild, Russell Janzen, Emily Kikta, Rebecca Krohn, Tiler Peck, Georgina Pazcoguin, and Teresa Reichlen. The program is equally impressive, including Christopher Wheeldon's Liturgy, danced to Arvo Pärt's ”Fratres;” Two Hearts, a collaboration between Benjamin Millepied and composer Nico Muhly; Furiant, created by NYCB Soloist Justin Peck; Sunshine, a solo for Ulbricht by Larry Keigwin; the world premiere of Opus 19. Andante, a duet by critically acclaimed young choreographer Emery LeCrone; and the classic Fancy Free, the first ballet created by Jerome Robbins and Leonard Bernstein in 1944, which subsequently inspired the full-length musical On the Town. Cast subject to change.

Wednesday, May 28th, New York City Ballet presented a program bookended by Balanchine. Concerto Barocco articulated propriety and decorum in delicate glances; Jerome Robbin's Other Dances promulgated gentle desire in the pas de deux; Benjamin Millipied's Neverwhere delved into power plays; and Balanchine had the last laugh with the exuberant laissez-faire Who Cares?

Following the record-breaking attendance of Festival 2013, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces the full 2014 Festival free and ticketed event schedule. Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Noted dance writer Jennifer Dunning has called the Pillow "the dance center of the nation, possibly the world."

The Chicago Academy for the Arts will honor its president, Pamela Jordan, with the Kupcinet Civic Award during A Taste for the Arts Gala performance Tuesday, May 13, 2014 at the Harris Theater, as she prepares to take on a new role as President of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation in Idyllwild, Calif. at the end of the school year.

As a welcome surprise during the New York City Ballet matinee on Saturday, March 1st 2014 at the Koch Theater, the recently renovated orchestra pit rose so that Interim Music Director Andrews Sills could give us an interesting history lesson with the musicians in full view. Under the direction of Guest Conductor Henrik Vagn Christensen, they played passages from Debussy's "Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun" and from works by Saint-Saens, Wagner, and Chopin while Sills explained that Debussy was "a bridge" between the legacy of the romantic age and the modern era.

Following the record-breaking attendance of Festival 2013, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces the 2014 Festival schedule. Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Noted dance writer Jennifer Dunning has called the Pillow "the dance center of the nation, possibly the world."

AOL On Originals, AOL's premium video platform, launched its newest documentary series, city.ballet, today, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day lives of the elite roster of artists who perform with the New York City Ballet.

The Cultch presents the world premiere of Up-in-the-air Theatre's Inside the Seed, a re-imagining of Oedipus Rex as a modern-day tragedy. Inside the Seed is set in a giant bio-genetics corporation that aspires to grow the perfect seed-The Golden Grain, and to thusly feed the world and end starvation. Deeply relevant, with a hard edge of comedy- Inside the Seed is passionately and unabashedly political with the tension, pace and the energy of a thriller. Inside the Seed is directed by Richard Wolfe and designed by Florence Barrett (costumes), Jerguš Opršal (Set, Lights, Projections) and Jordan Lloyd Watkins (sound). The large, fully professional, multi-cultural cast, includes: Mia K Ingimundson, Carl Kennedy, Tamara McCarthy, Adele Noronha, Alison Raine, Patrick Sabongui, Dallas Sauer and Tetsuro Shigematsu. Inside the Seed runs October 2-12, 2013 at the The Cultch.

Bill Whitelaw, Chair, Board of Directors - Vertigo Theatre Society announced yesterday Suzanne Mott, a long-serving and experienced member of Calgary's theatre community, will conclude her time as General Manager of Vertigo Theatre, effective June, 2014.

Craig Hall, Artistic Director of Vertigo Theatre, during a near capacity season launch event, announced the company's 2013/2014 Vertigo Mystery Theatre season, renamed BD&P Mystery Theatre series, thanks to a generous funding commitment announced by Cheryl Gottselig, Partner/Lawyer, from Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP Law Firm. Hall was joined by Nathan Pronyshyn, Y Stage Theatre series Producer, who revealed the season line up for Y Stage Theatre series.

Today's announcement by Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell of the Shaw Festival's 2013 season introduces new and provocative conversations for its 52nd season. In a playbill rich with culture clashes, magical transformations and dazzling ideas, The Shaw continues its theatrical exploration of the mystery and beauty of contemporary life.

Rumble Productions' Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Drover as Artistic Producer. With the recent departure of Artistic Producer Craig Hall, Mr. Drover was hired in January as Interim Artistic Producer for 2012. Quickly recognizing Mr. Drover's talents and excellent 'fit' with the organization, Rumble's Board has now awarded him the permanent position.

Today, June 11th from 6-8 p.m. come meet McKinney Youth Theatre's newest director, Peg Waldschmidt, at Heard Craig Hall, 306 N. Church St.