Adventures and misadventures abound in magical tale from February 21-24

MILWAUKEE – January 23, 2008 – Milwaukee may be in the midst of a chilly winter, but the Milwaukee Ballet is conjuring up warm spring visions for the city with Bruce Wells’ adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.  With theatrical excitement, live music, fanciful costumes and sets, and beautiful dancing, this Milwaukee Ballet production is sure to entertain audiences February 21-24 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is based on Shakespeare’s play, a happy tangle of plots and subplots about the loves and adventures of mortals and mystical beings.  The ballet has been choreographed by internationally known Bruce Wells to focus largely on the mischievous Puck, Titania and Oberon, with fairies and wood nymphs, magic potions, and mistaken identities abounding.

The ballet is danced to Mendelssohn’s overture, featuring the familiar “Wedding March,” performed live by the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra.  In addition to the Milwaukee Ballet Company, 38 children from the Milwaukee Ballet School will dance in the production. Two live vocalists and the Milwaukee Children’s Choir round out this magical production.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs February 21-24, 2008 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water Street, Milwaukee.  Tickets to the performance begin at $22.  To order or for additional information, call (414) 273-7206 or visit www.milwaukeeballet.org.

Family Brunch at Bacchus

Join the Milwaukee Ballet for A Midsummer Night’s Dream Family Brunch on Sunday, February 24 at Bacchus Restaurant, 925 E. Wells Street.  From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., families can enjoy activities, a costume parade, and delicious brunch.  Brunch guests will be offered a 20% discount for the 1:30 p.m. Sunday matinee performance of the show.

Reservations are limited; for more information or to purchase tickets, contact Milwaukee Ballet events at (414)-902-2101 or reserve a spot online via www.milwaukeeballet.org.

Bruce Wells

Internationally known choreographer Bruce Wells has created more than 40 ballets for companies in the United States and abroad.  His career as a dancer began under the direction of George Balanchine where he became a soloist with the New York City Ballet.  Since then he has created works for the Connecticut Ballet, the Boston Ballet, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, The Australian Ballet, and many more.  For the past ten years Wells has been on the faculty of The Pacific Northwest Ballet, and is a frequent guest teacher and freelance choreographer around the globe.

Milwaukee Ballet

Founded in 1970, the Milwaukee Ballet Company strives to inspire its audiences to think within and beyond traditional ballet through the presentation of quality performances and the implementation of education opportunities.  The Milwaukee Ballet Company presents more than 40 performances to 70,000 people each year.