Little Dancer
MusicStephen Flaherty
LyricsLynn Ahrens
BookLynn Ahrens
Basisc. 1880 sculpture Little Dancer of Fourteen Years by Edgar Degas
PremiereOctober 25, 2014: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C.
Productions2014 Kennedy Center

Little Dancer is a musical with music by Stephen Flaherty and book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on Edgar Degas' 1880 statue Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. The musical premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in 2014. The original production was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman.

The musical was retitled Marie, Dancing Still – A New Musical in 2018, prior to the production opening at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle in March 2019, and returned to its original title thereafter.

Production history

The musical premiered at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theatre on October 25, 2014. The production closed on November 30, 2014.[1][2]

The writing team passed on a potential Los Angeles run in 2015 in order to do rewrites and revisions on the piece.[3] The invitation-only March 28, 2016 industry reading featured a newly revised draft of the show. Participants included a number of cast members from the original Kennedy Center production, including New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, Rebecca Luker, Karen Ziemba, Kyle Harris and Michael X. Martin.[4]

A private reading was held in June 2018. The reading featured Tiler Peck, Robert Lindsay, Kate Baldwin and Karen Ziemba.[5] The musical was retitled Marie, A New Musical in 2018, and then Marie, Dancing Still. This is based on the "developmental work done by the creators to focus on the once ‘unknown’ woman at the heart of the story." The musical opened at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle on March 22, 2019 and concluded on April 14.[6][7] The cast for the 5th Avenue Theatre production included Tiler Peck (Marie), Terrence Mann (Degas), Louise Pitre (Adult Marie), Dee Hoty (Mary Cassatt) and Karen Ziemba (Martine Van Goethem), with direction and choreography by Stroman.[8][9][10]

Synopsis

The musical is inspired by the story of Marie van Goethem, a young ballerina who posed for Edgar Degas. Marie became, inadvertently, the most famous dancer in the world. Torn by her family's poverty, her debt to the artist, and the lure of wealthy men, she struggles to keep her place in the corps de ballet. She is a girl on the verge of womanhood, caught between the conflicting demands of life and art.

Musical numbers

Washington, D.C.

Seattle, WA.

Cast

Character Washington, D.C. (2014) Private Reading (2016) Private Reading (2018) Seattle (2019)
Young Marie van Goethem Tiler Peck
Adult Marie van Goethem Rebecca Luker Kate Baldwin Louise Pitre
Edgar Degas Boyd Gaines Robert Lindsay Terrence Mann
Mary Cassatt, Proprietress Janet Dickinson Dee Hoty
Martine van Goethem Karen Ziemba
Charlotte van Goethem Sophia Anne Caruso Allie Kiesel Sami Bray Noelle Hogan
Sabine, Madame Théodore Michele Ragusa Barbara Marineau
Christian, Bartender Kyle Harris
Monsieur Auguste Corbeil, Monsieur Pascal Plouff Michael McCormick Christopher Gurr
Antoinette van Goethem Jenny Powers Scarlett Strallen Jenny Powers
Philippe de Marchal Seán Martin Hingston Seán Martin Hingston David Elder
Luis Merante Joseph J. Simeone Eric Santagata
Madame Pruneau Nina Goldman Caitlin Abraham
Nicoline Sansouci Jolina Javier
Esmé Pruneau Polly Baird
Chantal Brett Lyrica Woodruff Megan Masako Haley Lyrica Woodruff
Ondine Gigot Juliet Doherty Jasmine Ward Jasmine Ward
Ensemble Polly Baird
Wendi Bergamini
Lauren Blackman
Sophia Anne Caruso
Janet Dickinson
Juliet Doherty
Nina Goldman
Kyle Harris
Seán Martin Hingston
Jolina Javier
Michael X. Martin
Michael McCormick
James A. Pierce III
Jenny Powers
Katelyn Prominski
Michele Ragusa
John Riddle
Amy Ruggiero
Joseph J. Simeone
Justin Urso
Lyrica Woodruff
Polly Baird
Sissy Bell
Nina Goldman
Stephen Hanna
Kyle Harris
Jolina Javier
Michael X. Martin
Claire Rathbun
Sophie Silnicki
Jasmine Ward
Polly Baird
Sissy Bell
Lauren Blackman
Jim Borstelmann
Sami Bray
Nina Goldman
Christopher Gurr
Megan Masako Haley
Kyle Harris
Heather Hill
Seán Martin Hingston
Dee Hoty
Jolina Javier
Barbara Marineau
Olivia Puckett
Arbender Robinson
Eric Santagata
Scarlett Strallen
Caitlin Abraham
Polly Baird
Lauren Blackman
Anaïs Blake
Jim Borstelmann
Abbey Del Corral
David Elder
Sara Esty
Justin Genna
Tyler Hardwick
Jolina Javier
Barbara Marineau
Jasmine Ward
Lyrica Woodruff

Awards and honors

Original Washington, D.C. production (2014)

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result
2015 Helen Hayes Awards[11] Outstanding Choreography, Musical—HAYES Production Susan Stroman Won

References

  1. Gans, Andrew. "Ahrens and Flaherty's Degas-Inspired Musical 'Little Dancer' Ends Kennedy Center Run" Playbill, November 30, 2014
  2. Harris, Paul (November 21, 2014). "D.C. Theater Review: 'Little Dancer'". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  3. Hetrick, Adam. "Commercial Producers Plan Lab for Ahrens and Flaherty’s Little Dancer" Playbill, June 9, 2016
  4. Hetrick, Adam. "Ahrens and Flaherty’s 'Little Dancer' Tests Legs in NYC Reading" Playbill, April 1, 2016
  5. Gans, Andrew. "Tiler Peck, Kate Baldwin, Karen Ziemba Set for Industry Reading of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ 'Little Dancer' Musical" Playbill, May 29, 2018
  6. Hetrick, Adam. "Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s New Musical 'Marie' Will Bow in Seattle" Playbill, September 12, 2018
  7. Hetrick, Adam. "Tiler Peck, Terrence Mann, Dee Hoty, and Karen Ziemba Set for 'Marie' at Seattle's 5th Avenue" Playbill, January 22, 2019
  8. Hetrick, Adam. "Full Casting Announced for Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ 'Marie, Dancing Still'" playbill, March 6, 2019
  9. Hetrick, Adam. "Take a First Look at Tiler Peck in Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s 'Marie, Dancing Still'" playbill, March 29, 2019
  10. Marie 5thavenue.org, access April 2, 2019
  11. "2015 Helen Hayes Awards". theatrewashington.org. 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
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