Dance Reviews

Oct 9, 1999 - Nevada Festival Ballet's "Frankenstein" - "It's Alive!"

By Jack Neal

In the 1931 movie "Frankenstein," "It's alive!" is Dr. Frankenstein's deranged reaction when the monster he's created twitches to life after being jolted with enough voltage to light Vegas. In Nevada Festival Ballet's version of the classic tale, when Dr. Frankenstein throws the switch that ignites the monster he's molded from the body parts of cadavers and the "thing" moves, "dance" comes alive in Northern Nevada.

That jolt of excitement for dance theater took place Friday night (10/8/99) at Reno's Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

Nevada Festival Ballet, the company that Maggie Banks launched a decade and a half ago, has found new blood, new excitement and new creativity from the gifted dancer who now helms the company. Lesley Bandy Beardsley, who for many years thrilled audiences as one of the leading dancers and stars of Donn Arden's legendary "Hello Hollywood, Hello," is at the center of the company's new vitality.

When NFB's brochure trumpeted the news that "A Tale of Frankenstein" would launch the new administration's notions of how things should be done, it sounded like a terrific October gimmick for grabbing goblins and audiences. What isn't obvious until "Frankenstein" is experienced is how much more Beardsley's new ballet is - "Frankenstein" is a world premiere - beyond the gimmickry of attracting an audience.

Set to the rhapsodic music of Prokofiev's ballet score "The Stone Flower," "Frankenstein" sides with the unmonstrous side of the Frankenstein monster for a loving, lyric and poignant look at what being different means in a world where monsters aren't the only objects of prejudice. What is so endearing about this "Frankenstien" is that it's more than just a vehicle for dance, although it gives all kinds of great opportunities for doing just that. It's a great way to tell a vivid, sometimes brutal, yet sweet story.

If it's not been possible to pull out all stops, more stops than usual have been pulled to tell this story in an impressive manner. Ms. Beardsley's choreography is rapturous, involving with the roots of the story she is telling and exciting. JR Beardsley's fight choreography has all the pow, sock 'em and zap mean spiritedness demands. The Beardsleys are a formidable wife and husband team. The sets - and they're extensive, marvelous illusions - are by Pieter Grove. The costumes, by Karen Wong with assists from Virginia Vogel, Karen Burns and Marti Gerhardt, are sumptuous, vivid swirls of color mixed handsomely with the realities of monsterdom and the Old West.

If only other sound engineers would take a page from what Mickey Laverine and Mark Simon have done for the production's sound. It's a superb reproduction - full, rich, vibrant and never ear splitting. The splendid make-up art of Ron Wild is a triumph of looks. Michael Fernbach's always magical lighting gives the production a surreal radiance. With a reverent nod to director James Whale's original and dark "Frankenstein," the flickering images of silent movies are used to advance the ballet from mad-scientist laboratory to Old West saloon. It's a neat device that keeps "Frankenstein" in touch with the traditions of movie horror.

Equal to all the creative talent that has gone into this production, is the dancing itself. NFB's corps de ballet is made up of young, skilled dancers eager to make good. "Frankenstein" offers opportunity after oppportunity for them to do just that. Especially impressive doing beautiful dancing turns in several different segments are Emily Rasmussen, Christin Hanna, Bree Kasper, Jenny Bailey, Elyse Smith and Brandy Collins. Kelsey Campbell is a knockout Cat. Laura Bronstone is an affectingly blind farmers wife, whose kindness to the monster is one of the show's lighter and more touching moments. As farm animals, Jacqueline Dory and Courtney Sanks (chickens), and Jeremy Jaureguito (an unmenacing wolf) are charming. The men in the fight scenes are tough, formidable and manage difficult challenges wonderfully. This is a large dancing cast of principals, townspeople and children in which no one shirks their duties nor is less than up to the tasks they've been given.

"Frankenstien's" four principals are excellent. Tara Foy is a liquid and poised dancer who brings extraordinary magnetism to her moments as both Dr. Frankenstein's fiancee and Kitty, the saloon girl with the heart of gold. Richard Bradley dances Dr. Frankenstein with the same kind of passion for dance his character has for its devotion to the being it's created. Mr. Bradley is expressive, with exhilaration, distress and love being at the core of what his grace of movement has to say. Actor/dancer Rickey Price is a standout in the greedy, unpopular role of bounty hunter.

I was fortunate to see Michael Telmont dance the role of Monster in the dress rehearsal. Mr. Telmont has the presence, the elegance of movement and the acting reflectiveness to bring a revelatory recreation of the Frankenstein monster to dance theater. Sadly, the dancer's Achilles tendon was damaged in the closing minutes of the ballet's final rehearsal so audiences will have to wait for some future encounter with "A Tale of Frankenstein" to see what depths Mr. Telmont would have brought to the ballet.ø0a

In the best show-must-go-on tradition, "Frankenstein's" set designer, Pieter Grove - also a dancer and an adagio ice skater - dances the Monster during the scenes in which the monster dances, and fight director JR Beardsley acts the Monster in the ballet's fight scenes. They save the day and have done it with flair and sensitivity.

As with any world premiere, no matter how initially wonderful they are, a second go at the creative process can tighten a production into the sharp timing that keeps an audience on the edge of its seats. "A Tale of Frankenstein" awaits that kind of fine tuning. But what a smashing hit it already is and what a triumph it will be, when it gets the burnished polish this marvelous collection of talent can give it.

As is, "A Tale of Frankenstein" is an enviable and entertaining production of theater and dance that bodes well for the vitality of dance art in Northern Nevada.

"A Tale of Frankenstein" closes its two-performance run tonight (10/9/99) at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Virginia Street, Reno. For information call 775 785 7915 or 775 686 6600. For information about other Nevada Festival Ballet presentations and events call 775 785 7519.