Ballet Arkansas, the state’s professional ballet company, is working in partnership with the creative team at Cranford Co. and the Historic Arkansas Museum to breathe new life into Sleepy Hollow. The first production of Ballet Arkansas’ 2019/20 Season, Sleepy Hollow takes the stage on the weekend of October 18-20, 2019 at UA – Pulaski Tech CHARTS Theater for four public performances and one student matinee (school) show.

A world-premiere multimedia ballet designed in collaboration with the creative team at Cranford Co, Sleepy Hollow is a bold retelling of a classic Halloween tale, just in time for the Holiday.

Featuring 360 sound and captivating video and photo projections filmed by Cranford Co. at the Historic Arkansas Museum, this unique take on Washington Irving’s classic tale combines the beauty of visual art with breathtaking original choreography by Executive and Artistic Director, Michael Fothergill.

Ballet Arkansas’ Sleepy Hollow is not your stereotypical story ballet. “We’ve combined dramatic world premiere choreography with stunning multimedia content that features the professional dancers of Ballet Arkansas. Our visionary portrayal is unlike any other and is a bold new take on the classic narrative,” says Fothergill.

“I’ve taken a rather ambiguous storyline and infused it with narrative that dives much deeper into the relationships of those present in the town.” Narratives like these are what stretches the company, and make it a competitor on the national scale. “Not only do we tell stories at Ballet Arkansas, but we tell them well and in unique ways,” says Fothergill.

“A story of love, drama, and mystery, Sleepy Hollow starts off the season with a spooky tone, similar to last season’s wildly popular production of Dracula,” says Associate Artistic Director, Catherine Fothergill. From the musical selections by composers such as Dimitri Shostakovitch, Francis Poulenc, Alfred Schnittke, and Benjamin Britten, to newly created sets and costumes, the production “is a true blending of classic and modern, and eerie, through and through,” says Michael Fothergill.

A part of Ballet Arkansas’ mission as a nonprofit organization is creative collaboration and partnering with both Cranford Co. and the Historic Arkansas Museum makes the ballet a true Arkansas world premiere, which will provide a rich audience and community experience.

Ballet Arkansas will present four public performances, Friday, October 18, 7:30 pm, Saturday, October 19, 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday, October 20, 2:30pm.

Audience members are encouraged to enjoy the holiday spirit and wear a Halloween costume to the Saturday, October 19, 7:30 pm performance. Tickets range from $25-35.  Students with a valid college ID may purchase $10 student rush tickets 45 minutes prior to the performance. Tickets are on sale now.

Ballet Arkansas’ performance of Sleepy Hollow will run approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, including intermission.