[cid:1da41c53-2bca-4a03-b5a9-77bac4b21c28] March 16, 2018 IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Julia Dillard, Marketing Manager info@clevelandballet.org 216-320-9000 Cleveland Ballet presents the World Premiere of Alice, choreographed by Joffrey Ballet Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Margo Sappington. CLEVELAND, OH March 16, 2018: Cleveland Ballet is pleased to announce our premiere of Alice, an original evening-length ballet choreographed by Margo Sappington. Sappington is not new to Cleveland audiences. ‘If He Were Mine’, a glamorous pas de deux choreographed by Sappington for America’s favorite ballerina, Cynthia Gregory received standing ovations in the mid 90’s. This work was created for the former Cleveland Ballet. The production of Alice marks the final performance of Cleveland Ballet’s third season. Commissioned by Cleveland Ballet to create this new work, Sappington is bringing fresh fantasies and an original score to this modern re-imagining based on the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll. Inspired by a turn-of-the century circus, Sappington says the production will have a “belle époque” aesthetic, with an open “circus ring stage” that will enable the audience to witness the dancers as they transform into various characters. Since the creation of her first ballet for the Joffrey Ballet in 1971, Sappington’s vibrant career has taken her around the world, creating original works for companies such as Pennsylvania Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance, Ballet Next, Kansas City Ballet, Ballet du Capitole (France), and Central Ballet of China, among many others. She has received nominations for both a Tony Award for Best Choreographer and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography as recognition of her work on the Broadway revival of “Where’s Charley?”. She is also the recipient of Joffrey Ballet’s Lifetime Achievement award for her contributions to the art of ballet. Sappington says, of this production: “The thing that’s exciting to me about the story of Alice is that it’s so theatrical. This production is not just going to be a dance, it’s a theater experience through dance. Reading the book again after many years, I was struck by how it’s all over the place. It’s funny, creepy, weird and nonsensical, so I thought to do it like a circus. Alice will take place inside a big circus ring, where you’ll see dancers turn into different characters as they step outside the ring and pick up a hat, or a coat. It’s going to have a funky, inclusive feel as opposed to a presentational feel where we hide everything from you.” “The musical score will be original, I’m putting it together with a composer friend of mine. We will have a string quartet playing a Mozart minuet, a trumpet and an accordion for some of the transitions, and then some Ravi Shankar, Esquivel, Django Reinhardt, and British Light Classical music. I want there to be surprises, musical surprises, and also things that are familiar.” Cleveland Ballet is dedicated to creating an appreciation for reimagined classical, modern and contemporary ballet. Media professionals are invited to schedule interviews with Margo Sappington or Cleveland Ballet Artistic Director Gladisa Guadalupe. Please contact Cleveland Ballet 216-320-9000 x102 and speak with Maureen Basista to schedule times or for more company-related information. For more information on our world premiere of Alice at the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square on Friday, May 11th at 8pm and Saturday, May 12th at 11am., visit our website www.clevelandballet.org<http://www.clevelandballet.org/> or playhousesquare.org to purchase tickets ($25-$69). What: Alice Who: Cleveland Ballet Performances: May 11th and May 12th 2018 Time: Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 11am Location: Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square Admission: $25 - $69 Celebrating Alice Opening Night Benefit Dinner and Show Friday May 11, 2018 5:30 pm, cocktails & dinner at Cibréo Privato 2037 E. 14th Street Cleveland Ohio 8:00 pm, performance at Ohio Theatre Cost of the evening is $150 per person For more information on Cleveland Ballet, visit clevelandballet.org, or call 216-320-9000 Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.