A Tight Fit: Nevada Ballet Theatre injects dance into ‘Streetcar Named Desire’

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004 | 9:27 a.m.

What: "A Streetcar Named Desire."

When: 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Judy Bayley Theatre, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Tickets: $25, $40, $60.

Information: 895-2787.

Translating Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire" into a ballet might seem a daunting task for any choreographer.

But three years ago Mark Diamond, project director for the North Carolina Dance Theatre, was commissioned to undertake the project.

His dancers pulled it off to successful reviews, creating a new format for the steamy, Pulitzer Prize-winning play, known for its rich language and dialogue.

When Nevada Ballet Theatre presents the production at the Judy Bayley Theatre this weekend, it will be the company's first large-scale contemporary production, according to Artistic Director Bruce Steivel.

Set in New Orleans' sweaty French Quarter, the play captures the ruin of a faded Southern belle, Blanche, who shows up at her sister Stella's tiny, run-down tenement apartment after the family home was lost to creditors.

Blanche's formal upbringing, shady past and childish lies collide with those of Stella's husband, Stanley, an abusive, working-class brute who taunts her with the truth.

Nevada Ballet Theatre company's Baris Erhan performs as the swaggering Stanley. Tess Hooley is Blanche, Natalia Chapourskaya is Stella, and Kyu Dong Kwak is Mitch, Blanche's suitor.

"We're hoping to attract diverse audiences," Steivel said.

"We're always looking for new audiences. Our classical audiences are building, and we thought it was time to put on something contemporary."

Diamond, who is guest choreographer for Nevada Ballet Theatre's production, said translating the intense drama to a ballet was a challenge, but he defends any loss of its distinctive language.

"We have at least two languages," Diamond boasted quietly between rehearsals. "Modern dance and classical ballet."

To enhance the cultural tension between Blanche and Stanley and the old South and the gritty, untamed New Orleans, Diamond uses a variety of music ranging from Dixieland to classical.

"This has a very unique soundtrack -- 13 different composers," Diamond said. "Classical music represents Blanche's Southern world. Jazz represents the modern age and the brash Stanley, who represents the hard truth in life."

While choreographing the production, Diamond said he would watch Elia Kazan's 1951 movie, starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh, without sound to study the body language of the actors.

"That told me where to go with it," Diamond said. "It's a great play. It has everything in it."

More emphasis is placed to certain scenes and new characters were represented, rather than spoken of. For example, Blanche's young husband, who had killed himself years prior, appears dancing onstage as Blanche explains the story to Mitch.

Those unfamiliar with the story and previous productions will still grasp its essence, Diamond said.

"You're going to get the basic idea of conflict between two worlds, conflict between Blanche and Stanley," Diamond said.

Hooley, a nine-year member of Nevada Ballet Theatre, whose performances include Cinderella in this season's production of "Cinderella," said Blanche is her ideal role.

"I've done a lot of contemporary work," Hooley said. "That's my love in ballet."

Hooley said she finds such contemporary productions as "Streetcar" more intense than classical ballet.

"It's a way of telling about a little slice of life, telling what people go through," Hooley said. "There's nothing like it.""