All stories by Deborah on BroadwayStars

Saturday, February 8, 2025

The Wild Between Stars, West Australian Ballet, February 7 by Deborah

The stars were out and so was the moon. The audience gathered, as always, on the terraces at City Beach’s Quarry Amphitheatre with the traditional picnic baskets and wine to hand. The danc…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 12:43AM
Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Breaking Plates: a new film from Karen Pearlman smashes past and present together by Deborah

If you want to sum up the thrust of Karen Pearlman’s witty new short film in one piece of advice it’s this: women, whatever you do, do not gaze wistfully through a window. This passive…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 07:30PM
Thursday, January 30, 2025

Ivan Gil-Ortega named new artistic director of Queensland Ballet by Deborah

Queensland Ballet has chosen Ivan Gil-Ortega to be its next artistic director. The Spanish-born international artist will be the company’s seventh AD. He will start in February after a per…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 07:09PM
Monday, January 20, 2025

Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera. Sydney Festival. Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company. January 10. by Deborah

Obviously we’re not precisely at the opera. If so, the doors would have been shut against all-comers at the scheduled start time and there wouldn’t be all these people standing around in…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 12:52AM
Tuesday, December 31, 2024

The year in review: 2024 by Deborah

It’s been a few years since I’ve done a year’s-best list. Everyone loves a list, including me, and it’s fun to see what others found memorable. But while I’m always happy to share …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 09:04PM
Sunday, November 17, 2024

Oscar. Choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. The Australian Ballet, Melbourne, September 13, 2024. Sydney, November 8, 2024. by Deborah

Can something be simultaneously too much and not enough? That was the case for Oscar Wilde in his tumultuous, ill-fated, on-off relationship with the mercurial Lord Alfred Douglas and it’s…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 08:54PM
Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Dear Evan Hansen, Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group. Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney, October 18. by Deborah

Is there anyone, anywhere, ever, who hasn’t kept shtum about something not precisely true when put under pressure? Mostly it doesn’t matter but in the earnest chamber musical Dear Evan …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 04:14AM
Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon. Queensland Ballet, Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane, October 4 by Deborah

The unwieldy name of Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s bio-ballet carries the intimation that not everyone will know who Chanel was. Tell that to Brisbane, where Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 12:40AM
Tuesday, October 8, 2024

‘We can be the future only if we know the past’: Francesco Ventriglia talks about his new role at Alberta Ballet. October 8, 2024 by Deborah

Francesco Ventriglia became artistic director of Alberta Ballet in January 2024. Now 46, he has worked as a dancer, artistic director and choreographer in Italy, New Zealand, Uruguay, Austra…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 01:06AM
Tuesday, October 1, 2024

‘That’s Norma Desmond, that’s Norma Desmond’: one role in Sunset Blvd., many interpretations by Deborah

Andrew Lloyd Webber is rarely absent from a stage somewhere and it’s safe to say his work will outlive the scoffers, of whom there are many. Oh well, he can always cry all the way to the b…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 10:02PM
Friday, September 20, 2024

Opera Australia and its ‘commitment to musical theatre’ by Deborah

We have Opera Australia’s 2025 program in front of us now, launched this week without the presence of its key architect, former artistic director Jo Davies. As all opera-lovers know, Davie…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 02:04AM
Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Romeo & Juliet. West Australian Ballet, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth, August 30 and 31, 2024 by Deborah

When announcing her 2023 season for Royal New Zealand Ballet, then-artistic director Patricia Barker described the returning Romeo & Juliet as “a glorious production made for the St…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 03:58AM
Friday, August 30, 2024

Opera Australia and AD Jo Davies part company by Deborah

Opera Australia chose an unusual day on which to announce it had parted ways with its artistic director, Jo Davies. Tomorrow – Saturday, August 31 – is the Sydney opening night for Suns…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 03:18AM
Wednesday, August 28, 2024

The Australian Ballet announces its 2025 season by Deborah

In what will be David Hallberg’s fifth year as artistic director of The Australian Ballet, the company’s 2025 program offers new works by William Forsythe and Stephanie Lake, the return …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 08:24PM
Sunday, August 18, 2024

Solace, Royal New Zealand Ballet. Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch, August 16, 2024 by Deborah

Solace is a beautiful, onomatopoeic word. It sits softly in the mouth and the taste of its meaning lingers. It promises comfort, although has little to do with being comfortable. This is com…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 09:03PM
Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Leanne Benjamin resigns from Queensland Ballet by Deborah

Former Royal Ballet superstar Leanne Benjamin arrived at Queensland Ballet in mid-January as the company’s sixth artistic director. On August 2 she leaves the building. In a statement rele…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 10:28PM
Saturday, July 27, 2024

Bespoke. Queensland Ballet, Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre, Brisbane, July 25 by Deborah

Queensland Ballet’s commitment to its Bespoke program is important and necessary for the company, for choreographers and for the QB dancers. Bespoke isn’t the only place where new work h…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 05:19AM
Monday, July 22, 2024

Club Origami. Sydney Dance Company, Neilson Studio, July 19, 2024 by Deborah

How on earth do you keep a bunch of toddlers and babies quiet for more than half an hour? (Well, as quiet as toddlers and babies can be.) Club Origami seems to have the answer. This origam…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 08:36PM
Monday, July 15, 2024

Jewels, The Australian Ballet, Adelaide Festival Centre, July 11. The Australian Ballet on Tour, Civic Theatre Newcastle, July 12 by Deborah

George Balanchine’s Jewels was premiered by the Australian Ballet as part of the company’s 60th anniversary celebrations last year and very welcome it was too. It’s unlike anything…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 03:58AM
Thursday, June 20, 2024

Horizon. Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Opera House, June 13, 2024 by Deborah

When Bangarra Dance Theatre takes to the stage it is, without fail, in a spirit of generosity. That was true under the long-standing leadership of Stephen Page and feels true with Frances Ri…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 12:52AM
Monday, June 10, 2024

Romeo and Juliet Suite. L.A. Dance Project, Sydney Opera House, June 5, 2024 by Deborah

Love is love. If you want just three words to sum up Romeo and Juliet Suite, they’re the ones.  Benjamin Millepied’s thrilling dance work, set to selections from Prokofiev’s mighty ba…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 02:50AM
Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Romeo and Juliet. BIG Live, Civic Theatre, Newcastle, June 1. by Deborah

The name BIG Live doesn’t exactly scream ballet but that’s what the organisation does. BIG stands for Ballet International Gala, the arena in which BIG Live started operations in 2022. T…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 02:31AM
Sunday, May 19, 2024

Royal New Zealand Ballet artistic director Ty King-Wall by Deborah

Ty King-Wall finished his ballet career at the top, retiring from The Australian Ballet as a principal artist. By the time he stopped dancing in 2022 he had two young children, one born just…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 11:56PM
Wednesday, May 8, 2024

SILENCE. Karul Projects, Sydney Opera House, May 8, 2024 by Deborah

Thomas E.S. Kelly’s SILENCE has been well travelled since its premiere at the Brisbane Festival in 2020. That’s a measure of how well it’s been received, which is excellent, and the …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 06:23PM
Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Swan Lake. Royal New Zealand Ballet, St James Theatre, Wellington, May 4 and 5, 2024 by Deborah

It was a memorable few days for Royal New Zealand Ballet dancers Ana Gallardo Lobaina and Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson.  When they made their debuts as Odette/Odile and Siegfried at the May 2…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 08:39PM
Wednesday, April 17, 2024

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scarlett). Queensland Ballet, Playhouse, Brisbane, April 16, 2024 by Deborah

There is a great deal of joy in Liam Scarlett’s deliciously funny, sensual A Midsummer Night’s Dream. And – always – a great deal of sadness that his life was so short. Yesterday, A…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 01:36AM
Monday, April 15, 2024

Carmen. The Australian Ballet, Sydney Opera House, April 10, 2024 by Deborah

Johan Inger sees Carmen as a nightmare, which it is. In his darker-than-dark version of a story that just won’t go away, the Swedish choreographer gets inside the head of the woman’s mur…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 09:08PM

La Bayadère. West Australian Ballet, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth. April 12, 2024 by Deborah

In 2018 Greg Horsman choreographed a version of La Bayadère for a trio of commissioners, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His setting was mi…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 03:13AM
Monday, April 1, 2024

West Side Story. Opera Australia. Fleet Steps, Mrs Macquaries Point, Sydney, March 22, 2024. by Deborah

Speaking in 1985 at a symposium about the creation of West Side Story, Jerome Robbins said he had wanted to see how far he, Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents could go in bringing their …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 12:41AM
Thursday, March 21, 2024

THREE, Australasian Dance Collective. Brisbane Powerhouse, March 20, 2024 by Deborah

Amber McCartney’s solo dance work Tiny Infinite Deaths was a big success when it premiered in 2022 in an artist development program called Pieces, presented by Melbourne’s Lucy Guerin …

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 07:49PM
Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The Australian Ballet, Sydney, February 20, 2024 by Deborah

Christopher Wheeldon is a ballet choreographer who doesn’t stay in his lane. Neither did George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille or Jerome Robbins. Ditto Twyla Tharp, still making new work at th…

SOURCE: deborahjones.me at 05:28PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre