Wonderbound in A Gothic Folktale. Image courtesy of Wonderbound.
On Friday, I had the pleasure of witnessing the talented troupe, Wonderbound (formerly Ballet Nouveau Colorado) for the first time onstage with A Gothic Folktale. Let’s first look at the title, A Gothic Folktale – honestly, this show is actually more bohemian and not that gothic of a production. I don’t think they truly understood the meaning of the word gothic; see for me gothic is more dark and mysterious whereas bohemian is more folksy, playful, and full of illusion and wonder. While the dance was mesmerizing and quite enjoyable, the production as a whole was a bit distracted and staccato. The main reason for this was trying to infuse too many elements into this show (sometimes – less is more). Even though I was amused by the illusions and mind games by Professor Phelyx, the overuse of him made the entire production a bit choppy and prolonged. I would have actually cut down the illusionist to one effect in the first act and another in Act Two with a grand finale (this would have helped with the flow and length of the show). The redeeming quality of this show were the excellent dancers and the stunning live band. The amazing band, led by Jesse Manley with original music for the show was the cherry on the top of the cake and the live aspect added such a wonderful quality to the production. The company was on their game and fabulous, and I thoroughly enjoyed their craft that brought the production such a playfulness, carnival-like air and sense of awe that left the audience spellbound. I especially was entranced by the twins, the lovers, and the fun with the levitating rods and balls. Exceptional dance numbers were “Millie and Christine”, “Levitation”, “The Rules”, “In Your Arms Again”, and “The Girl”. Wonderbound’s, A Gothic Folktale will be playing at the PACE Center (Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center) in Parker, CO. Performances are Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27 at 7:30pm. For tickets or more information, check out Wonderbound online at wonderbound.com or by calling 303-292-4700.
Michael Mulhern: Michael Mulhern has been active in performing arts in Colorado for over 10 years now. Whether it be singing, acting, or dancing, Michael strives to contribute to the community with his passion for the arts. He hails from Wiesbaden, Germany where he was classically trained in ballet and jazz. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior with a BFA in Theater Performance where he furthered his dance studies in tap, ballroom, and modern; and served as a choreographer for several musical productions. Currently he is an arts critic for numerous publications in Denver and a major theatrical website, as well as a fine dining server at the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. Michael is proud to bring his insight and love of dance to Presenting Denver!
A Gothic Folktale
A Gothic Folktale
On Friday, I had the pleasure of witnessing the talented troupe, Wonderbound (formerly Ballet Nouveau Colorado) for the first time onstage with A Gothic Folktale. Let’s first look at the title, A Gothic Folktale – honestly, this show is actually more bohemian and not that gothic of a production. I don’t think they truly understood the meaning of the word gothic; see for me gothic is more dark and mysterious whereas bohemian is more folksy, playful, and full of illusion and wonder. While the dance was mesmerizing and quite enjoyable, the production as a whole was a bit distracted and staccato. The main reason for this was trying to infuse too many elements into this show (sometimes – less is more). Even though I was amused by the illusions and mind games by Professor Phelyx, the overuse of him made the entire production a bit choppy and prolonged. I would have actually cut down the illusionist to one effect in the first act and another in Act Two with a grand finale (this would have helped with the flow and length of the show). The redeeming quality of this show were the excellent dancers and the stunning live band. The amazing band, led by Jesse Manley with original music for the show was the cherry on the top of the cake and the live aspect added such a wonderful quality to the production. The company was on their game and fabulous, and I thoroughly enjoyed their craft that brought the production such a playfulness, carnival-like air and sense of awe that left the audience spellbound. I especially was entranced by the twins, the lovers, and the fun with the levitating rods and balls. Exceptional dance numbers were “Millie and Christine”, “Levitation”, “The Rules”, “In Your Arms Again”, and “The Girl”. Wonderbound’s, A Gothic Folktale will be playing at the PACE Center (Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center) in Parker, CO. Performances are Friday and Saturday, October 26 & 27 at 7:30pm. For tickets or more information, check out Wonderbound online at wonderbound.com or by calling 303-292-4700.
Michael Mulhern: Michael Mulhern has been active in performing arts in Colorado for over 10 years now. Whether it be singing, acting, or dancing, Michael strives to contribute to the community with his passion for the arts. He hails from Wiesbaden, Germany where he was classically trained in ballet and jazz. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior with a BFA in Theater Performance where he furthered his dance studies in tap, ballroom, and modern; and served as a choreographer for several musical productions. Currently he is an arts critic for numerous publications in Denver and a major theatrical website, as well as a fine dining server at the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. Michael is proud to bring his insight and love of dance to Presenting Denver!