"People think that life depends on the sun. I know that life depends on people"
- V. Nijinsky
NIJINSKY IN ASYLUM is a dance-theater piece telling the life and struggles of Russian dancer Vaslov Nijinsky and his two significant others: producer Sergei Diaghilev and wife Romola Pulszky. The work combines the theatricality and styles of classical ballet, modern dance and visual narrative theater while collaging the work of the choreographers and composers of the time. Choreographically and musically, the piece pulls from such classics as Afternoon of the Faun and The Rite of Spring, both choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky, as well as Giselle, Petrouschka, The Firebird and others. The embodied and orchestrated collage uses the styles and mood of each piece to tell the biographies of our three central characters: Nijinsky, Diaghilev and Pulszky. With acore cast of 5 and an ensemble cast of 10, NIJINSKY IN ASYLUM fills the stage with narrative and dance spectacle to provide an experience that triumphs instinct over reason, emotion over thought and, for Nijinsky, art over the self.
Conceived and Directed by Paul Bedard
Choreographed by Katie Palmer
Musical Directed by Randall Benichak
Coming Fall 2010
- - -
NIJINSKY IN ASYLUM plans to workshop August 2010 and perform Fall 2010.
This production builds on a December 2009 workshop production at Playwrights Horizons Theater School with design and dramaturgy by Meghan Kennedy, Katie Key, Julia Locascio, Lindsey Sikes and Dan Stearns. The December 2009 workshop featured:
Nijinsky: Tripp Fountain
Pulszky / Women: Rachel Sussman
Mother / Doctor Frenkel: Theresa BurnsDiaghilev / First Doctor: Aleks Krutainis
Prince Lvov / Massine: Matt Polacek
