Many arts organizations survive year after year operating on a shoestring, but what happens when the shoestring breaks? Two years ago Ballet Theater of Chicago burst onto the scene with an ambitious, low-budget production of Giselle that won raves from local critics and drew healthy crowds. But now its production of Bournonville’s La Sylphide, originally scheduled for six performances in May at the Athenaeum Theatre, has been canceled, and its tireless founder and artistic director, Mario de la Nuez, has been ousted as executive director of the Lexington Ballet, for the past year Ballet Theater’s sister organization.
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From its inception Ballet Theater has made the most of its affiliation with other dance troupes. The company began in 1994 when Ballet Chicago canceled a tour of Daniel Duell and Gordon Peirce Schmidt’s Hansel and Gretel; de la Nuez, then a dancer with the company, negotiated the rights to the ballet and put together a troupe and a six-city tour to feature his wife, Meridith Benson, a principal with Ballet Chicago. In March 1997 de la Nuez was named executive director of the Lexington Ballet and Benson became associate artistic director. Ballet Theater of Chicago, it was agreed, would share staff, talent, and repertoire with the Lexington Ballet.
Judging a Booklet by Its Cover
Don’t be surprised if you find B.J. Jones hanging out in the produce section. “A lot of our potential customers really do decide whether or not to buy a ticket based on what they hear from their friends while they’re pressing the melons in the Jewel,” he says. Jones, a veteran actor and director, was named artistic director of Northlight Theatre this week, and he wants to win back the affluent, well-educated, young to middle-aged people who’ve given up on Chicago theater. “From what I’ve heard, they just don’t like a lot of the shows that are being done anymore.”
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): Mario de la Nuez.
