One of the most innovative cultural institutions in the East Bay is the Crucible, an Oakland-based foundry that focuses on the cultural contributions of local blacksmiths, glassworkers and metal-casters. In recent years, the Crucible has also been collaborating with music directors on a series of "fire operas" that have included Dido and Aeneas. For the organization's eighth anniversary, the Crucible's director Michael Sturtz has expanded his vision to include a "fire ballet" based on Romeo and Juliet .
"We looked at a couple of different ballets, and Firebird was an obvious choice, but it helps if most people know the storyline. Romeo and Juliet has lots of romance and passion, and it just seemed to fit." Sturtz admits to not having an extensive background in the movement arts, so like any good director he drafted an eclectic crew of dancers trained in ballet, martial arts, break-dancing and aerial dance. Ballet choreographer Corrine Blum (San Francisco Ballet) is choreographing the ballet sequences, while Flyaway Productions is designing the aerial dancing. Wushu West and Flavor Group are coordinating the martial arts and break-dancing sections.
Music is an important part of the ballet, and Sturtz is working with music editor Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz, who is remixing Prokofiev's original score from 1938. Wlodarkiewicz was the music editor on the 1996 film version of Romeo and Juliet, and has updated the music, using contemporary rhythms to underscore the classical structure.
Sturtz says, "The challenge was to incorporate the fire so that it's not gratuitous and weave it into the storyline, accentuating the story with fire and using industrial sculpture to shape the ballet." Craftsmen from the Crucible are incorporated into the action, creating swords, flaming chandeliers and a myriad of hand-crafted props. The apothecary that gives Romeo his poison is actually a glass flame-working instructor who creates the vial on stage, and the lover's wedding rings are made from 2,400-degree bronze that is cast onstage during the performance.
Since the Capulets and the Montagues are gangs, Sturtz enlisted Wushu West and the Flavor Group to represent the diametric oppositions, while three of the Montague girls are actually performers from Jo Kreiter's Flyaway Productions. Blum is handling the classical component, helping integrate the disparate elements into a cohesive narrative.
"How to tell a story without words is challenging. Since this version of Romeo and Juliet is very movement-based, it's more in line with what we do, more visual, as opposed to being auditory like the operas," says Sturtz. The collaborative process was largely organic, bringing the artists together and brainstorming on how to create the ballet using classical language, urban dance influences as well as the industrial arts. Sturtz sorted through the artistic contributions, creating a linear structure using elements from all the contributors.
"There's a lot of similarities in bringing these groups together. There's a lot of sharing," he says. "You get them together and you can see the break-dancers learning from the ballet dancers, and you can see the industrial artists learning how to perform onstage. Both groups are passionate, and they have a lot in common because they require a lot of training to do what they do."
When describing the creative process, Sturtz says, "It's definitely a challenge. You have people that aren't normally working together and have varying degrees of comfort. You have to create a constant feeling of working together. The unifying idea is that everyone wants to do a great show. I call it 'guided freedom,' putting a bunch of people in a room and here's the bigger picture. How can we make this happen?"
Romeo and Juliet, A Fire Ballet at the Crucible, 1260 7th St., Oakland. January 10-13, 17-20 at 8:30 p.m. Tickets ($30-$55) (except Jan. 20, see website for details): (510) 444-0919 or www.thecrucible.org