John Gamble Dance Theater Spoofs Prop 8 Nov. 19-21

By Dan Nonte, University Relations

Contact: (336) 334-4314

Posted 10-28-09

GREENSBORO, N.C. — John Gamble Dance Theater, winner of Go Triad’s 2009 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Dance Company, will present a new work Nov. 19-21 spoofing California’s Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage.

“After Amadeus” will be performed at 8 p.m. in the UNCG Dance Theater at Walker Avenue and Kenilworth Street. Admission is $15 general, $12 for seniors and $9 for students. Call the UNCG Box Office at (336) 334-4849 for tickets and information.

Featuring music by Mozart and a cast of 16 actors and dancers, the production is set in the mythical Shire of Calfornica as a trial is held to determine whether the new law will stand. This lively, evening-length work includes comedy, court dances, period costumes, staged combat and text written in verse.

Todd Fisher performs as the Court Bailiff, Will Stimpson as the Royal Judge and Christine Kiernan Fisher as the Scribe. Renee O’Connor Heagney argues for the shire; Amy Blakely represents the ladies who wish to marry. Robin Spohr plays Blind Justice.

Among the Royal Court dancers are Amy Love Beasley, Kindal Blattner-Buterin, Emily Brenner, Virginia Freeman Dupont, Elizabeth Lane, Jennifer McNure, Amber Starr Peeden, Cory Stephenson, Megan Wilson Stern and Sara Ruth Tourek. Understudies are Katherine Kiefer Stark and Andrea Long Theis.

The cast, under the direction of Gamble, contributed movement invention and choreographic ideas; Gamble invented the text and choreographic structures. Stephen D. Hyers, the drama director at City Arts, choreographed the staged combat.

A faculty member at UNCG since 1985, Gamble has created more than 70 dance works, which have been performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. Co-founder of the N.C. Dance Festival, he has received an N.C. Arts Council Choreographic Fellowship, a UNC Board of Governors Teaching Excellence Award (2006) and an N.C. Dance Alliance Annual Award (2007).