THE HIDDEN CHOREOGRAPHY OF A BALLET PRODUCTION
When the curtain rises on a ballet performance, audiences see the culmination of not just months of dancers’ rehearsals, but an intricate production process that began years earlier. At Ballet West, that process is orchestrated by Director of Production Michael Currey, who manages a team of eight and oversees everything from trucking and logistics to theatrical lighting.
The scale of this responsibility becomes clear when discussing Ballet West’s upcoming production of Cinderella. The journey of bringing the beloved ballet to Salt Lake City began with an unexpected opportunity: The Royal Ballet in London was selling their production as they prepared to build a new one. Through a partnership with Boston Ballet and Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet West was able to acquire the production - but that was just the beginning.
The logistics of transporting a full ballet production to Salt Lake proved to be a complex operation. “The shipping from England was a bit of nuttiness,” Currey recalls. “The Royal’s stores [warehouse] is nowhere near London — it’s in Wales. When you want something to be done, they have to arrange it well in advance because they send people from London to Wales to load your truck.”
The process involved multiple shipping forwarders, ocean transport, customs clearance, and careful coordination of trucks on both sides of the Atlantic. Through Ballet West’s shipping sponsorship with Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), the sets and costumes made their way across the ocean - though not without some challenges. Delays affected the scheduled refurbishment work in Boston, where the production would premiere before coming to Salt Lake.
The new production also included lavish costumes, all transported in large crates. “The Royal Ballet’s productions generally are overwhelmingly gorgeous, and everything has a cherry on top,” said Costume Director Jason Hadley. “The materials are lush and expensive, with extremely detailed trim.”
Cinderella is one of the largest produced by Ballet West to date, with over 250 costumes. Many of them required work, including several tutus missing their underskirts, which had been repurposed by the Royal Ballet. Ballet West’s costume department created new ones, repaired other costumes, and to top it off, created 60 new wigs and hair pieces that did not come with the production.
Ballet West spent 12 weeks of labor creating them, using $60,000 of budget allotted just for the wig package. Most of the wigs are built using human hair, which is then dyed and styled to fit the role. Once wigs are placed on the dancer, there is an illusion of hair growing out of the dancer’s head, thanks in part to a lace front just below the hairline that audience members can’t see because of makeup and stage lights.
Next up for the production crew was determining how to fit the sets into American theaters. Originally designed for the Royal Opera House’s massive stage, the production needed significant modifications. “Their stage is about triple the depth and nearly double the width of what we’re looking at,” Currey explains. The scenery had to be reduced in size while maintaining its visual impact.
For each Ballet West production, opening week sets off a flurry of work. A typical load-in schedule begins four days before opening night, transforming an empty stage into a complete theatrical environment. First comes the dance floor, then the overhead electrical equipment, followed by scenery. By the next evening, everything must be ready for the first onstage rehearsal, which is usually still under work lights while the focusing of theatrical lights continues.
Two days before opening night brings orchestra rehearsals and lighting sessions, where designers ensure every movement is properly illuminated. The final day before opening includes final adjustments and an invited preview. The entire process requires a crew of about 50 people, all coordinated by Currey’s team. Taking down the production goes much faster, requiring only a few hours to box everything back up for the next production.
“What I love about this job is that it’s different every day,” Currey reflects. With a background in stage management, he enjoys the precise planning required. “Getting that puzzle put together in a way that works the most efficiently is fun for my brain.”
After fifteen years with Ballet West, Currey has overseen countless productions, including the construction of a building addition next to the Capitol Theatre and the creation of a new Nutcracker production. His work represents the oftenunseen foundation that allows ballet to appear effortless to audiences - the result of careful planning, problem-solving, and coordination of numerous moving pieces.