‘Sleeping Beauty’ wakes up Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

“The Sleeping Beauty”

Performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Benedum Center for the… “The Sleeping Beauty”

Performed by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

Benedum Center for the Performing Arts

Oct. 16-18

Backstage will be a flurry of elegant tutus, suit jackets and ruffles, but the audience at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s performance of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “The Sleeping Beauty” will see only the lavish costumes and the dancers’ graceful steps on stage.

“It’s one of those full-blown, full-scale ballets,” said Alexandra Kochis, who will dance the part of Aurora.

The fairytale spectacle will play Oct. 16-18 at the Benedum Center. Students who want to spend a few hours lost in the magic can purchase discounted tickets through Pitt Arts .

Segmented into a prologue and three acts, the show begins with a whirl of sparkling crystal adornments during Aurora’s christening, where several fairies gather to see the infant princess and bestow her with gifts. The evil fairy Carabosse places a curse on Aurora that will cause her to die upon pricking her finger on a spindle on her 16th birthday. Fortunately, Lilac Fairy’s gift reduces the severity of Carabosse’s curse to slumber instead of death. A prince’s kiss is her only means of revival.

“Can you imagine how magical that would be? People used to fairies, used to living among the fairies,” Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre costume designer Janet Marie Groom said.

The first act presents a burst of party attire and celebration at Aurora’s 16th birthday party, where the ballerina performs duets with every potential suitor. Unfortunately, she is tricked into pricking her finger on a spindle and falls into a deep sleep, awaiting her prince.

The second act portrays Prince Desire’s profound sadness over his loneliness.

“He’s feeling a little bit weird. He’s thinking that this is not right or something, you know, maybe it’s something boring,” Kwang-Suk Choi, who plays the prince, said.

A hunt scene in the garden is full of tri-point hats, ruffled sleeves, brocade hoopskirts and velvet jackets. Enticed by a vision of the beauitful Aurora, Prince Desire goes to seek his love. Inevitably, he is able to dance his way to kissing her and breaking the curse.

“It’s a very ethereal, other worldly sort of tone in that act,” Kochis said.

Finally, the third act includes the expected happy ending with an opulent royal wedding. Once again, costumes are rich and lavish to accent the dancers’ polished and classical movements.

“Our job is to make the dancers feel absolutely, positively gorgeous, so that when they go out there they can do everything that’s in their muscle memory from rehearsal,” Groom said.

The lavish costumes are the work of costume designer David Walker and are on loan from the Boston Ballet.

“The costumes are beautiful, very romantic,” Kwang said.

“It’s like a painting, you do the background that’s the scenery, and then you do the people, that’s the costumes,” Groom said.

The audience will never know the incomprehensible number of costume pieces carefully cataloged or the bustle backstage to ensure that each and every dancer looks wonderful. They’ll only get to experience the splendor and spectacle of such an elaborate show.

Some of the people who will appreciate the experience most are those who saw the Disney version of “Sleeping Beauty.” That majestic fairytale world comes alive on the stage with thematic dances, music and expressions that are comfortingly familiar.

“Sometimes they know ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ story, and usually the program has a very detailed story. Usually, whenever they come in, the people watching the show, they have to read the story,” Kwang said.

Through all its spells and grandeur and magical moments, the story is relatable. At its core, “The Sleeping Beauty” is a classic story, and the dazzling steps of classical ballet enhance the emotions and motifs.

“There are basic human themes throughout the story that are kind of fairytaled up a bit. But if you look past that, it’s the same kind of themes — people looking for love, people growing up and that kind of stuff,” Kochis said.

It’s the small details, such as the elegant costumes, paired with graceful steps and a well-known story that really help to make the show a sensational experience.

“I think it’s just a real beautiful fairy-tale ballet,” Groom said.