'Divas' to take stage for ballet's tribute

Charleston Ballet Theatre's "Alive & Kicking" season opens Friday with a new production, "Decadent Divas," that combines fashion, music and dance.

The ballet, created by resident choreographer Jill Eathorne Bahr, is a celebration of 12 iconic female entertainers, including Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Madonna and Mariah Carey.

Bahr spent many nights listening to, setting and resetting the playlist to find the perfect representation of each of these women, creating a musical line to tie the divas together.

"It started out as just that," says CBT administrative director Kyle Barnette. "But the more Jill thought about how these women were as icons, the more she started thinking of other ideas."

The show turned into a multi-media production that is a collaboration of several area businesses and services.

First, the ballet approached Charleston couture designer Mary Porter (www.maryportercouture.com) to provide a few gowns representing some of the women in the show. But Porter became so interested in the subject that she was inspired to design the costumes for the entire production.

"We loved the idea of a photo shoot with some of her gowns," Barnette says. "But she got so excited and said, 'Why not just design costumes for the entire show?' It's pretty amazing what she's come up with. She has made her designs fit the personality of the divas."

On opening and closing nights, Porter will host a mini-runway presentation of her fashions before the production.

A Stuart Laurence Salon (www.slsalon.com) will design the divas' hair and makeup for the show.

"Then Jill decided to add video elements to the show," Barnette says. "She was working on it but decided it was really complicated."

Steve Lepre and Mark Mc- Kinney of Sunhead Projects stepped in and have contributed video pieces for each element that will play on the six flat-screen TVs that surround the stage and are behind the set.

"It's really cool," Barnette says. "It's not like watching a Madonna video. It has imagery that highlights the dance itself."

After the Friday and Saturday shows, audience members are invited to Fish restaurant for a post-show "Diva Rendezvous" with a complimentary cheese selection, cocktail specials, live DJ and a chance to mingle with the artists and divas.

"Decadent Divas" will be performed at the CBT's Black Box Theatre, 477 King St. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Oct. 9 and 10 and 3 p.m. Oct. 4.

"We are adding a second week to the King Street shows because of demand from last year," Barnette says.

Tickets are $32 and $30 for adults and $15 for students with ID and are available at the theater box office, online at www.charlestonballet.org or by calling 723-7334.

The ballet also will host an opening night champagne toast to celebrate the season kickoff.

Brenda Rindge can be reached at 937-5713 or brindge@postandcourier.com.