FABLES AND FOLKLORE will open the concert with the long-awaited return of Gregory Hancock Dance Theater (GHDT)’s production of PINOCCHIO, a theatrical masterpiece created by Executive Artistic Director Gregory Glade Hancock and inspired by the classic tale. Featuring a cast of colorful characters in a Steampunk-setting performing theatrical choreography, this version weaves the cautionary tale of love and sacrifice into the visual storytelling. Joined by characters Geppetto, the Cricket and the Blue Fairy, PINOCCHIO, a puppet who magically becomes a real boy, sets out on his own to discover the world and experiences consequential adventure.
In the second half, GHDT will present the World Premiere of THE GOLEM. Inspired by the Czech folklore The Golem of Prague, this original work by Executive Artistic Director Gregory Glade Hancock tells the story of a mud creature crafted by a rabbi to defend the Jewish ghetto of Prague from persecution. GHDT brings elements of this story into our current world, where once again, the world needs golem-like protection from sometimes invisible enemies. A timely tale, THE GOLEM utilizes the idea of a solar eclipse as a metaphor where the light is overshadowed by darkness, but then reappears as a sign of hope and goodness. Featuring both melancholy and joyful klezmer music, THE GOLEM utilizes
layers of musical and theatrical nuance to tell a tale from the past yet direct a voice to the present.