How many times have you been in a production of SUPERHERO?
What is your favorite scene in SUPERHERO?
Do you have a favorite role in the show, whether it’s one you’ve performed or not?
Favorite costume or part of a costume in the show?
What is your favorite piece of music in SUPERHERO?
What does SUPERHERO mean to you?
Why should everyone come see SUPERHERO A Story of a Man Called Jesus?
On the edge of Halloween, Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will cross into the darkness with performances of spirited theatrical storytelling. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, captivating the power of Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride, is interpreted through an eclectic array of music meshed with GHDT’s unique and dramatic fusion of dance styles.
LA LLORONA, a new work and world premiere, is the depiction of a folktale from Mexico and the Southwest of a legendary apparition figure dressed in white who cries and grieves for her drowned children along the riverbanks. Portrayed as a lost soul, experience her journey as she is pre-destined to wander the earth forever. And returning to the stage from the GHDT repertoire vault are the popular works THE REMAINING and SALOME. GHDT will bring to life these obscure and dark tales and leave you with chills.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre opens their 22nd Performance Season with THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS AND OTHER TALES at The Tarkington at The Center for the Performing Arts, October 25-26, 2019.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will be performing THE WILD WILD WEST at The Academy of GHDT weekends February 9-24, 2019.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre brings the American Old West into the black-box cabaret setting for a fun and up-close, theatrical experience weekends in February! GHDT gives a nod to the Western movies of old Hollywood with its new production of THE WILD WILD WEST. Complete with cowboys, gunslingers, bandits, townsfolk, lawmen and saloon girls, this interactive performance will feature renowned music from popular Westerns and elaborate costume of yesteryear. Refreshments from the general store will be available. Be sure to bring your loot as this is the annual fund-raising event for GHDT. Cowboy boots, chaps and Stetsons are suitable attire for audience members.
Under the direction of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, the student production of The Nutcracker will be performed at Pike Performing Arts Center November 30 – December 1, 2018.
“Sometimes you must go on a journey to find home,” is the theme of this heartfelt, enriching story. In their 21st Performance Season, GHDT will revel in theatrical tradition with the renowned student production of this holiday classic with a modern twist. GHDT’s full-length contemporary version features the highly-talented dancers of G2, the preprofessional company of GHDT. G2 is joined by students from The Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre and other young student dancers filling the stage with movement and color! The Nutcracke r follows the same overall story line as the original, but is uniquely different. This magical version portrays Klara as a homeless orphan girl who discovers the true meaning of the season through the gift and giving spirit of a homeless man. GHDT’s The Nutcracker prominently presents a wide range of world and cultural music in contrast to the traditional Tchaikovsky score.
The homeless man wishes for Klara to have a better life. Finding a broken Nutcracker doll in the garbage, he presents it to her. He casts a magic spell over Klara and she dreams of the grim reality of life on the streets with mice who chase and torment her. The Nutcracker appears and battles the Mouse Queen. Klara slays the Mouse Queen in his defense. Klara’s tears fall upon the defeated Nutcracker and he is transformed into a handsome prince. The Prince takes Klara on a journey to a magical kingdom where the beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy comes to dance with them. The colorful dances and costumes of the Kingdom dazzle Klara. She is no longer an orphan and has found her family. She will never be alone again. Through this adventure Klara has discovered the meaning of giving and the importance of giving from the heart. The greatest gift given is that of love and compassion for others. The Nutcracker is a family favorite and is sure to add joy and cheer to this holiday season.
For tickets, please click here.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre is performing a pop-up performance on November 9th and November 10th. We let the fans vote between two fan-favorite shows, Alice and Her Bizarre Adventures in Wonderland or The Black Dahlia. The winner is…
Two Nights only!
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre takes a gothic turn into artistic delirium with a wonderful retelling of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Mad Hatters, Queens, and Caterpillars lead the way through this terrific journey through a dark and strange world. Alice was last performed February of 2013.
Reserve your seat at the Tea Party and follow Alice down the rabbit-hole! Click here for tickets!
To make THE CASKET GIRLS come to life, Gregory Hancock was not alone. He enlisted the help and partnership of Cory Gabel. Cory is a composer, and composed all of the music for THE CASKET GIRLS. The two worked together, while living in two different states, to make the show happen. Gabel was inspired by the legend of “The Casket Girls” and used it to come up with the storyline of the show.
“The story for Act 1 felt fairly natural to bring together, based off the original “legend” of the Casket Girls. Like with any historical theme, Gregory and I quickly decided to make the main character Catherine the center of the story. The backdrop of New Orleans, the Ursuline Convent, nuns, locals… the story came quickly, and I remember thinking distinctly that I wanted it to have a Westside Story kind of vibe. Or… Romeo and Juliet, gothic, tragic love. The ending we had fun with, and overtly went with the horror movie trope of leaving everything unknown – who opened the caskets? Was Catherine a vampire all along? Did the King of France actually send the vampires over covertly to take care of the “problem” of New Orleans?”
Gregory and the company were in Indiana choreographing and rehearsing, while Cory, who lives in Connecticut, would send new cuts and versions of the music leading up to the final version that was used for the show. Gregory and Cory actually did not even meet until the weekend of the performance back in 2009. Even before the show premiered as one act, both knew they wanted to expand the show and extend Catherine’s story.
“Even before finishing, we had the idea that when we’d add a second act to the show, it would be in a different, future time period – that was Gregory’s idea. So, I’ve somewhat been thinking of Catherine’s arc for the last 9 years. Gregory has a huge affinity for voodoo culture (he gifted me homemade voodoo dolls after the first show!), so we both knew we wanted that element in Act 2.”
Fast forward nine years, and here we are in 2018 doing just that. The one act show, is now a full two-at story ballet. Cory came up with a storyline for Act 2, and then composed music to fit.
“I really settled in and wrote the bulk of Act 2 this year once I knew we were going to do the show. I really liked the notion that Catherine felt alone after what transpired in Act 1, but then feels this kindred spirit with the voodoo clan, and in particular, two of the women within. Quickly, our villain emerges, and I was drawn to the idea of having him be a vulgar narcissist who is hell bent on destroying everything and everyone. I suppose a writer is always influenced by current events. So – the theme gelled that these different women – either physically alive or alive only in spirit – would unite to protect those they love and rid everyone of a leader with a warped sense of “leadership”.”
Going off of the storyline Cory came up with for Act 2, Gregory choreographed a truly remarkable piece. You’ll witness conflict, love, death, and even a masquerade ball. THE CASKET GIRLS will arrive at The Tarkington Theatre September 21st and 22nd at 7pm. For tickets, click here. To learn more about composer Cory Gabel, read below.
Cory Gabel is an American composer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He first became known as the lead singer and songwriter for the grunge rock-era band Limestone Rome from 1993 to 2001. As a composer, he is known for his solo piano work and his frequent collaborations with dance companies, producing original, modern dance and ballet scores.
Cory was born in Hays, Kansas, where music was a central part of family life. A self-proclaimed (and proud) “band nerd,” he earned his first composing credit in high school with the drumline feature “Revolt of the Proletariat,” and went on to be the drum major of the marching band. Yup, that happened.
After graduating college, Cory moved to Los Angeles, and founded the alternative rock band Limestone Rome with his sister, Ursula. Digital recording, streaming and the Internet changed the landscape for indie rock bands, so Cory fronted the band, produced its records, and founded his own record label.
Cory parlayed his 90s alt-rock experience into instrumental piano records (curious, right?) in the early 2000s, releasing One Road and Alabaster Sky. He continued to experiment as a producer, and the exposure of his diverse range of music to filmmakers and producers paved the way into composing for dance, theater, and the occasional strange short film.
In 2009, he teamed with Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre for The Casket Girls. The project marked a career-defining turning point for Cory, as his rock and classical influences converged for the first time in a dark and dramatic piece. A new passion was affirmed, and the dance productions Water Wars, The Odyssey and The Moon would all soon follow.
In 2013, Cory combined his love of music and wine as a perfect excuse to embark on a “composing tour” of the California wine country. He spent a week in the vineyards of Paso Robles, keyboard in tow, using the surroundings as inspiration. The album Paso was the result, containing many of the nearly two dozen songs written during the tour.
Cory’s music and soundtracks can be found on Spotify, iTunes, and hundreds of digital outlets worldwide. His releases include the solo piano records Alabaster Sky and Paso, dance works The Casket Girls and Water Wars, the single Hallelujah and Limestone Rome’s Charge the Head. Sadly, nothing from high school marching band is available online. Yet.
Cory works from his home studio in Simsbury, CT, where he lives with his wife of 22 years, Donna, and their children Kiera, 12 and Max, 9
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre will open its 21stPerformance Season with the return of the gothic drama THE CASKET GIRLS. Originally premiered in 2009 as one act, this modern vampire ballet features original music composed by recording artist Cory Gabel of Simsbury, Connecticut, and choreography by award winning Artistic Director Gregory Glade Hancock of Carmel, Indiana. After nine years, these two artists have reunited to complete this full-length theatrical collaboration. Based on the lore of the casket girls who arrived in New Orleans from France in 1729 dragging their trousseaus, Act I will wind you through the mysterious happenings of the Filles a la Cassette, their residency at the Old Ursuline Convent on Chartres Street, and the suspicious activities surrounding them. The premiere of the full-length production of THE CASKET GIRLS will move the story from the legends of yesteryear in Act I to current day New Orleans with vampires, voodoo and mystery in Act II. This production will bring to life this dark and obscure story and leave you with chills.
“As with many of my works, time and place are often vaguely indicated in order to make the theatrical dance appealing on many different levels and to keep my work relevant and current,” says Mr. Hancock.
“THE CASKET GIRLS is a fascinating and unique tale of the origins of vampires in New Orleans,” Mr. Hancock adds. “I thought it was perfect to create a theatrical dance production around this legend.”
“It’s meant to be big, loud and creepy,” says original score composer Mr. Gabel. “There is a little melancholy and heartbreak along the way, too.”
Audiences will find this little-known story interesting and engaging. “Full-length story productions always draw in audiences. Storytelling in the theatre gives audiences connection as well as insight into the artistic process of the creators. The cast can play roles and create characters completely different from their own personalities,” says Mr. Hancock.
Reuniting on this theatrical dance and commissioned music project after nine years was meant to be. “The original collaboration for Act I of THE CASKET GIRLS was a great experience,” comments Mr. Hancock. “Cory was wonderful to work with and we both seemed to always be in sync with ideas and the direction for the piece. We had originally talked about expanding it to a full-length piece, so it is nice to finally have this opportunity,” he adds.
A fan of contemporary dance, Mr. Gabel notes, “I think we both saw the first production as Act 1 from the beginning, knowing that there was much more of a story to be told. To return to the characters and the storyline was always a draw for me. In the years since, I’ve collaborated on several other dance productions, many of which I’m very proud, but THE CASKET GIRLS has remained my favorite – the story, Gregory’s choreography and staging, and the music is about as ‘Cory Gabel’ as it gets. Not every collaborator understands my particular mix of orchestra, ethereal voices and industrial rock!” The original THE CASKET GIRLS soundtrack is currently available on iTunes, Spotify and other digital download or streaming platforms. Music from Act II will be available in the near future.
“It is rather rare to experience this kind of collaboration in the current dance/music environment. I think audiences will really enjoyTHE CASKET GIRLS. They will get drawn into this thrilling drama and go on an incredible journey with the cast,” says Mr. Hancock.
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre’s annual cabaret-styled fundraising performance, SIMCHA, will be presented weekends February 3-18, 2018 at The Academy of Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre, 329 Gradle Drive in Carmel. This powerful, dramatic, yet fun and energetic performance celebrates the resilient nature of Jewish heritage and culture. In true GHDT fashion, it will make you smile, laugh, and cry all in a span of two hours.
This is a show for everyone! Take a break from the Indiana winter weather roller coaster, and enjoy some theatrical entertainment!
Included in this performance is GHDT’s classic, “1941.” This piece depicts a mother grieving after the lose of her child. Accompanying the dancer, is a large piece of black fabric, which represents her emotion and path.
Also performed is a new exciting work choreographed by Gregory Hancock as well as a beautiful performance of “The Western Wall” by G2, our pre-professional company.
Tickets are $35 and includes complimentary light refreshments.
Performances are February 3-18. Saturday evenings at 7pm and Sunday afternoons at 3pm. Seating is limited. For tickets, click here!
It’s well into the holiday season. Cyber Monday is November 27th, 2017. GHDT is once again having our Cyber Monday Sale for Nutcracker tickets. From 12:00AM to 11:59PM on Monday, use the code HOLIDAY to receive $5 off single ticket prices! This does not include Group Tickets. Click here for tickets!
Nutcracker Anniversary PartyWhile you’re on Eventbrite getting your ticket deal, remember to buy your tickets for our Nutcracker Anniversary Party! GHDT is celebrating our 20th Season, and we’re ready to party! It’s on December 2nd at 1:00PM. Come enjoy food, drinks, raffles, and crafts for the kids. Klara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the Prince will also stop by for a bit! Party-goers get early admittance to the theater for the 3PM matinee performance. Tickets to the matinee performance are sold separately. Nutcracker Alumni get 1 free ticket to the party, and will receive 1 free ticket to the matinee performance at the party. For tickets, click here!
GHDT’s Holiday SpecialCome join Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre for our first ever Holiday Special! This family-friendly show will tell three classic stories – The Island of Misfit Toys, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Christmas Carol. After the performance, stick around for a small Christmas Party! We will have hot chocolate, small, sweet treats, and raffle prizes! You don’t want to miss this new addition to our season! For tickets, click here!
Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre is celebrating its 20th Season! To kickoff this exciting anniversary, the company is presenting “CELEBRATION!” on September 22 & 23 at The Tarkington in Carmel, Indiana. Artistic Director and Choreographer Gregory Hancock selected “classic” pieces from 20 years of repertoire for the company to perform. An audience favorite, “Bolero” will return to the stage as well as “1968” – both retrieved from the masterpiece archives. The concert will feature drama, precision and high energy dancing and will provide an amazing experience for everyone!
Join us in celebrating the 20th GHDT Season! All performances begin at 7 p.m. Tickets can be bought by clicking here, or by calling The Tarkington box office at 317-843-3800.
Do you plan on coming to see all of GHDT’s shows this season at The Tarkington? Season tickets are now available! Buying a season ticket saves you 10% off the regular ticket pricing for the three Tarkington performances. Season tickets are NOT available online, and can be purchased by calling the Tarkington box office at 318-843-3800 or by visiting the box office in person.
Mr. Hancock, the company dancers, and G2 dancers can not wait to celebrate our 20th Anniversary Season with our patrons. We will see you on September 22 & 23 to kick off the season of CELEBRATION!
