Previews: COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SHOW at Rosa Hart Theatre

When you think of ballet, you might picture tutus, Tchaikovsky and pirouettes under stage lights. But Ballets with a Twist is about to shake up that image, literally. Their genre-defying production COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SHOW is headed to Lake Charles for its Louisiana debut, and it’s anything but traditional.

Presented by the Banners Series at McNeese State University, COCKTAIL HOUR arrives at the Rosa Hart Theatre on Thursday, May 1 for the 2025 cultural season, promising a high-energy, visually stunning evening where classic cocktails inspire captivating characters—and every sip comes with a story.

“I really wanted to take audiences back into a real nightlife feel,” says choreographer and company co-founder Marilyn Klaus, whose goal was to capture the glamour reminiscent of Astaire-Rogers films. “Even though we are a classical ballet company, I wanted the excitement of going out on the town.”

From the show description, COCKTAIL HOUR is set to serve up precisely that. Each dance number is inspired by a different cocktail, presented with clever musical stylings and opulent costumes. One standout is “Martini,” featuring a Bond-esque super spy clad in a tutu shaped like an upside-down martini glass. Another piece, “Bloody Mary,” draws its name from the drink and the historical figure Queen Mary I of England. Other show highlights include “Champagne,” “Brandy Alexander” and “Mint Julep.” Several of the performances are set to transport audiences through time, offering snapshots of culture and history.

“Audiences can recognize familiar artistic and historical references throughout the evening,” Klaus said. “They’re quick, pithy...so the audience can almost time travel throughout the evening  to all different kinds of time periods.”

The creative team—Klaus, composer Stephen Gaboury, and Costume Designer Catherine Zehr—works collaboratively, forming a self-described “three-headed Hydra” of innovation. Each piece evolves organically, with choreography, music and costuming developing in tandem.

“There is no formula of any piece,” Gaboury said. “Pieces can change over time. Some pieces start with the music, others with movement. We all feed off each other creatively and [are] expressive in a very free way. Generally, the overall rule of thumb is that it be fun and entertaining.”

The Rosa Hart Theatre show is particularly special, marking the troupe’s first Louisiana performance and an exciting collaboration with the local community. In addition to the professional performance, Ballets with a Twist will incorporate students from the Lake Charles Dance Academy and Lake Area Ballet Theatre into two pieces—“Mint Julep,” featuring younger dancers playing Kentucky Derby ponies at the race track, and “Champagne,” a classic nod to 1930s and ’40s Hollywood.

“They’ll be wearing our costumes, doing full choreography, learning the timing; it’s not just a cameo, it’s the real deal,” Klaus said. “They get to experience the life of a touring dancer for a week. And the energy they bring to the show? It’s infectious."

The production also includes an indoor collaboration with the South Beauregard High School marching band. Gaboury, who composed a new martial-style score for the number “Brandy Alexander,” notes how the energy of a marching band indoors is unparalleled.

“You never see marching bands indoors, you always see them outdoors on a field,” Gaboury said. “A band inside an auditorium is five times more powerful than it is outdoors. To hear 50 plus musicians in a room play like that is extremely powerful and exciting."

For Gaboury and Klaus, these community elements aren’t just meaningful but deeply personal.

"There's so much respect with the ballet and their teachers regionally inculcate that respect," Klaus said. "And that's so wonderful because that means they have their parents support, their whole family's support...The ballet is serious and they get such a kick out of that. They really get super charged and they respect it, but we respect them. It's really a blast."

"I think for any artist you remember as a young child those magical performances you've gone to that were so inspirational that just changed your life," Gaboury said. "And you go, 'Wow, I want to do that.' So now we have the opportunity to light up a kid's life and inspire them. It's just thrilling and amazing."

As for the audience experience, COCKTAIL HOUR is unlike traditional ballet. With an international cast of 18 dancers, brisk pacing, comedy and glamour in a variety show format, the evening flows like a sophisticated party.

“I really think that the Lake Charles audience will have kind of a scintillating night on the town,” Klaus said. “I don't think there will be a dull moment.”

Gaboury adds, “I talked to a lot of the men that sort of get dragged along with their wives to the show, and they're assuming, 'Oh, it's ballet, and it's going to be Swan Lake, and I can take a nap during the show,' and and they come out and go, 'I had no idea it'd be like this.'"

With dazzling entertainment for all ages, COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SHOW invites Lake Charles to sip, swirl and savor a new kind of ballet experience. Don’t miss your chance to toast this unforgettable evening on May 1.

Tickets for COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SHOW can be purchased at https://ci.ovationtix.com/36364/production/1218565?performanceId=11548396

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