Segerstrom Center for the Arts Announces the North American Premiere
of
American Ballet Theatre’s Like Water for Chocolate,
Christopher Wheeldon’s latest full-length ballet
Casting Announced:
Cassandra Trenary and Herman Cornejo lead the opening night cast
Music Performed Live by Pacific Symphony
March 29-April 2 in Segerstrom Hall
Tickets are on sale now at scfta.org
American Ballet Theatre is the Official Dance Company of Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Costa Mesa, CA – Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the North American Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s latest ballet, Like Water for Chocolate, from American Ballet Theatre for six performances from Wednesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 2. Center audiences will be the first in the country to experience this magical Mexican love story, with the stellar dancers of ABT translating this richly layered story.
Co-presented by the Center and ABT, led by Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, this three-act work is set to an original score by Joby Talbot and inspired by Laura Esquivel’s captivating and best-selling novel of the same name. This family saga set in 19th-century Mexico tells the story of Tita, a young Mexican woman overwhelmed by a sense of duty and family tradition, unable to marry until her mother dies.
In the novel, Esquivel writes, “For Tita, the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food.” Emotion runs deep, her only form of expression spilling out from the kitchen— influencing everyone around her in startling and dramatic ways. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she falls in forbidden love with her wealthy neighbor Pedro. Their hidden passion has far-reaching—and devastating—consequences.
Esquivel’s original novel has sold more than 4.5 million copies around the world and has been translated into more than 30 languages, while the memorable film adaptation won ten Ariel Awards (Mexico’s highest film honor), including Best Picture and, at the time of its release in 1992, was the highest-grossing foreign film in the United States and Canada.
Esquivel said, “Having Christopher and his team transform my story into a ballet is truly magical for me. It was a great pleasure to have them visit Mexico for extensive research and to develop the scenario together. I am amazed at how Christopher can translate deep emotions into movement, and I can’t wait to see this wonderful creative adventure unfold.”
Casting for Like Water for Chocolate
Wednesday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. – Cassandra Trenary* (Tita), Herman Cornejo* (Pedro), Christine Shevchenko* (Elena), Hee Seo* (Rosaura), Catherine Hurlin* (Gertrudis), Cory Stearns* (Dr. John Brown)
Thursday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. – SunMi Park* (Tita), Daniel Camargo* (Pedro), Zhong-Jing Fang* (Elena), Chloe Misseldine* (Rosaura), Skylar Brandt* (Gertrudis), Calvin Royal III* (Dr. John Brown)
Friday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. – Cassandra Trenary (Tita), Herman Cornejo (Pedro),Christine Shevchenko (Elena), Hee Seo (Rosaura), Catherine Hurlin (Gertrudis), Cory Stearns (Dr. John Brown)
Saturday Matinee, April 1 at 2:00 p.m. – Devon Teuscher* (Tita), Joo Won Ahn* (Pedro), Christine Shevchenko (Elena), Betsy McBride* (Rosaura), Catherine Hurlin (Gertrudis), Thomas Forster* (Dr. John Brown)
Saturday Evening, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. – SunMi Park (Tita), Daniel Camargo (Pedro), Zhong-Jing Fang (Elena), Chloe Misseldine (Rosaura), Skylar Brandt (Gertrudis), Calvin Royal III (Dr. John Brown)
Sunday Matinee, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. – Cassandra Trenary (Tita), Herman Cornejo (Pedro),Christine Shevchenko (Elena), Hee Seo (Rosaura),Catherine Hurlin (Gertrudis), Cory Stearns (Dr. John Brown)
*Debut in the role
More about Like Water for Chocolate
Like Water for Chocolate received its World Premiere from The Royal Ballet on June 2, 2022, at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Following the North American Premiere engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the New York Premiere will take place Thursday evening, June 22, at 6:30 P.M. at the Metropolitan Opera House, through Saturday, July 1, during ABT’s Summer season at Lincoln Center.
Lindsay Winship said in The Guardian, “Not all choreographers are good directors, but Christopher Wheeldon is … Expertly crafted ensemble scenes are full of buoyant energy, action, and rhythmic dancing. And the pas de deux are playful, with inventive imagery. The solidity of the production and the imagination of Esquivel’s world keep this ballet an engrossing, propulsive, fulfilling watch.”
Roslyn Sulcas said in The New York Times, “It’s testament to his skills and his team of regular collaborators that Christopher Wheeldon has succeeded in creating a big-spectacle ballet. Joby Talbot’s commissioned score (impressively conducted by Alondra de la Parra, who served as music consultant) is serviceably lush, using guitar, varied percussion, and Mexican instruments like the ocarina. Crowley’s décor, influenced by the Mexican architect Luis Barragán, is spare and ingenious; Natasha Katz’s lighting adroitly suggests changes in time and place.”
Judy Morr, Executive Vice President for Segerstrom Center for the Arts, shares, “Nothing could be sweeter than hosting the North American Premiere of Like Water for Chocolate for American Ballet Theatre’s Spring engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. To give our patrons and ballet aficionados the unique opportunity of being the first audience in the country to see this magical Mexican love story come to life by the extraordinary and talented ABT dancers is exciting.”
Susan Jaffe, Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, commented, “Putting together a production the size and caliber of Like Water for Chocolate have been both an exciting and challenging process. The dancers work so hard and beautifully to bring this deep, moving ballet to life on stage. ABT thanks Laura for sharing her story with Christopher and us for his creativity and partnership during this process.”
Like Water for Chocolate is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and American Ballet Theatre and is Christopher Wheeldon’s latest full-length ballet, marking a reunion of the creative team who delivered the critically acclaimed Royal Ballet productions Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (2011) and The Winter’s Tale (2014). Wheeldon is celebrated for his expressive choreography and theatricality and has worked extensively with the world’s leading dance companies. In 2014, he directed and choreographed the stage version of the musical An American in Paris and recently directed and choreographed MJ The Musical, winning the Tony Award for Best Choreography.
Wheeldon worked closely with Esquivel to reshape her story of magical realism into an entertaining and engrossing new ballet with a newly commissioned score by Joby Talbot and designs by Bob Crowley. Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra will lead Pacific Symphony by adding featured Mexican musician Tomás Barreiro on solo guitar. Lighting is by Natasha Katz, and video design is by Luke Halls.
Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s Like Water for Chocolate start at $29 and are available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services offices at (714)755-0236.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds Kaiser Permanente, its Official Health Care Partner. Riviera Magazine is the official media partner for the 22/23 Dance Series. The Center’s International Dance Series is made possible by Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and the Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances.
The Center especially recognizes co-lead production support from Elizabeth Segerstrom and the Spenuzza Velastegui Family Foundation with additional support by Mr. and Mrs. Eyal Aronoff, Mary and Richard Cramer, Kling Family Foundation and Jackie Glass, Lana and Walter Parsadayan, Michelle
