Theater and dance fans won't want to miss the Trey McIntyre Project's final tour as a full-time dance troupe, performing at the Van Duzer Theatre at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 ($45, $25 children, $15 students). The Project has been in action for 10 years, earning critical and popular acclaim across the nation for its exuberant style — but after a closing performance at Jacob's Pillow in June, McIntyre is transitioning his Project over to a multimedia company, with two documentary films already in the works.
The program features two new contemporary ballets by McIntyre. In the first act, dancers and giant puppets designed by Michael Curry (The Lion King on Broadway, Cirque du Soleil) recreate the gothic tales of Edward Gorey, with music by Shostakovich and narration by actor Alan Cumming. Parents of young children may want to consider the dark nature of the Gorey stories — some puppets ominously exceed the dancers in size. The second act follows the life of British rocker Freddie Mercury, via tap dance and athletic ballet set to the legendary music of Queen. Although tap was McIntyre's initial dance passion, this is his first tap choreography to hit the stage — inspired in part by featured dancer Brett Perry, who was a championship tapper before attending Julliard.