Tiny dancers will be first to step on new John Drew stage

This weekend, sea creatures donning flashy costumes, some inspired by fashions of the Roaring ’20s, will twirl and glide on the stage of the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall in East Hampton.

There are a lot of “firsts” riding on their tiny fins or pointy claws. Not only are the children of the Hampton Ballet Theatre School (HBTS) premiering an original ballet, “The Littlest Mermaid,” they will be the very first performers to step onto the brand new sprung floor stage of the John Drew and the first to take advantage of all the state-of-the-art technological wizardry built in to the restored and renovated theater.

The ballet is loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid,” and set to the music of the animated Disney movie and Broadway show of the same name. The musical score was written by Alan Menken, who also composed the scores for Disney’s “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Conceived by HBTS Director Sara Jo Strickland, working with her student Graylen Gatewood and Ms. Gatewood’s father, Grover Gatewood, the ballet, with choreography by Ms. Strickland, will present a slightly darker side of the tale than the Disney productions.

And, as if competing with a classic fairy tale and an adaptation of that tale in an award-wining Disney movie wasn’t enough, the ballet will also have the honor (and pressure) of being the first production at the newly renovated John Drew Theater. When the 27 dancers take the stage on Friday, they and the audience will be the first to experience the difference a $13.1 million renovation can make.

Of course, the entire $13.1 million wasn’t spent on the John Drew Theater—all of Guild Hall received a serious face-lift and reconstructive surgery. But the historic theater, the final phase of a multi-step project that spanned five years, received the lion’s share.

Construction included the restoration and upgrading of Guild Hall’s three art galleries, the creation of a new education center and sprawling administrative offices, the restoration of the lobby and the reinvention of the museum gift shop, borrowing ideas from metropolitan museums around the world. The theater renovation saw the interior restored to its 1930s glamor with the addition of cutting-edge technical bells and whistles.

Audiences will notice the comfort of plush blue seats, the lushness of velvet stage curtains that add drama and elegance, the newly-striped walls and ceiling, trellised wall fabric and, if a gaze is directed upward, a reconstructed balloons chandelier that harks back to the John Drew’s early days.

No matter where they are seated in the theater, audience members won’t be able to miss the knock-your-socks-off sound system. A Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound system has been added for film screenings, and the impressive audio for films and videos can nimbly switch over in an instant to live stage performance, where sound is picked up for amplification by microphones, according to acoustical engineers and sound system consultants JaffeHolden.

Front-fill speakers were added to the front of the stage to localize sound for stage and screen. Acoustics were improved by increasing sound frequency response and reverberation time through the installation of acoustical structures inside the theater walls.

For screenings—for the Hamptons International Film Festival or any of the John Drew’s own film series—the speaker system is calibrated to motion-picture industry standards. This means the John Drew meets the standards for Hollywood movie premieres, JaffeHolden assures. Blu-Ray HD (High Definition) technology, combined with the capacity to screen 16mm and 35mm prints, means the Drew is ready for any and all types of projection.

What audiences might not notice are improvements performers will welcome. The theater now has a basement level under the stage, dug out and created during the renovation, with an underground catacomb of six dressing rooms, ensuring that just about everyone gets treated like a star. When not occupied, some dressing rooms are large enough to double as rehearsal spaces.

A diva dressing room (with its own private bathroom, shower and kitchenette) is located at stage level to accommodate high powered stars performing at the John Drew Theater in a way that will make them want to come back, as Guild Hall Executive Director Ruth Appelhof pointed out at a press-only theater unveiling on April 3. When no diva is in residence, the kitchenette doubles as a staff and cast kitchen.

A 10-foot-high upstage loading door means big sets can be trucked right onto the stage. A double purchase underhung counterweight rigging system means no more tired arms and extra people needed during play productions.

The lighting system has a rainbow of colors at its disposal with a cornucopia of lighting types. There are ellipsoidal spotlights, broad floodlights, a follow spot, a black light and more. All told, there are more than 500 lights controlled by 288 dimmers.

The stage has two trap doors, and its sprung floor makes it the perfect surface for dancers. The floor (as well as the lighting, sound system and plenty of dressing room space) has Ms. Strickland happy with anticipation. Since her young troupe will be the first to use the facility, Ms. Strickland hopes to put some of the John Drew’s high tech wonders into play. At minimum, it will be a joy for her dancers to try entrechats, grands jetés and ballon on a floor where springing steps are easier to launch and more comfortable to land.

After getting the lay of the land in this outing, Ms. Strickland plans to incorporate more of the new advances at the John Drew when her troupe presents “The Nutcracker” there in December. For HBTS, it’s also the small things that matter. Having reserved seating is a bonus. So is having audiences able to see every movement of a dancer’s legs because of the seating layout and an elevated stage.

A clear view of the elaborate and fun costumes is also important. The ballet has ’20s-style flapper crabs, lobsters in tuxedos, pearls with feathered headbands and more. The costumes were designed and hand-sewn by Yuka Silvera.

“Being able to perform at the John Drew is a real boost for the school and for the performers,” Ms. Strickland said. “The girls are looking forward to having dressing rooms. The lighting is going to be a big change for us. It’s exciting to discover the possibilities.”

“The Littlest Mermaid” will be performed by the Hampton Ballet Theatre School on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the John Drew Theater, 158 Main Street, East Hampton. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12. Box seats and group rates are available. For reservations, call 631-237-4810 or email HTBS07@optonline.net.

The renovation of Guild Hall and the John Drew Theater was a project of Robert A.M. Stern Architects as architect and interior designer for the project. Theater consultant Fisher Dachs Associates and audio consultant JaffeHolden also contributed.

Guild Hall will launch the official John Drew Theater season over Memorial Day weekend with a slate of star-power performances and free community events. For more information and a complete schedule, call 324-0806, or visit www.guildhall.org.