Michael Smuin’s Cinematic Production Features Complex Sword Fighting
Ballet West begins its new season with Romeo & Juliet, running Oct. 24 – Nov. 1. After The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet is perhaps the most choreographed ballet of the last 60 years. The combination of Shakespeare’s timeless love story and Prokofiev’s beloved music played live by the Ballet West Orchestra creates an irresistible foundation for dance and music lovers in Utah.
Even better, Michael Smuin’s choreographic version is infused with intense theatricality from his experience in film, television, and Broadway. His Tony Award-winning choreography (Anything Goes, 1988) can also be seen in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (Special Edition), A Walk in the Clouds, and The Joy Luck Club.
“Smuin’s version of Romeo & Juliet tells Shakespeare’s tale like no other ballet version. It is grand and intimate, full of energy and dynamics,” said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute. “The challenging production also features some of the most complicated sword fighting choreography in ballet that takes dancers many hours of rehearsal to master.”
Perhaps the most celebrated moment in Romeo & Juliet is the romantic pas de deux concluding Act I. As Ballet West Principal Artist Jenna Herrera describes, “When that Prokofiev music starts, you enter another world and it’s pure magic where you feel the love radiating through every movement.”
The production features multiple cast configurations with four different Juliets, two different Romeos, and a host of leading characters, allowing audiences to experience varied interpretations of Shakespeare’s tragic romance.
Performance Details
Ballet West’s Romeo & Juliet runs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1 at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. The production is recommended for audiences 8 and older. Single tickets are available, starting at $32.
ABOUT BALLET WEST
Led by Artistic Director Adam Sklute since 2007, Ballet West has been celebrated for innovation and excellence for over 60 years. Based in Salt Lake City, it presents classical masterpieces, historic works like America’s longest-running Nutcracker, and groundbreaking creations with unparalleled artistic standards. The 2025-26 Season is generously sponsored by Salt Lake Zoo, Arts & Parks, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, and Intermountain Health.
