Press Release: Northern Ballet announces major national tour for children's ballet (The Ugly Duckling)

[Jan McNulty]

For immediate release 21 November 2022   Northern Ballet announces major national tour for well-loved children’s ballet      Ugly Duckling, a ballet for children  will tour nationally February – May 2023  northernballet.com/ugly-duckling      Northern Ballet has announced that its well-loved ballet for children Ugly Duckling, will embark on a major national tour throughout spring 2023, following its sell out performances in Leeds and London last month. The production will tour from February to May 2023, visiting more than 25 theatres.    Ugly Duckling is lonely and fed-up, ignored by those around her who think she is too ugly to fit in. She tries to make friends with fellow ducklings as well as with frogs, cats and even a fox, but realising she is not like any of these animals, she is left sad and alone. Follow the duckling on her journey as she overcomes her troubles and learns to love herself and those around her.   Retelling the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, this child friendly 40-minute ballet has been created especially for children and their families to experience live dance, music and theatre together.       Ugly Duckling was the first children’s ballet from Northern Ballet, premiering in 2012. The Company has produced eight children’s ballets which have achieved huge popularity live on stage, in CBeebies TV adaptations and in cinemas nationwide. In its third revival since premiering, Ugly Duckling will be performed to music by John Longstaff, played live by members of Northern Ballet Sinfonia at every venue. Sets are designed by Dave Gillan, lighting by Alastair West, and costumes designed by Julie Anderson.     Federico Bonelli, Artistic Director of Northern Ballet 'Northern Ballet is committed to breaking down barriers to world-class ballet and our unique children's ballet programme enables children and their families to experience the wonder of live dance, music and theatre at their local theatres across the country.'   For venues, updates to on sale dates and details on how to book, please visit northernballet.com/ugly-duckling    -ENDS-    Notes to Editors  Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s leading and widest touring ballet companies. Bold and innovative in its approach, Northern Ballet is prolific at creating new full-length work with a unique blend of strong classical technique and impressive storytelling. Northern Ballet’s repertoire embraces popular culture and takes inspiration from literature, legend, opera and the classics, pushing the boundaries of what stories can be told through dance.      A champion for the cultural exports of the North, Leeds-based Northern Ballet is dedicated to bringing ballet to as many people and places as possible, under the leadership of Artistic Director Federico Bonelli. Northern Ballet’s Company of dancers performs a combination of its full-length ballets and specially created ballets for children at more than 40 venues annually.      Launched in 2019, Northern Ballet’s digital dance platform ensures more people can access their work, from full-length films of popular ballets through to exciting short dance films by up-and-coming choreographers and filmmakers. Visit digitaldance.org to discover more.   In addition to Ugly Duckling, Northern Ballet will be touring the children’s classic, The Nutcracker to theatres across the UK this autumn. To find out more visit northernballet.com/whats-on      Ugly Duckling 2023 Tour Listings    Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre Leeds  Sat 11 – Wed 15 February 2023* Box Office 0113 200 8008  theatreleeds.com Buy tickets now    Stoke Regent Theatre  Thu 16 February 2023  Box Office 0844 871 7615 atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre Buy tickets now   Hull New Theatre  Sat 18 February 2023  Box Office 01482 300 306  hulltheatres.co.uk Buy tickets now   Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield  Sun 19 February 2023  Box Office 01484 430528  thelbt.org On sale soon    Mansfield Palace Theatre  Tue 21 February 2023  Box Office 01623 633 133  mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre Buy tickets now    Buxton Opera House  Wed 22 February 2023  Box Office 01298 72190   buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/ Buy tickets now   Corby The Core  Thu 23 February 2023  Box Office 01536 470 470  thecorecorby.com  Buy tickets now    Doncaster Cast  Sun 26 February 2023  Box Office 01302 303 959  castindoncaster.com On sale soon    Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre  Tue 28 February 2023  Box Office 01429 890000  culturehartlepool.com/town-hall-theatre  Buy tickets now   Goole Junction  Sat 4 March 2023  Box Office 01405 763 652  junctiongoole.co.uk  On sale soon    Bridlington Spa  Tue 28 March 2023  Box Office 01262 678258  bridspa.com  On sale soon    Middlesbrough Theatre  Thu 30 March 2023  Box Office 01642 81 51 81  middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk  On sale soon    Crewe Lyceum Theatre  Sat 1 April 2023  Box Office 0343 310 0050  crewelyceum.co.uk   Buy tickets now   Wolverhampton Grand Theatre  Sun 2 April 2023   Box Office 01902 42 92 12  grandtheatre.co.uk  Buy tickets now    Durham Gala Theatre  Tue 4 – Wed 5 April 2023  Box Office 03000 266 600  galadurham.co.uk  Buy tickets now   York Theatre Royal  Thu 6 April 2023  Box Office 01904 623568  yorktheatreroyal.co.uk  Buy tickets now   Bradford St George’s Hall  Sat 8 April 2023  Box Office 01274 432000  bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/st-georges-hall On sale soon    Derby Theatre  Tue 11- Wed 12 April 2023  Box Office 01332 59 39 39  derbytheatre.co.uk  On sale soon    Newcastle Northern Stage  Fri 14 – Sat 15 April 2023*  Box Office 0191 230 5151  northernstage.co.uk  Buy tickets now   Berwick Maltings   Sun 16 April 2023  Box Office 01289 330 999  maltingsberwick.co.uk  On sale soon    Harrogate Theatre  Tue 18 April 2023  Box Office 01423 502 116  harrogatetheatre.co.uk  Buy tickets now    Barrow Forum  Thu 20 April 2023  Box Office 01229 820000  theforumbarrow.co.uk  On sale soon    Blackpool Grand Theatre  Fri 21 April 2023  Box Office 01253 290190 blackpoolgrand.co.uk  Buy tickets now    Edinburgh Festival Theatre   Sun 23 April 2023   Box Office 0131 529 6000  capitaltheatres.com   On sale soon    Oldham Coliseum   Sat 29 April 2023   Box Office 0161 624 2829  coliseum.org.uk  Buy tickets now   Aylesbury Waterside   Mon 1 May 2023   Box Office 0844 871 7615   atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre   On sale soon    *Relaxed Performance available. Aims to reduce anxiety around theatre visits by creating a more informal environment. May benefit people with sensory or communication difficulties, or a learning disability. Please contact the relevant Box Office for more details.   Illustration, Emily Nuttall.

[Jan McNulty]

Isabella Gasparini, a soloist with the Royal Ballet, created the role of the Ugly Duckling when she was a dancer with Northern Ballet.

[Jan McNulty]

Reminder PR:

 

View in Browser           For immediate release 25 January 2023   Northern Ballet's well-loved children’s show  touring nationally 11 Feb - 1 May 2023                     Ugly Duckling, a ballet for children  begins national tour next month northernballet.com/ugly-duckling                      Northern Ballet's well-loved ballet for children Ugly Duckling, begins it's national tour next month. The bite-sized ballet will open at at Northern Ballet's home, the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre next month, before visiting 25 venues nationally.    The ballet retells the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, following the duckling on her journey as she discovers her true self. Ugly begins lonely and fed-up, ignored by those around her who think she is too ugly to fit in. She tries to make friends with fellow ducklings as well as with frogs, cats and even a fox, but realising she is not like any of these animals, she is left sad and alone. Join the duckling on her journey as she overcomes her troubles and learns to love herself and those around her.   Visiting cities and towns across the UK, Northern Ballet aims to break down barriers to world-class ballet, providing opportunities for children and their families to experience live dance, music and theatre together, at an accessible price and venue.                     Ugly Duckling was the first children’s ballet from Northern Ballet, premiering in 2012. The Company has since produced eight children’s ballets which have achieved huge popularity live on stage, in CBeebies TV adaptations and in cinemas nationwide. In its third revival since premiering, Ugly Duckling will be performed to music by John Longstaff, played live by members of Northern Ballet Sinfonia at every venue. Sets are designed by Dave Gillan, lighting by Alastair West, and costumes designed by Julie Anderson.     For venues, updates to on-sale dates and details on how to book, please visit northernballet.com/ugly-duckling                  Notes to Editors  Ugly Duckling 2023 Tour Listings    Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre Leeds  Sat 11 – Wed 15 February 2023* Box Office 0113 200 8008  theatreleeds.com   Stoke Regent Theatre  Thu 16 February 2023  Box Office 0844 871 7615 atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre   Hull New Theatre  Sat 18 February 2023  Box Office 01482 300 306  hulltheatres.co.uk   Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield  Sun 19 February 2023  Box Office 01484 430528  thelbt.org   Mansfield Palace Theatre  Tue 21 February 2023  Box Office 01623 633 133  mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre   Buxton Opera House  Wed 22 February 2023  Box Office 01298 72190   buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/   Corby The Core  Thu 23 February 2023  Box Office 01536 470 470  thecorecorby.com    Doncaster Cast  Sun 26 February 2023  Box Office 01302 303 959  castindoncaster.com   Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre  Tue 28 February 2023  Box Office 01429 890000  culturehartlepool.com/town-hall-theatre    Goole Junction  Sat 4 March 2023  Box Office 01405 763 652  junctiongoole.co.uk    Bridlington Spa  Tue 28 March 2023  Box Office 01262 678258  bridspa.com    Middlesbrough Theatre  Thu 30 March 2023  Box Office 01642 81 51 81  middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk    Crewe Lyceum Theatre  Sat 1 April 2023  Box Office 0343 310 0050  crewelyceum.co.uk     Wolverhampton Grand Theatre  Sun 2 April 2023   Box Office 01902 42 92 12  grandtheatre.co.uk    Durham Gala Theatre  Tue 4 – Wed 5 April 2023  Box Office 03000 266 600  galadurham.co.uk    York Theatre Royal  Thu 6 April 2023  Box Office 01904 623568  yorktheatreroyal.co.uk    Bradford St George’s Hall  Sat 8 April 2023  Box Office 01274 432000  bradford-theatres.co.uk/venues/st-georges-hall   Derby Theatre  Tue 11- Wed 12 April 2023  Box Office 01332 59 39 39  derbytheatre.co.uk    Newcastle Northern Stage  Fri 14 – Sat 15 April 2023*  Box Office 0191 230 5151  northernstage.co.uk    Berwick Maltings   Sun 16 April 2023  Box Office 01289 330 999  maltingsberwick.co.uk    Harrogate Theatre  Tue 18 April 2023  Box Office 01423 502 116  harrogatetheatre.co.uk    Barrow Forum  Thu 20 April 2023  Box Office 01229 820000  theforumbarrow.co.uk    Blackpool Grand Theatre  Fri 21 April 2023  Box Office 01253 290190 blackpoolgrand.co.uk    Edinburgh Festival Theatre   Sun 23 April 2023   Box Office 0131 529 6000  capitaltheatres.com     Oldham Coliseum   Sat 29 April 2023   Box Office 0161 624 2829  coliseum.org.uk    Aylesbury Waterside   Mon 1 May 2023   Box Office 0844 871 7615   atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre     *Relaxed Performance available. Aims to reduce anxiety around theatre visits by creating a more informal environment. May benefit people with sensory or communication difficulties, or a learning disability. Please contact the relevant Box Office for more details.   Northern Ballet Northern Ballet is one of the UK’s leading and widest touring ballet companies. Bold and innovative in its approach, Northern Ballet is prolific at creating new full-length work with a unique blend of strong classical technique and impressive storytelling. Northern Ballet’s repertoire embraces popular culture and takes inspiration from literature, legend, opera and the classics, pushing the boundaries of what stories can be told through dance.      A champion for the cultural exports of the North, Leeds-based Northern Ballet is dedicated to bringing ballet to as many people and places as possible, under the leadership of Artistic Director Federico Bonelli. Northern Ballet’s Company of dancers performs a combination of its full-length ballets and specially created ballets for children at more than 30 venues annually.      Launched in 2019, Northern Ballet’s digital dance platform ensures more people can access their work, from full-length films of popular ballets through to exciting short dance films by up-and-coming choreographers and filmmakers. Visit digitaldance.org to discover more.     In addition to Ugly Duckling, Northern Ballet will be touring the children’s classics, Beauty & the Beast and The Nutcracker to theatres across the UK this autumn. To find out more visit northernballet.com/whats-on     Northern Ballet dancers in Ugly Duckling. Illustration and photos Emily Nuttall.