Shaftesbury Preps Ballet Special for CBC

TORONTO: Shaftesbury has begun production on a one-hour special for CBC Television focusing on the National Ballet of Canada’s new Romeo and Juliet performance, choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky.

Set for a spring 2012 broadcast in celebration of the National Ballet’s 60th anniversary season, Romeos & Juliets is written, directed and produced by Moze Mossanen, one of Canada’s leading directors of performance-based films. It chronicles the Romeo and Juliet performance from rehearsals to opening night. The production opened on November 16, 2011 and runs to November 27, 2011 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

“CBC is honored to help commemorate the National Ballet’s remarkable 60th anniversary by bringing their reinvented masterpiece of Romeo and Juliet to Canadian audiences,” said Kirstine Stewart, executive VP of English services at CBC. “We’re delighted to be working alongside our talented production partners, Moze Mossanen and Shaftesbury, and we look forward to sharing this television event with Canadians this spring.”

“Romeos & Juliets will immerse audiences in the creative process of a celebrated choreographer working with both established and upcoming dancers as the legendary lead couple,” said Mossanen. “The documentary will allow audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at the dancers as they push themselves to the limits of their abilities in order to make their mark in these expressive roles.”

The special is executive produced by Christina Jennings and Scott Garvie, with Jan Peter Meyboom serving as supervising producer. It will be sold worldwide by Shaftesbury Sales Company.