Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake returning to NYC

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, the modern re-interpretation of the legendary ballet, turned tradition upside down and took both the theater and dance worlds by storm when it arrived on Broadway in 1998 and went on to win three Tony Awards.

Produced by New York City Center, Sadler's Wells Theater London and Back Row Productions, the multi-award-winning international production will return to New York for a strictly limited run froom 13 Oct - 7 Nov 2010 at New York City Center's Main Stage.

Matthew Bourne blends dance, humor and spectacle with award-winning set and costume designs by Lez Brotherston and lighting design by Rick Fisher, to create a Swan Lake for our times. Now firmly crowned as a modern-day classic, this iconic production is perhaps best known for replacing the traditional female corps de ballet with a menacing male ensemble.

Collecting over 30 international theater awards, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake has become the longest running ballet in the West End and on Broadway and enjoyed four successful tours in the UK and all over the world.

Tony Award winning creator and New Adventures artistic director Matthew Bourne said: "Can it really be over a decade ago that my production of Swan Lake was on Broadway? A memorable experience that culminated in our winning three Tony Awards. An incredible journey for a piece that started out as a government subsidized project that was seen as, at best, a creative gamble and, at worst, an outrageous folly! Of course, this was before people had seen the power and the majesty of our now famous male swans. I am happy to say that that journey has since continued and Swan Lake has been seen all over the world, inspiring young (particularly male) dancers and creating an unprecedented new audience for dance.

I have never stopped working on Swan Lake. It has never become frozen as a show but has, I believe, gotten richer and more heartfelt. In fact, this current production features, in my opinion, the finest company that has ever performed the piece. I am thrilled to be co-presented at New York's famed City Center by my producers: Back Row Productions, who have produced Swan Lake all over the world since 2005; London's legendary dance house, Sadler's Wells; and New York City Center, one of New York's leading presenters and producers of both dance and musical theater. I am truly excited at the prospect of Swan Lake's return to New York and performing, once again, to the best audiences in the world."

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake stars a mix of established New Adventures performers and newcomers. Richard Winsor and Jonathan Ollivier return to the role of 'The Swan' following their 2009 debuts.

Richard Winsor is one of New Adventures' leading performers, having created the title roles in both 'Edward Scissorhands' (2005) and 'Dorian Gray' (2008). He was also in the original cast of Bourne's 'Play Without Words' (2002) and was seen as 'Angelo' in 'The Car Man' and the title role in 'Nutcracker!.' He recently starred in his first major film, "Street Dance," the first British movie to be shot in 3D.

After graduating from The Rambert School in 1996, Jonathan Ollivier joined The Cape Town City Ballet Company and became a principal before returning to England in 1999 to join Northern Ballet. Here he created many leading roles, most notably "Stanley Kowalski" in Didy Veldman's contemporary ballet of "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Heathcliffe" in David Nixon's "Wuthering Heights." Ollivier joined the Alberta Ballet Company as a principal dancer in 2007 and returned to the UK to pursue a freelance career in 2009.

The role of 'The Prince' will be performed by Dominic North, a veteran New Adventures company member who has also played the title role in 'Edward Scissorhands' for which he was nominated for Best Male Dancer at the 2010 National Dance Awards. Simon Williams will also return to the production to recreate the role. A Royal Ballet School graduate and former member of the English National Ballet, he has performed with New Adventures in Matthew Bourne's 'Nutcracker!' and also appeared in 'Billy Elliot' in the West End and as the leading male dancer in the Michael Clark Dance Company.

Returning to the role of 'The Queen' will be American dancer and original Broadway cast member Nina Goldman, who has performed in various roles within the production, including 'The Girlfriend.' Nina also performed in 'The Car Man' and as 'Joyce Monroe' in 'Edward Scissorhands.' Sharing the roles of both 'The Queen' and 'The Girlfriend' will be veteran New Adventures company member Madelaine Brennan, who studied with The Royal Ballet and has appeared in Trevor Nunn's productions of 'Oklahoma!' and 'My Fair Lady' at The Royal National Theatre, and most recently performed in 'Cabaret' on the West End.

'The Girlfriend' will also be played by New Adventures veteran Shelby Williams, who has appeared in the original 2005 cast of 'Edward Scissorhands,' 'The Car Man,' 'Highland Fling' and 'Nutcracker!'

The role of the 'The Private Secretary' will be shared by New Adventures resident director Steve Kirkham and company member Ashley Bain. Kirkham returns to Swan Lake after being in the original cast as a 'Cygnet.' He was in the original cast of the multi-award-winning 'Play Without Words,' 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Nutcracker!' Bain has appeared with New Adventures in 'Nutcracker!,' the 'Swan Lake 10th Anniversary world tour' and 'Dorian Gray,' in which he created the role of 'Edward Black.'

The complete company of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake will be announced shortly.