Evanston Dance Ensemble Returns "The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe" to the Stage for the Holidays

The Evanston Dance Ensemble (EDE) celebrates its 20^th anniversary season with two dynamic productions in 2016-2017, including the return of its signature holiday performance, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, on December 8-11 at Northwestern University's Josephine Louis Theatre. In 2017, the anniversary season celebration continues with EDE revisiting one of the company’s most well-received productions, FAB 2.0! EDE Dances the Beatles, March 17-19.

When the Evanston Dance Ensemble first premiered its original story ballet adaptation of C.S. Lewis's classic novel, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005, EDE founder and co-artistic director Béa Rashid referred to the show as "our alternative to The Nutcracker." Much like that famous ballet, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has become EDE's signature holiday performance, drawing audiences from throughout the Chicagoland area. With dancing snowflakes, leaping fauns, waltzing flowers, and animals prancing out a polka, the production is a holiday feast for the whole family.

Directed by co-artistic directors Rashid and Christina Ernst, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe includes original choreography from several of Chicago’s top professional talents and an original score from award-winning composer and musician Steve Rashid. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will be performed at Northwestern University’s Josephine Louis Theatre (20 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston) on Friday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m., Saturday, December 10 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and on Sunday, December at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets are priced at $16.00 for children under 18, students and seniors, and $24.00 for adults. EDE will also offer a preview performance on Thursday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at the Louis Theatre. Tickets for the preview are priced at $15. All tickets may be purchased by calling the Northwestern Box Office at 847.491.7282 or by going online at www.tinyurl.com/k2pzl2e.

PHOTO CREDIT: Matt Glavin