Evanston Dance Ensemble's 'Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe' March 9-12

Evanston, Ill. — Evanston Dance Ensemble — a pre-professional dance company in residence at Dance Center Evanston — is pleased to present “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” a dance performance based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, at the Josephine Louis Theater at Northwestern University from March 9 through 12. Tickets are $12 for the preview show on March 9 and $12 or $25 for the shows on March 10, 11 and 12.

Although this show has become an audience favorite since it first premiered in 2005, it’s been several years since Evanston Dance Ensemble has performed it in its entirety.

That’s because it was almost exactly three years ago to the day when, on March 10, 2020, the dancers were holding their dress rehearsal for “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” when the heard that they would have to cancel the rest of the performances due to the emerging Covid-19 pandemic.

“This feels so amazing to finally pick up where we had left off three years ago,” said Christina Ernst, artistic director of Evanston Dance Ensemble and director of this year’s production. “It feels like coming home again.”

The production, which was originally created by Bea Rashid, the founder and former artistic director of Evanston Dance Ensemble, features lush sets, fantastical costumes and innovative choreography by Rashid and Ernst, as well as Annie Arnoult, Julie Cartier, Mike Gosney, Petre Iliev, Roberta Pfeil-Begley, and Jenny Shore Butler, and it is set to an entirely original score composed by Steve Rashid.

The story follows the adventures of four English children who are staying in a large house in the country to escape the bombing in London during World War II. When the children go through a wardrobe, they enter a world of talking animals that is trapped in an eternal winter by the evil White Witch. Along the way, they meet a lion named Aslan, who sacrifices himself to save one of the children and later comes back to life and kills the witch, and the children are crowned the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

This is the seventh time that the company has performed the show, and Ernst many of the Ensemble’s dancers have grown up aspiring to be part of it.

“Of the 22 high school students in the cast, only two of them were in the show in 2020, so all of the dancers are thrilled to be part of it this year,” she said.

Tickets available at tinyurl.com/lion2023.

EVENT DETAILS

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

See the magical world of Narnia brought to life in this unforgettable dance production, presented by Evanston Dance Ensemble. With original choreography, original music by Steve Rashid, beautiful costumes, and fantastical characters, families will love this eye-popping production about four English children who go through a wardrobe into a world of talking animals that is trapped in an eternal winter by the evil White Witch. With help from a lion named Aslan, who sacrifices himself to save one of the children and later comes back to life and kills the witch, the children are crowned the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

When: March 9 at 7:30 p.m. (Preview), March 10 at 7:30 p.m., March 11 at 1 and 4 p.m., March 12 at 1 and 4 p.m.

Where: Josephine Louis Theater, Northwestern University, 20 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston, IL 60208

Info: (847) 491-7282 or tinyurl.com/lion2023

Tickets: $15/$25. $15 for preview