Hudson Guild Theatre Company presents a new, all-dancing adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days.   This production features choreography by Matthew Westerby, who is returning for his sixth collaboration with the Company, and was conceived and directed by Jim Furlong, the Guild’s Director of Arts.   The cast features eight dancers from the Matthew Westerby Company, and Jordan Elman, a gifted young actor, playing the role of Passepartout who narrates the story. Lighting Design is by Megan Peti, returning for her 13th year with the Company, with costumes by Charlotte Kreutz.  The Projection Design by David Bengali features antique maps and artworks from five different continents.

In this adaptation, Passepartout presents the story of his journey around the globe as a lecture to the English Society of Explorers.   He shares with his audience how much he enjoyed witnessing various dance performances at the different stops, because of his great passion for dance as an art form.  Throughout the lecture, we see flashbacks to a dozen different performances that he describes, with dances from Spain, Africa, India, Japan, Latin America, and Harlem as part of the mix. Passepartout is joined in these flashbacks by other intrepid Travellers – played by dedicated members of the Guild community – who share his enthusiasm for dance.  At times, they cannot contain themselves and join in some of the dances they witness on their journey.  

Our adaptation is inspired by the original novel by Jules Verne, first published in 1872.  The book contains some potentially offensive, and certainly outdated, modes of thinking about different world cultures.  Many of the European characters in the original story believe in the superiority of their own culture, in contrast to the customs of countries that they label as foreign.  In our version, the Travellers from Europe are in fact in awe of each of the dance companies that they witness during the journey.  They celebrate the rich diversity of these different cultures, fostering an open-minded, inclusive philosophy.

The schedule for performances is below.  Admission for the play pays what you wish, with a suggested donation of $10.00.