Thou Swell (ballet)

This article is about Peter Martins' 2003 ballet. For Rodgers and Hart's 1927 song, see Thou Swell.

Thou Swell is a ballet created by New York City Ballet's balletmaster-in-chief Peter Martins to the songs of Richard Rodgers in an arrangement by Glen Kelly with orchestrations Don Sebesky.

The music is performed by an on stage trio and two singers. During the course of the ballet one of the male dancers (Nilas Martins in the original cast) "sits in" at the piano. The premiere took place on 22 January 2003 at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center, with scenery by Robin Wagner, costumes by Julius Lumsden, supervised by Holly Hynes, and lighting by Mark Stanley.

Featured songs

(Song used and date of composition):

• "Where or When" (1937)
• "Manhattan" (1925)
• "Mountain Greenery" (1926)
• "My Heart Stood Still" (1927)
• "This Can't Be Love" (1938)

• "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (1940)
• "The Lady Is a Tramp" (1937)
• "Blue Moon" (1934)
• "Getting to Know You" (1951)
• "Lover" (1932)

• "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" (1935)
• "With a Song in My Heart" (1929)
• "Isn't It Romantic?" (1932),
• "You Took Advantage of Me" (1928)
• "Thou Swell" (1927)
• "Falling in Love with Love" (1938)

Cast

Original

• Maria Kowroski
• Yvonne Borree
• Rachel Rutherford
• Darci Kistler

• Charles Askegard
• Nilas Martins
• James Fayette
• Jock Soto

Spring 2008

• Faye Arthurs
• Yvonne Borree
• Rebecca Krohn
• Sara Mearns

• Charles Askegard
• Nilas Martins
• Amar Ramasar
• Jared Angle

References

• Playbill, New York City Ballet, Thursday, June 19, 2008
• Repertory Week, New York City Ballet, Spring Season, 2008 repertory, week 8

Reviews

• NY Times review by Anna Kisselgoff, November 28, 2002
• NY Times review by Alastair Macaulay, June 10, 2008