Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre ends season with a new ‘Romeo and Juliet’

It’s been a season of milestones for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre: a new “Giselle” production, a blockbuster collaboration with Dance Theatre of Harlem and the 15th year for its signature “Nutcracker.”

Next weekend, the company will close its 2016-17 season with another highlight — the North American premiere of British choreographer Derek Deane’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The PBT Orchestra, under the direction of Charles Barker, will accompany dancers at Benedum Center.

PBT last presented an adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragic love story in 2009 but has long lacked a production of its own. Mr. Deane’s version -— choreographed in 1998 for the English National Ballet in the round — is “an upgrade in all kinds of ways,” says artistic director Terrence Orr.

“It’s very rich, full and hard to do,” he adds. “It’s going to fill the Benedum stage.”

Mr. Deane, the former artistic director of the English National Ballet, didn’t want his take on this tale of family rivalries and forbidden romance to be laden with onedimensional archetypes.

“I don’t like Juliet played as a fluffy young character,” he says. “She’s very strong-willed, and she makes it very obvious from the minute she sees Romeo. In other productions, I think that’s been lost.”

He infused the choreography -— particularly for the title characters — with “passion, sexuality and growing up.” Even supporting roles, such as Lady Capulet, Tybalt and Mercutio, have more substance than typically seen on screen or the stage.

“There really is a character arc in this production,” says principal Alexandra Kochis, who will dance Juliet’s part in the Saturday matinee partnered with principal Luca Sbrizzi. (In 2009, she danced the role opposite her husband, Christopher Budzynski, who retired earlier this season.)

“The construction of the ballet really highlights the conflicts and interactions between all of the characters. It gives you a full picture of [Juliet’s] life, how she