Little Dancer is a musical with music by Stephen Flaherty and book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on Edgar Degas' 1880 statue Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. The musical premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in 2014. The original production was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman.
The musical was retitled Marie, Dancing Still – A New Musical in 2018, prior to the production opening at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle in March 2019, and returned to its original title thereafter.
Production history The musical premiered at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theatre on October 25, 2014. The production closed on November 30, 2014.Gans, Andrew. "Ahrens and Flaherty's Degas-Inspired Musical 'Little Dancer' Ends Kennedy Center Run" Playbill, November 30, 2014
The writing team passed on a potential Los Angeles run in 2015 in order to do rewrites and revisions on the piece.Hetrick, Adam. "Commercial Producers Plan Lab for Ahrens and Flaherty’s Little Dancer" Playbill, June 9, 2016 The invitation-only March 28, 2016 industry reading featured a newly revised draft of the show. Participants included a number of cast members from the original Kennedy Center production, including New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck, Rebecca Luker, Karen Ziemba, Kyle Harris and Michael X. Martin.Hetrick, Adam. "Ahrens and Flaherty’s 'Little Dancer' Tests Legs in NYC Reading" Playbill, April 1, 2016
A private reading was held in June 2018. The reading featured Tiler Peck, Robert Lindsay, Kate Baldwin and Karen Ziemba.Gans, Andrew. "Tiler Peck, Kate Baldwin, Karen Ziemba Set for Industry Reading of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ 'Little Dancer' Musical" Playbill, May 29, 2018 The musical was retitled Marie, A New Musical in 2018, and then Marie, Dancing Still. This is based on the "developmental work done by the creators to focus on the once ‘unknown’ woman at the heart of the story." The musical opened at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle on March 22, 2019 and concluded on April 14.Hetrick, Adam. "Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s New Musical 'Marie' Will Bow in Seattle" Playbill, September 12, 2018Hetrick, Adam. "Tiler Peck, Terrence Mann, Dee Hoty, and Karen Ziemba Set for 'Marie' at Seattle's 5th Avenue" Playbill, January 22, 2019 The cast for the 5th Avenue Theatre production included Tiler Peck (Marie), Terrence Mann (Degas), Louise Pitre (Adult Marie), Dee Hoty (Mary Cassatt) and Karen Ziemba (Martine Van Goethem), with direction and choreography by Stroman.Hetrick, Adam. "Full Casting Announced for Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens’ 'Marie, Dancing Still'" playbill, March 6, 2019Hetrick, Adam. "Take a First Look at Tiler Peck in Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s 'Marie, Dancing Still'" playbill, March 29, 2019Marie 5thavenue.org, access April 2, 2019
In May 2025, it was announced that a one-night-only concert staging of the musical would be staged at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in July of that year, starring Peck, Julian Ovenden and Lara Pitt-Pulford.
Synopsis The musical is inspired by the story of Marie van Goethem, a young ballerina who posed for Edgar Degas. Marie became, inadvertently, the most famous dancer in the world. Torn by her family's poverty, her debt to the artist, and the lure of wealthy men, she struggles to keep her place in the corps de ballet. She is a girl on the verge of womanhood, caught between the conflicting demands of life and art.
Musical numbers Washington, D.C.
Act 1 "C'est le Ballet" – Adult Marie, Company "Little Hole in the Wall" – Young Marie, Charlotte, Adult Marie "Eye Examination" – Doctors "Unfinished" – Degas, Mary Cassatt "A Rat" – Rats, Adult Marie, Company "Musicians and Dancers and Fools" – Christian "Laundry" – Martine, Adult Marie, Antoinette, Young Marie, Charlotte, Laundresses "Little Opportunities" – Antoinette, Company "Petite Chanson" – Martine, Bar Patrons, Young Marie "Ballerina" – Charlotte, Young Marie "In Between" – Degas "Act One Finale" – Degas, Adult Marie, Young Marie
Act 2 "Looking Back at Myself" – Adult Marie "At the Dressing Table" – Antoinette, Martine, Young Marie "Les Petites Danseuses" – Corbeil, Abonnes "I'll Follow You" – Philippe "Observations " – Mary Cassatt "Little Opportunities (Reprise) " – Antoinette "Moving Up in the World" – Martine, Laundresses, Adult Marie, Young Marie, Charlotte "Dancing Still" – Christian "A Box of Things" – Degas, Young Marie "The Exposition" – Degas, Company "What You Made of Me" – Adult Marie "The Little Dancer Ballet " – Young Marie, Company "Finale" – Company
Seattle, WA.
Act 1 "Prologue" – Young Marie "C'est le Ballet" – Adult Marie, Company "Laundry" – Martine, Young Marie, Charlotte, Laundresses "The Eye Examination" – Doctors "Never Done Before" – Degas "A Rat" – Young Marie, Adult Marie, Company "Musicians and Dancers and Fools" – Christian "Little Opportunities" – Antoinette, Degas, Company "Petite Chanson" – Martine, Le Rat Mort Patrons, Young Marie. Charlotte "The Audition" – Adult Marie "Marie" – Degas "Act One Finale" – Degas, Adult Marie, Young Marie
Act 2 "Looking Back at Myself" – Adult Marie, Company "At the Dressing Table" – Young Marie, Rats "Les Petites Danseuses" – Corbeil, Abonnes "Observations " – Mary Cassatt "Little Opportunities (Reprise) " – Antoinette "Laundry (Reprise)" – Martine, Laundresses, Adult Marie "A Box of Things" – Degas, Young Marie "The Life of the Person" – Degas "Between Us" – Christian, Young Marie "The Exposition" – Degas, Company "What You Made of Me" – Adult Marie "The Choices: A Ballet " – Young Marie, Company "Finale" – Company
Cast Character Washington, D.C. (2014) Private Reading (2016) Private Reading (2018) Seattle (2019) London (2025) Young Marie van Goethem Tiler Peck Adult Marie van Goethem Rebecca Luker Kate Baldwin Louise Pitre Laura Pitt-Pulford Edgar Degas Boyd Gaines Robert Lindsay Terrence Mann Julian Ovenden Mary Cassatt, Proprietress Janet Dickinson Dee Hoty Debbie Kurup Martine van Goethem Karen Ziemba Josefina Gabrielle Charlotte van Goethem Sophia Anne Caruso Allie Kiesel Sami Bray Noelle Hogan Imogen Amos Sabine, Madame Théodore Michele Ragusa Barbara Marineau Britt Lenting Christian, Bartender Kyle Harris David Albury Monsieur Auguste Corbeil, Monsieur Pascal Plouff Michael McCormick Christopher Gurr Rohan Tickell Antoinette van Goethem Jenny Powers Scarlett Strallen Jenny Powers Imogen Bailey Philippe de Marchal Seán Martin Hingston Seán Martin Hingston David Elder Jack Wilcox Luis Merante Joseph J. Simeone Eric Santagata Madame Pruneau Nina Goldman Caitlin Abraham Gabriella Tooma Nicoline Sansouci Jolina Javier Gabriela Rodriguez Esmé Pruneau Polly Baird Holly Saw Chantal Brett Lyrica Woodruff Megan Masako Haley Lyrica Woodruff Lowri Shone Ondine Gigot Jasmine Ward Jasmine Ward Ensemble Polly BairdWendi BergaminiLauren BlackmanSophia Anne CarusoJanet DickinsonJuliet DohertyNina GoldmanKyle HarrisSeán Martin HingstonJolina JavierMichael X. MartinMichael McCormickJames A. Pierce IIIJenny PowersKatelyn ProminskiMichele RagusaJohn RiddleAmy RuggieroJoseph J. SimeoneJustin UrsoLyrica Woodruff Polly BairdSissy BellNina GoldmanStephen HannaKyle HarrisJolina JavierMichael X. MartinClaire RathbunSophie SilnickiJasmine Ward Polly BairdSissy BellLauren BlackmanJim BorstelmannSami BrayNina GoldmanChristopher GurrMegan Masako Haley Kyle HarrisHeather HillSeán Martin HingstonDee HotyJolina JavierBarbara MarineauOlivia PuckettArbender RobinsonEric SantagataScarlett Strallen Caitlin AbrahamPolly BairdLauren BlackmanAnaïs BlakeJim BorstelmannAbbey Del CorralDavid ElderSara EstyJustin GennaTyler HardwickJolina JavierBarbara MarineauJasmine WardLyrica Woodruff
Awards and honors Original Washington, D.C. production (2014) Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result2015Helen Hayes AwardsOutstanding Choreography, Musical—HAYES ProductionSusan Stroman
References