The art of Degas comes to life on stage

Since its 1881 unveiling, Edgar Degas' sublime sculpture 'Little Dancer of Fourteen Years' has been a source of inspiration, intrigue, and speculation. In addition to his exquisite renderings of the dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, the work has long pressed viewers to wonder just who those subjects were, and what kind of lives that they led.

Now, the team behind Ragtime, Once on This Island and more set out to answer some of those questions in this rich new musical that blends fact and fiction to bring us the tale of one young ballerina, and her connection to the famed artist.

The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years

Confounding critics on its debut, the sculpture of Marie van Goethem, one of the 'little rats' of the Paris Opera Ballet, (a name given to the youngest member of the company) offered an insight into the relationship between sitter and artist, one that Lynn Ahrens' Book describes as complicated. Courted by older, wealthy patrons of the ballet, the Little Rats and other dancers were torn between poverty and the privileges afforded by these men. We meet Marie as she stands on the cusp of adulthood, unaware she is about to become the most famous (and infamous) dancer in the world. Don't miss what is sure to be a fascinating and memorable production from 5th Avenue, one that like its own subject, is sure to conquer stages all over the globe.