"Bonnie and Clyde" by Collide Theatrical Dance Company at Luminary Arts Center

Collide Theatrical Dance Company begins their 11th season with a new original jazz dance musical about the notorious 1930s outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde. Collide uses dance to tell a narrative story in a theatrical way, which gives me an excuse to watch dance (which I usually don't have time to do). As always, the dancing in this show is fantastic (it's a great week for '30s-themed dance shows, see also Some Like It Hot). And while this version of the story might be a little too sympathetic towards these criminals and killers (I don't think their guns went off "accidentally" over a dozen times), it has some interesting things to say about celebrity culture and our glamorization of violence. But mostly, it's just really great dancing. Bonnie and Clyde plays Thursdays through Sundays (plus one Wednesday matinee) until November 3 at the Luminary Arts Center.

Writer/director/choreographer Regina Peluso tells the story through Bonnie's eyes, portraying her as more than just Clyde's girlfriend who went along with what he wanted to do. In this version of the story, she craved attention and fame, and willingly took part and even planned some of their string of crimes. We learn this through voiceover (by ensemble dancer Bella West), as Bonnie literally tells us her story. We learn a bit about her childhood and first marriage, as well as Clyde's background. Then they meet, and have a great time with the money they got stealing from businesses and people, even if they did "accidentally" killing a few. Clyde's brother Buck and his wife Blanche also join the gang to make it a family affair. But this life of crime is unsustainable, the law comes calling, and eventually it ends, in the way we can see coming.

Jarod Boltjes and Samantha Watson as Clyde and Bonnie
(photo by Alexis Lund)

The beauty of this piece, and Collide's work in general, is that most of the story is conveyed through dance. Each character gets a dance or two to show us who they are and how they feel, as well as partner dances and group numbers to express their relationships. Collide sometimes uses live musicians and vocalists, but for this show they dance to recorded music, a well-chosen selection of pop and country songs. The dancing (with additional choreography by Heather Brockman and the ensemble) is all fantastic, expressive and exciting to watch.

The talented 11-person cast is led by Collide newcomer Samantha Watson as Bonnie and Collide alum Jarod Boltjes as Clyde. Both bring emotion to their characters and dance expressively, conveying a beautiful and tragic relationship between the two characters. Collide alums Patrick Jeffrey and Megan Carver are also fun to watch as the other couple Buck and Blanche, and Henry Steele Dillon has a great turn in a featured role as a lawman chasing after the gang.

photo by Alexis Lund

The Luminary (formerly Lab) is a great spacious space for dance, and the set (designed by Erik Paulson) is quite stunning. A triptych of wooden platforms with a wood slat wall on one side dominate the space, and the outer two piece move around and rotate to create other locations and settings (including jail). Whitewashed wooden furniture populates the space, along with boxes and crates and benches like you might find at a hideout. Sepia-toned images of historic photos and newspaper headlines are projected onto the brick wall of the theater behind the set (designed by Leslie Ritenour), and the space is beautifully and dramatically lit by Mike Grogan. The period costumes include drab Depression era dresses, more fun and colorful dresses for Bonnie, sharp suits for the men (that they're somehow able to dance in), and simple black pants and vest for the ensemble. And of course hats, a great period appropriate prop for dancing.

You can see Bonnie and Clyde dance their way through a life of crime at Luminary Arts Center, now through November 3.