State Street Ballet Pirouettes into Its 30th Season with Live Music, World Premieres, and More

State Street Ballet has some new twists for the upcoming 30th anniversary season, the first one to be entirely programmed with two women at the helm: Artistic Director Megan Philipp and Executive Director Cecily MacDougall. While both worked for years with Founding Director Rodney Gustafson, who began the company in 1994, his retirement (in 2023, he turned artistic director duties over to Philipp, and in 2024, he handed the executive director responsibilities to MacDougall) left the gates open for the company to, as Philipp puts it, “have a kind of an exciting new beginning.” 

But, she’s quick to point out, “it’s not a brand-new beginning. But a new beginning is a new energy.”

And it’s a well-planned transformative chapter in the ballet company’s history. “It’s all been pre-premeditated and pre-planned, but yes, we finally, this summer, we were on our own,” said Philipp. “So, we had a lot of work, but it’s exciting. We have a lot to learn, but we’ve both been here for a really long time.”

Adds MacDougall, “It’s so funny — someone at the happy hour last night was asking me if I’m old enough to be running this company…. I’m 35, but I’ve been here for almost half my life, so yeah, I feel like that has to count for something.”

While a lot of the changes have to do with technology and infrastructure and things not always visible to the public, one of the most exciting outward-facing things happening is that for the first time ever, all of State Street Ballet’s performances will have live music to accompany them, thanks to a generous grant from the Manitou Fund, Nora McNeely Hurley Silo.

It’s unusual for a ballet company to have live orchestral accompaniment, a feature that adds an element of excitement for audiences as well as the performers themselves. Not only are the performances completely live, but there is also accompaniment in rehearsals now as well. 

Fittingly the premiere program of the season, the double bill Scheherazade and The Firebird, October 26-27 at The Granada Theatre, will be performed with the Santa Barbara Symphony, conducted by Nir Kabaretti. Philipp describes it as “more than just a performance. It’s a night of unforgettable artistry, and a celebration of 30 years of ballet excellence.”

The virtuosic Scheherazade, with choreography by Autumn Eckman and music by Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov, was first envisioned by State Street Ballet Managing Director Tim Mikel, who wrote the libretto and it premiered in 2014.

The Firebird features dramatic choreography by William Soleau and music by Igor Stravinsky, to tell a fantastical Russian fairy-tale of good and evil. The company’s cast of international artists will be joined by guest artist Rachel Hutsell, formerly of New York City Ballet.

Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra will accompany State Street Ballet for this year’s performances of The Nutcracker, December 21-22 at the Granada. A celebration of tradition, magic, and community, State Street Ballet will bring more than 150 performers to the stage to create holiday magic. Students from State Street Ballet Academy, along with trainees from the company’s Professional Track Program, join the cast to bring Rodney Gustafson’s enchanting choreography to life.

There’s more ballet excitement for the whole family coming our way. In the company’s first full-length world premiere since 2019, The Little Mermaid at the Lobero Theatre March 1-2 takes the ultimate adventure to learn about true love. With choreography by Philipp and MacDougall, the production features stunning sets, life-sized puppets, and an original score by esteemed film composer Charles Fernandez, performed live by San Luis Obispo Opera Orchestra.

The company notes that this production also includes a sensory-friendly performance for families with special needs or small children: The house lights will be dimmed but remain on, the volume on speakers and mics will be reduced, and audience members are welcome to move and vocalize as needed. In addition, subsidized tickets are available. 

Closing the 30th anniversary season of State Street Ballet is The Brilliance Program: Balanchine, Arpino, and Beyond at the Lobero Theatre May 9-10. For this special showcase, classical elegance and contemporary innovation share the stage with George Balanchine’s “Who Cares?” and “Birthday Variations” by Joffrey Ballet’s Gerald Arpino. There is also a world premiere by the visionary Kassandra Taylor Newberry that further pushes artistic boundaries in this showcase.

Tickets for all performances are now on sale with a 30 percent discount for season ticket subscriptions. See statestreetballet.com for details.