(gentle music) (upbeat music) - Welcome to "The Newsfeed.

I'm Paris Jackson.

The Pacific Northwest Ballet's latest production is the costliest in its history.

PNB has infused millions of dollars to reimagine the classic fairytale The Sleeping Beauty.

With only 11 shows, it brings costuming and design influences right here from the Pacific Northwest.

Arts and Culture Editor, Brangien Davis takes us inside the rehearsals of The Sleeping Beauty.

(upbeat music) - A week before the world premier of The Sleeping Beauty, Pacific Northwest Ballet's costume shop, rehearsal studio and hallways are a buzz with final preparations.

Artistic Director, Peter Boal, has been with PNB for 20 years.

Now he's leading the team, working to restage the much loved 19th century Russian ballet.

I understand that you've actually danced in this ballet before.

- I did a long time ago.

It was brought to the company I danced with, which was the New York City Ballet, and I danced the role of Prince Desiree and also the Bluebird.

- It must have stuck with you 'cause you're doing it here at Pacific Northwest Ballet, and you're pouring $4 million.

- [Peter] Right.

- [Brangien] Into the production, which seems like a lot.

What makes it worth that much of a revamp?

- We did have a Sleeping Beauty before, which was excellent, but really quite old, so we needed a refresh.

What's beautiful about these story ballets is most people discover ballet through the Nutcracker, and then there's other entry portals.

It might be Swan Lake, it might be Sleeping Beauty, it might be a Midsummer Night's Dream, but that's the path that audience members take.

And then hopefully from there they discover the whole world of Pacific Northwest Ballet.

- [Brangien] The ballet brought in costume designer Paul Tazewell, known for his work in Hamilton and Wicked to reimagine the show's many elaborate costumes.

- Everybody's in it.

Every student in the school it seems, every company member, and everybody's contributing to the process.

Everybody's having original costumes made on them.

We are making 268 costumes, and if you've seen them, they're not simple by any means, the amount of jeweling, the amount of detail, the amount of layers, and the amount of hours associated with that too.

The new props, the new wands, the new cues, the new steps, it's been an exciting process.

- [Brangien] Seattle Art Superstar, Preston Singletary, a Tlingit glass artist, is also on board as scenic designer.

- Preston Singletary has designed a massive sort of double staircase that holds most of the production and then gets unveiled in different forms throughout.

Hopefully it lasts the ballet for decades to come, so we'll keep seeing that return on investment, and more and more people that want to discover us through The Sleeping Beauty.

- So I know it can be tough to balance what sort of the long-term subscribers wanna see with maybe a younger audience who's looking for more contemporary works.

How does this ballet do that delicate balance?

- I think because it's not deeply entrenched in a recreation of what it was in 1890, it has a freshness to it.

I think a lot of people know Preston Singletary and see the art as sort of a beautiful advancement of tradition, but a very fresh retelling.

We have a great puppeteer that's involved, and I think people have heard about Basil Twist, and the whole thing feels right.

I kind of think all people are coming in to buy tickets for this, and it's a beautiful, uplifting story.

So at the end of the day, that's what we're banking on.

(upbeat music) - While the new production only runs for two weekends this year, PNB hopes to recoup its investment by presenting this updated version of the ballet for years to come.

(upbeat music) - I have to see that show.

Thank you, Brangien.

The Sleeping Beauty runs through February 9th at McCall Hall.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching "The Newsfeed," your destination for nonprofit Northwest News.

Go to cascade pbs.org for more great local coverage.

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