In the surreal world of American Ballet Theatre’s Whipped Cream, a boy is hospitalized after gorging on sweets, sending him into a vibrant fantasyland of dancing desserts while a drunk doctor and a gang of syringe-wielding nurses attempt to treat his illness. This massive spectacle cost nearly $3 million to create, blending two ambitious, unique creative perspectives to revitalize a largely forgotten 1924 score by composer Richard Strauss.
A team of set and costume technicians had the challenge of translating Ryden’s designs to the stage, finding solutions that would vent heat, allow for movement, and provide visibility for dancers moving large pieces through a cast of 65 people.
4/11-4/14: Thu-Fri 7:30 PM, Sat 2 and 7:30 PM, Sun 2 PM, Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells, 312-341-2310, abt.org, $44-$150.
