Lawton Ballet to perform unique production of Sleeping Beauty

When the Lawton Ballet Theatre brings the beloved fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” to the spotlight, everyone will understand how Maleficent and Aurora’s story intersects.

Katie Veenhuizen, director of the show, said the performance is a combination of three different renditions.

“There are some really famous versions of Sleeping Beauty: the (1950s Disney) movie, Maleficent and the ballet,” Veenhuizen said. “We tell the backstory of Maleficent, just a little bit of that. Then there are pieces that are from the 1950s movie and then a little bit from the classical ballet.”

Veenhuizen said one of the ways they’re unique is how they tell the story.

“We use voiceovers so that you can understand how we’re traveling from Maleficent being a little girl, to the conflict that she went through, to Aurora’s story really well,” Veenhuizen said. “I think that, even if you don’t enjoy dance, or don’t think that you enjoy dance, you will still really enjoy our show and be able to follow the storyline.”

According to a show description, Maleficent had a happy life in a forest kingdom, acting as its protector until a betrayal hardens her heart and turns her evil. When Aurora is born, Maleficent arrives to curse her and, well, everyone knows the story.

Veenhuizen said since most production companies do different shows each spring, they do something different as well. The only thing that doesn’t change is their winter performance of “The Nutcracker”.