Louisville Ballet Premieres Frankenstein

Anthony Krutzkamp stands at the forefront of a major shift for the Louisville Ballet as he prepares to unveil his original creation, Frankenstein. The Kentucky native has spent the last year building his vision for the company, which he leads as artistic director. The production draws directly from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, focusing specifically on the dynamic between the scientist Victor and his creation.

The world premiere is scheduled for Friday, October 30, at the Brown Theatre. Krutzkamp selected Louisville as the debut site for several practical and cultural reasons. He noted that the city places a high value on the Halloween season. “I looked around. Halloween is a big deal here. It is a really big deal in comparison to other cities,” he said. The timing aligns with the story’s gothic origins and local traditions.

The creative process began with the score by composer John Adams. After securing the music, Krutzkamp developed the storyline and choreography from scratch. He described the company as one of a small number of creation companies, meaning they produce original works rather than solely performing existing repertory. “There’s only four or five creation companies, and we’re one of them,” Krutzkamp said. “The fact that we’re in Louisville, Kentucky, and making things people use.”

Other ballet companies will eventually rent the costumes and sets and adopt the choreography developed by Krutzkamp. The production also serves as a debut for several of the company’s new dancers. Jill Krutzkamp, his wife and the head of the studio company, observed her husband’s strong narrative instincts. She said he often predicts plot twists in films with accuracy. “He’s like ‘Oh, I know exactly what’s going to happen. The writer’s going to do this and that and that,’” Jill Krutzkamp said. “And that’s exactly what happens in the movie.”

Krutzkamp has been a dancer since age five, growing up on a farm in Campbell County. His grandfather was a clogger, and his mother sought an outlet for his energy. “I was hyperactive,” he said. “I was running around everywhere.” He served as a principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet before retiring from professional dance at age 32. He later served as the artistic director for the Sacramento Ballet before moving to Louisville.

Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30. Additional showings will take place at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. The company offers tickets for both evening and matinee slots online.