ABT Sets Casting for Costa Mesa

Cynthia Harvey will dance the title role in American Ballet Theatre’s production of “Manon” on Sept. 20, opening night of the troupe’s six-day engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa.

Guillaume Graffin will appear opposite Harvey, and Gil Boggs and Kathleen Moore will handle supporting roles in Kenneth MacMillan’s ballet, to be presented six times. It will be the first time ABT has performed the full-length “Manon” in Southern California.

In subsequent performances of “Manon,” the leading roles will go to Julie Kent and Robert Hill, Susan Jaffe and Charles Askegard. Each pair will dance “Manon” twice.

ABT will also give the first West Coast performances of James Kudelka’s “Cruel World” on two mixed repertory programs that include Natalia Makarova’s staging of “The Kingdom of the Shades” from “La Bayadere” and Twyla Tharp’s “In the Upper Room.”

Casting, subject to change, is as follows:

* Sept. 20, 8 p.m.: “Manon,” Cynthia Harvey, Guillaume Graffin, Gil Boggs, Kathleen Moore.

* Sept. 21, 8 p.m.: “La Bayadere,” Susan Jaffe, Parrish Maynard. “Cruel World” and “In the Upper Room,” ensemble.

* Sept. 22, 8 p.m.: “La Bayadere,” Harvey, Graffin.

* Sept. 23, 8 p.m.: “Manon,” Julie Kent, Robert Hill, Keith Roberts, Christina Fagundes.

* Sept. 24, 2 p.m.: “Manon,” Jaffe, Charles Askegard, Ethan Brown, Kathleen Moore.

* Sept. 24, 8 p.m.: “Manon,” Harvey, Graffin, Boggs, Moore.

* Sept. 25, 2 p.m.: “Manon,” Kent, Hill, Roberts, Fagundes.

* Sept. 25, 8 p.m.: “Manon,” Jaffe, Askegard, Brown, Christine Dunham.

Tickets, $18-$55, are available through Ticketmaster, (213) 480-3232, or (714) 740-2000 or at the center box office, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, (714) 556-2787.