Broadway singer Callaway teams up with Ballet Tucson for ‘Ballet the Calla-way’

Callaway was working with Tucson recording whiz Jim Brady on a new CD last June when Brady mentioned that his wife was Ballet Tucson Artistic Director Mary Beth Cabana. And Brady had a novel idea: Would Callaway, who has lived in Tucson since 2018, want to collaborate with the ballet company on a piece for their winter festival that coincided with the 10th annual Tucson Desert Song Festival?

Why not, Callaway said. She had done one other collaboration with a ballet company, “Gershwin Fantasy” with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater in 2011, and it was a pretty terrific experience, she recalled.

“I love the powerful connection between music and dance,” said Callaway, who was nominated for a Tony for her role in the sing-and-dance Broadway musical “Swing!” in 2000.

“Ballet the Calla-way” strikes an even more personal note. The piece, choreographed by Ballet Tucson’s assistant artistic director Chieko Imada, is set to eight of Callaway’s original songs, which traverse a range of moods, styles and emotions. She will sing four of those songs, accompanying herself on piano, and she will be on stage with the dancers for the other four songs, which she will sing to a recorded track, she said.