Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre B.E. Taylor and Septime Webre's "Fluctuating Hemlines," will be at the Byham Theater in February. Click photo for larger image. PBT season schedule Oct. 26-28 -- "Don Quixote," Benedum Center. Dec. 8-23 -- "The Nutcracker," Benedum. Feb. 14-17, 2008 -- B.E. Taylor, above (choreographer TBA), and Septime Webre's "Fluctuating Hemlines," Byham Theater. March 14-16 -- Dwight Rhoden's "Carmina Burana" and Twyla Tharp's "In the Upper Room," Benedum April 17-20 -- Derek Deane's "Alice in Wonderland," Benedum.

Now that Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre is on its way to cleaning up its financial house, the company will set about changing its image during the 2007-08 season.

Although the company will open with full-length classics "Don Quixote" and "The Nutcracker," the 2008 segment is designed to attract new audiences with a dense and athletic choreographic style. It will showcase the North American premiere of British choreographer Derek Deane's "Alice in Wonderland," a journey into the Christian/pop music of Pittsburgh recording artist B.E. Taylor and, in what may be the most attractive pairing, a return of the popular "Carmina Burana" with a new choreographer, Dwight Rhoden, and one of Twyla Tharp's most popular ballets, "In the Upper Room."

Artistic director Terrence Orr is looking to re-create the success of this season's "Swan Lake," which featured full houses at the Benedum Center, a lineup of stellar new company talent and the services of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Orchestra. "Don Quixote" offers a similar opportunity for principal dancers Maribel Modrono, who headlines the list, and Erin Halloran, who brought down the house with the signature pas de deux at Hartwood Acres, plus options for soloists Julia Erickson and Kumiko Tsuji .

The orchestra will be present for one other concert, a juicy program featuring the Mendelssohn Choir and PBT favorite Rhoden, whose 2004 BalletMet production will include a 56-foot-long fence made of steel tubing, a hanging fan-like fixture with four 14-foot-long blades with moving lights and a dress made of 25 square feet of fabric.

Tharp's "Upper Room" premiered at her own company in 1985 and subsequently proved to be a spectacular showcase for American Ballet Theatre and numerous other companies. Upon its premiere, the Wall Street Journal noted that "the expressive force of the work is so clear, so vividly communicated, that the audience can hardly but give it an ovation."

Once again the orchestra will not be used during the run of "The Nutcracker." It also will not be added for Deane's family-friendly "Alice," which has been a hit with audiences at the English National Ballet for nearly 10 years.

Recorded music will be used for "Alice," set to Carl Davis' arrangement of Tchaikovsky excerpts and featuring much of Lewis Carroll's tale intact with the Tea Party (and giant teapot), a scampering White Rabbit and a nifty Queen of Hearts, accompanied by an entourage bedecked in card-shaped tutus.

Orr's penchant for popular music continues with local favorite Taylor, who is set to open for Michael Feinstein at Heinz Hall on Feb. 14. Taylor is noted for several Billboard hits, including "Karen" and "Vitamin L," and will feature romantic tunes from his upcoming CD release, "Love Never Fails."

Also on the Valentine's Day program at the Byham Theater will be the return of Septime Webre, who is providing "Peter Pan" this season. Webre's "Fluctuating Hemline" will continue the athletic theme with a percussive score by Robert Benford.

PBT is unveiling a new marketing campaign as well, one structured to picture the company as part of the Pittsburgh landscape. Phase one of the project will place the dancers in some of Pittsburgh's most famous settings, including the Duquesne Club, Heinz Memorial Chapel, Mount Washington, Phipps Conservatory, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.