She was never just a movie star — and now she dances. BalletMet opens its 49th season with “Marilyn” (October 16–24, 2026, Davidson Theatre), choreographer Dani Rowe’s full-length portrait of Marilyn Monroe, with an original score by Shannon Rugani.
A co-production with Tulsa Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre, “Marilyn” traces the woman behind the most famous image of the 20th century — Norma Jeane’s ambition, wit and heartbreak — in Rowe’s sharp, cinematic choreography. It asks what it cost to become an icon, and answers in dance too human to be a pin-up.
BalletMet has built a national reputation for exactly this kind of premiere: new story ballets that tour the country after opening in Columbus.
Some legends get statues. Marilyn gets pointe shoes — and Columbus gets her first.
