The story of Marilyn Monroe’s life from a new perspective
Viewing Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe Series in the personal collection of noted Portland philanthropist Jordan Schnitzer inspired OBT Artistic Director Dani Rowe’s new full-length ballet Marilyn. The world premiere ballet tells the story of Marilyn Monroe’s life from a new perspective.
The initial idea for Marilyn took root during a conversation between Dani Rowe and frequent collaborator, costume designer Emma Kingsbury after Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress was worn to the Met Gala in 2022. In considering Marilyn’s lasting cultural impact, the idea of making a Marilyn ballet surfaced and sparked excitement. “How could a ballet capture Marilyn’s layers?” Rowe asked herself. “Her glamour, vulnerability, and myth?”
Then, shortly after joining Oregon Ballet Theatre in 2023, Rowe had dinner with Portland philanthropist, Jordan Schnitzer. Schnitzer, who has been named an ARTnews Top 200 art collector globally, is a lifelong Portland resident, local business owner and Oregon’s foremost fine art collector.
Schnitzer spoke about his Andy Warhol collection and shared his insights into Warhol’s fascination with celebrity culture, particularly his Marilyn Monroe series. Schnitzer extended an invitation to view these prints up close and share more about Warhol’s screen-printing process.
“Seeing Warhol’s Marilyns up close deepened my understanding of his work and its resonance with Marilyn’s story,” says Rowe. “The vibrant prints captured her public image, while the imperfections hinted at the vulnerability beneath. This duality inspired the emotional core of the ballet: the tension between performance and authenticity, between image and reality.”
Rowe also found thematic inspiration in Warhol’s Marilyn Diptych, which juxtaposes colorful images of Marilyn with fading, black-and-white versions. This contrast speaks to the duality of her persona — the radiant star and the woman struggling with inner demons. The juxtaposition of brightness and darkness became central to the ballet’s narrative.
“When Dani Rowe visited The Schnitzer Collection, she saw one of our Andy Warhol screenprints of Marilyn Monroe. I could see the sheer captivating intensity of the moment! Later, she called and asked what I thought of her creating a ballet called Marilyn. I thought it was a spectacular idea and now all of us can experience how one artist inspired another to create a magical performance! Thank you, Andy Warhol and thank you, Dani Rowe!”
Marilyn represents many firsts for Oregon Ballet Theatre. It is the first full length ballet for Artistic Director Dani Rowe and was created in association with the Estate of Marilyn Monroe, LLC. Marilyn also marks OBT’s first co-production.
“Dani has a great sense of story, an imagination that feeds unique movement, and a talent to create a choreography that inherently tells the story. We love that Dani is open to new ideas and generous in her creative collaboration,” said Scenic and Lighting Designer David Finn. “Marilyn was so much more than the icon that we know.”
The show runs from April 4 - 13, 2025 at the Newmark Theatre 1111 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205. Tickets start at $32 and can be purchased at obt.org