You don’t have to travel all the way to New York to see a horse on stage. The Broadway revival “Equus” starring Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter fame) is causing quite a stir because the play is about a physical relationship between a man and a horse.

If you’re looking more for a traditional love story, the Creighton Dance Company is putting on the ballet “La Fille Mal Gardée” (The Unchaperoned Daughter). The ballet is a comedic love story about a woman who wants to marry the man she loves, not the one she is promised to. The ballet runs Nov. 13 to 16th, complete with a live horse on stage (minus Daniel Radcliffe).

The old ballet has gone by many names, has had at least six scores and has gone through several revivals over the past 200 years, keeping the ballet as current and light-hearted as the story line.

Lisa Carter, choreographer and dance coordinator for the department, has cut an hour off Frederick Ashton’s two and a half hour long ballet, mostly parts that aren’t relevant to the show.

“I’ve shortened it, made it sexier and more fast-moving. I’ve taken the padding out,” Carter said.

The ballet is about a young woman named Lise, played by Business senior Mary Shields, who is in love with a young farmer neighbor Colas, played by Arts & Sciences senior David Catherall. Much to her dismay, Lise’s mother Simone, played by Patrick Roddy, assistant professor in the Dance Department, wants her to marry Alain, the son of a wealthy vineyard owner, played by Mark Gieringer, a senior at Bellevue West High School.

Carter said the most challenging part about this ballet is the lack of males. She took the roles of the harvesters which are roles played by men, and adapted them to female parts. The audience should know that the role of Simone is traditionally played by a man, which adds to the comic effect of the ballet.

“I feel like sometimes when people go to a ballet, they think it’s not supposed to be funny,” said Arts & Sciences junior Amanda Schieler, who plays a friend in the ballet. “It’s okay to laugh. It’s a funny story and people do some pretty funny looking things.”

Schieler thinks the hardest part about dancing in “La Fille Mal Gardée” is the acting aspect because she’s never had to portray emotions through a character before. Acting in this ballet will gear her up for her role in Creighton’s production of “West Side Story” in the spring.

Shields says the technical aspects of the ballet are the most challenging.

“The actual steps are extremely fast or so extremely slow that they push the limits,” she said.

The dancers also push the limits in their daily lives. With two and a half to three hour rehearsals six days per week, in addition to scheduled dance classes, Shields and Schieler don’t have time for much more than their classes and dancing.

“We give up every spare moment to do this, and can’t even imagine what life would be without it,” Shields said.

Another notable cast member in “La Fille Mal Gardée” is a live horse named “Little Dude.” He’s on stage for two scenes and has had one rehearsal with the cast so far, during which he urinated offstage. “Little Dude” is at Creighton courtesy of Dorothy Turley of the American Legacy Complex and has a handler on stage at all times, as well as a designated cast member on clean up duty.

“A live miniature pony walking around definitely gives a different creative feel on stage,” Shields said.

If you haven’t seen Creighton’s performances of “Coppélia,” “Giselle” or “The Nutcracker” over the past few years, don’t leave college without exposing yourself to the art.

“I think it’s amazing and kind of sad that some students never walk into the Lied building during their time at Creighton,” Carter said. “If you’re going to be a doctor or a lawyer, you’re going to sit on boards. You want to be able to know what you’re talking about.”

“La Fille Mal Gardée” runs at the Mainstage at the Lied Center for Nov. 13 to 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for students, faculty and staff.