Tomorrow night, PBS launches an absorbing new documentary series about the theater – “Character Studies” (10:30 p.m. on WNET Channel 13) – that offers half-hour studies on the most significant characters in drama and musical theater.

First up is a fascinating look at Amanda, the mother in “The Glass Menagerie.” The documentary includes generous clips of film and stage productions to remind you of the play’s dialogue; and Amanda’s character is analyzed by several actresses, including Olympia Dukakis, who played the role. The show will be repeated throughout April. In May, the camera turns to Rose from “Gypsy,” then Ruth from “A Raisin in the Sun” this June.

Theater lends itself to in-depth, interpretive explanations, but dance needs this sort of thing even more. The characters in classical ballets are sometimes totally inscrutable – or else seem so one-dimensional that it’s enough to watch the dancers turn fast and leap high.

So – even though we’ve got a few weeks until ballet season kicks off – here’s brief look at what new dance fans should know about some works in the upcoming season at American Ballet Theatre, which is performing no less than six full-length narrative ballets this season.

‘SYLVIA’

Sylvia is a nymph who, though chaste, wears very little clothing. Aminta is a shepherd who loves Sylvia. When she is kidnapped by local hunter Orion, Aminta contrives to rescue her. Eros steps in so that Sylvia and her devoted shepherd can fall in love and live happily ever after.

ABT is presenting the U.S. premiere of this work, which Sir Frederick Ashton created for the Royal Ballet in 1952. At the time, the reigning queen of ballet, Margot Fonteyn, danced the lead. So despite the lack of a compelling plot,it had a major star to carry it. The bottom line today is: Can our ballerinas do the same?

Gillian Murphy is the opening night lead, but I’m looking forward to seeing Michele Wiles (June 13 & 15). Still a soloist, she’s one of ABT’s rising stars, and she dances with a spirited, charming stage presence. She’s technically strong; when fireworks are called for, she delivers. Plus, she’s hungry: there are two major female stars on leave this season (Nina Ananiashvili and Irina Dvorovenko), which gives Ms. Wiles a shot at proving that she’s ready for promotion to principal.

‘GISELLE’

Giselle is a happy country girl in love with Albrecht, who lives across the way. He pledges his heart, but he’s really a duke in disguise and engaged to a princess. When Giselle discovers this, she descends into madness and death. This is a key scene, and it concludes Act I. If the ballerina is a good enough actress, this scene will leave you wanting a stiff drink at intermission.

In Act II, as Albrecht mourns at Giselle’s grave, she appears to him. Only now, she has joined the ranks of the ghostly Wilis, the spirits of girls who died before their weddings. They wear white – like the wedding gowns they never wore. The bitter Queen of the Wilis tells Giselle that Albrecht must dance to his death. This provides the opportunity for some virtuosic male dancing as things get fast and furious. Giselle, however, saves his life by extending the dance until dawn, at which time the Wilis return to their graves.

Once you start really watching “Giselle,” you’ll want to go back for every cast change. It’s addictive because the ballerina has to transform from a happy lass in Act I into a broken-hearted apparition in Act II. The difference is stark. Also, this is a difficult ballet because it is all about the arms. They should be heavy with sorrow, yet light as a ghost – and each ballerina does it differently.

‘SWAN LAKE’

An eligible prince, Siegfried, leaves his birthday party to go out hunting. He’s about to shoot something, when it turns to be a beautiful bird/woman (Odette), with whom he is immediately smitten.

This leads to an important, but often confusing mime passage in which she explains her situation. She’s the queen of the swans (two taps of the hand to the forehead). The lake (which she points to) is full of tears (a finger to the eye and cheeks) that her mother cried when a sorcerer turned Odette into a swan. If a man pledges to love her forever (which Siegfried later does), the spell will be broken and she’ll return to full womanhood.

In Act II, Prince Siegfried greets many princesses at a party, but his heart is with Odette. Until, that is, a mystery guest (the sorcerer) appears at the party. Siegfried is tricked into pledging his love to Odile, an evil bird/woman who is so irresistibly seductive that the prince forgets his earlier promise to Odette and swears his love to her avatar.

The same ballerina dances Odette/Odile, which is confusing. But – like Giselle – this is a role in which the contrast is endlessly fascinating. As Odette, the ballerina needs certain bird-like qualities; there’s a twitchy nervousness. She is strongly determined to break the spell, and overcome with sorrow when it’s not broken. Odile needs wicked, black magic, the sort of flirtation that makes men grovel. Can the lead of the evening achieve both? It’s rare, but magical when it happens.

‘RAYMONDA,’ ‘DON QUIXOTE,’ AND ‘LE CORSAIRE’

These ballets (all romances) have either thin or convoluted plots. In the case of “Don Quixote,” the ballet uses only the key story points and dresses it up with a lot of dancing. These ballets are worth watching for the joy of virtuoso performances, live orchestral music, and pleasure of witnessing the ways in which dancers grow into certain roles.

ABT’s production of “Raymonda” is colorful and romantic. “Don Quixote” is very often a rollicking good time. I’ve found that it’s a good way to introduce men to ballet; there are saucy girls and many opportunities for clapping (both of which prevent sleep).”Le Corsaire” is a wow-a-minute Arabian night featuring two virtuoso male leads (a pirate and his slave).With Angel Corella or Jose Manuel Careno in the sexy slave role, you can fully expect to see mild-mannered dance fans behave like screaming, uncontrollable bleacher creatures.

Books like “101 Stories of the Great Ballets” by George Balanchine and Francis Mason or “Ballet 101” by Robert Greskovic provide much more detail about these works. If you’re well versed in narrative ballets, but need some insight into Balanchine before the upcoming New York City Ballet season, which starts on April 26, try Terry Teachout’s quick read “It’s All in the Dances.”

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The Martha Graham Dance Company begins its City Center season tomorrow evening. But if you want a little background information on Graham, head to Queens for a visit to The Noguchi Museum. Currently on view (until May 1) is “Noguchi and Graham: Selected Works for Dance,” which explores the collaboration between these two masterful artists.

This Sunday, the museum is hosting a discussion – lead by curator and director of collections Bonnie Rychlak – that will address the artists’ collaboration and the relationship between visual and performing arts. The discussion is free with admission. For more information, call the museum at 718-204-7088, or go to www.noguchi.org.