Dec. 19, 2010
Huntington Dance Theatre Presents The Nutcracker
By Sandee Lloyd
Huntington Dance Theatre has presented The Nutcracker ballet for 29 years and it keeps getting better. The company finds ways to refresh and update the perennial favorite with new backdrops, costumes and an exciting new dragon for the "Tea From China" number.
Each year in the fall HDT holds auditions for the part of Clara, with the lucky
dancer chosen by an impartial committee made up of people not affiliated with
HDT. This year Taylor Massie won the hearts of the judges and is dancing the
role.
Taylor is a sophomore at St. Joseph Catholic High School where she is an honor student and cheerleader. She has been dancing since she was three and has participated in The Nutcracker since she was four. Her younger sister Caroline also dances with HDT and is in The Nutcracker.
Alex Marsh is by Clara's side in the Land of Sweets as the Nutcracker Prince come to life. Clara has a Guardian Angel (Anna Lafferre) who guides her throughout the dance.
Many parents are involved in the dance during the party scene, where the men are dapper in tuxedos and the women wear lovely gowns. The party is filled with family and friends who enjoy taking turns dancing. Young Fritz (Sage Plumley) is put up to mischief by the fun-loving Aunt Ginger (Melissa Buchanan).
Uncle Drosselmeyer (guest artist John Phillip Perry II) brings life-size dolls to the party and each doll dances for the crowd. The dolls are Harlequin (Rachel Rohrbach), Ballerina (Morgan Hensley) and Gypsy (Amanda Assaley).
After the party Clara falls asleep and awakens to find the Christmas tree has grown huge and the room is filled with life-size mice and the Rat King (Megan Haynes). Miraculously the Nutcracker doll has also become lifesize and fights the Rat King. After defeating the Rat King, the Nutcracker becomes a human Prince and he and Clara travel through the snow to the Land of Sweets.
The Snow Queen (Rebekah Finlay) and Snow King (guest artist Donald Laney) are magnificent in their dance, which is followed by the Waltz of the Snowflakes, the most breathtaking dance of the show. The lighting and snow effects are gorgeous, setting off the dancers in their beautiful white costumes. Every year I think this dance has reached the peak of perfection, and the following year it is surpassed. This year is no exception, with Rebekah making a stunning Snow Queen.
There is a 20-minute intermission to allow the crew to clean up the snow and theatre patrons are encouraged to visit the HDT Boutique in the lobby where various items may be purchased.
The second act takes place in the Land of Sweets and opens with the lovely Waltz of the Flowers, featuring former Clara, Emily Assaley as the Dewdrop Fairy. The Waltz is a vision in purple, followed by Gifts where young dancers present Clara with an assortment of gifts, assisted by the Dewdrop Fairy and the Sugar Plum Fairy (Molly Daniel).
Clara is seated and her Prince stands by while a succession of dancers perform for them, starting with Mother Ginger and her Gingersnaps. The Gingersnaps are adorable in their white and red tutus and gambol about the stage until Mother Ginger gathers them up and herds them offstage.
Russian Trepak is next, then the Dance of the Reed Pipes, showcasing Dominique Neff as Marzipan, with John Phillip Perry II as her Cavalier. There is Chocolate from Spain, Coffee from Arabia and Tea from China with the colorful new dragon designed by Nicole Peckens.
The Sugar Plum Suite is the last duet, performed superbly by Molly Daniel and Donald Laney. They dance together and singly and do a stunning array of leaps and lifts. They are beautiful to behold.
All the dancers come out to send Clara and her Prince back to her home, where she awakens to find everything back to normal and her Nutcracker returned to his natural state. But was it really only a dream? She reaches up and feels the tiara she wore on the trip.
Guest artist Donald Laney has performed in The Nutcracker for several years. He is the co-Artistic Director of the West Virginia Dance Company.
Guest artist John Phillip Perry II is a junior at West Virginia University, working on a BA in Theatre with a Minor in Dance. He dances with the WVU dance company.
Jamez Morris-Smith and his remarkable crew do a fantastic job with this show. The lighting effects are gorgeous, and the snow scene is amazing.
After a day of shopping or rushing around doing last minute Christmas stuff, take your family for a relaxing evening and enjoy The Nutcracker. It should be a holiday tradition in every home.
The Nutcracker will be presented Saturday, December 18 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, December 19 at 2:00 pm at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse at Marshall University. A reception will be held before each performance.
Pictures show the entire cast, featured performers and scenes from the show. These pictures and many more will be available at http://lloydphotography.ifp3.
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By Sandee Lloyd
Huntington Dance Theatre has presented The Nutcracker ballet for 29 years and it keeps getting better. The company finds ways to refresh and update the perennial favorite with new backdrops, costumes and an exciting new dragon for the "Tea From China" number.
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Taylor is a sophomore at St. Joseph Catholic High School where she is an honor student and cheerleader. She has been dancing since she was three and has participated in The Nutcracker since she was four. Her younger sister Caroline also dances with HDT and is in The Nutcracker.
Alex Marsh is by Clara's side in the Land of Sweets as the Nutcracker Prince come to life. Clara has a Guardian Angel (Anna Lafferre) who guides her throughout the dance.
Many parents are involved in the dance during the party scene, where the men are dapper in tuxedos and the women wear lovely gowns. The party is filled with family and friends who enjoy taking turns dancing. Young Fritz (Sage Plumley) is put up to mischief by the fun-loving Aunt Ginger (Melissa Buchanan).
Uncle Drosselmeyer (guest artist John Phillip Perry II) brings life-size dolls to the party and each doll dances for the crowd. The dolls are Harlequin (Rachel Rohrbach), Ballerina (Morgan Hensley) and Gypsy (Amanda Assaley).
After the party Clara falls asleep and awakens to find the Christmas tree has grown huge and the room is filled with life-size mice and the Rat King (Megan Haynes). Miraculously the Nutcracker doll has also become lifesize and fights the Rat King. After defeating the Rat King, the Nutcracker becomes a human Prince and he and Clara travel through the snow to the Land of Sweets.
The Snow Queen (Rebekah Finlay) and Snow King (guest artist Donald Laney) are magnificent in their dance, which is followed by the Waltz of the Snowflakes, the most breathtaking dance of the show. The lighting and snow effects are gorgeous, setting off the dancers in their beautiful white costumes. Every year I think this dance has reached the peak of perfection, and the following year it is surpassed. This year is no exception, with Rebekah making a stunning Snow Queen.
There is a 20-minute intermission to allow the crew to clean up the snow and theatre patrons are encouraged to visit the HDT Boutique in the lobby where various items may be purchased.
The second act takes place in the Land of Sweets and opens with the lovely Waltz of the Flowers, featuring former Clara, Emily Assaley as the Dewdrop Fairy. The Waltz is a vision in purple, followed by Gifts where young dancers present Clara with an assortment of gifts, assisted by the Dewdrop Fairy and the Sugar Plum Fairy (Molly Daniel).
Clara is seated and her Prince stands by while a succession of dancers perform for them, starting with Mother Ginger and her Gingersnaps. The Gingersnaps are adorable in their white and red tutus and gambol about the stage until Mother Ginger gathers them up and herds them offstage.
Russian Trepak is next, then the Dance of the Reed Pipes, showcasing Dominique Neff as Marzipan, with John Phillip Perry II as her Cavalier. There is Chocolate from Spain, Coffee from Arabia and Tea from China with the colorful new dragon designed by Nicole Peckens.
The Sugar Plum Suite is the last duet, performed superbly by Molly Daniel and Donald Laney. They dance together and singly and do a stunning array of leaps and lifts. They are beautiful to behold.
All the dancers come out to send Clara and her Prince back to her home, where she awakens to find everything back to normal and her Nutcracker returned to his natural state. But was it really only a dream? She reaches up and feels the tiara she wore on the trip.
Guest artist Donald Laney has performed in The Nutcracker for several years. He is the co-Artistic Director of the West Virginia Dance Company.
Guest artist John Phillip Perry II is a junior at West Virginia University, working on a BA in Theatre with a Minor in Dance. He dances with the WVU dance company.
Jamez Morris-Smith and his remarkable crew do a fantastic job with this show. The lighting effects are gorgeous, and the snow scene is amazing.
After a day of shopping or rushing around doing last minute Christmas stuff, take your family for a relaxing evening and enjoy The Nutcracker. It should be a holiday tradition in every home.
The Nutcracker will be presented Saturday, December 18 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, December 19 at 2:00 pm at the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse at Marshall University. A reception will be held before each performance.
Pictures show the entire cast, featured performers and scenes from the show. These pictures and many more will be available at http://lloydphotography.ifp3.
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