In the face of the undeniable fact that year after year, town after town around the world thrills to the spectacle of a twinkling Christmas tree on growth hormones and a flurry of snow at the end of Act I that would cause Telluriders to call in sick in the morning, it is hard to believe “The Nutcracker” first opened under a cloud in 1892 at St. Petersburg Maryinsky Theatre.
Add comedy to the list of unsolved mysteries right after the Big Bang and black holes.
In the Woody Allen movie “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” one character describes what tickles our funny bones and wrinkles our noses as “tragedy plus time.”
Steve Martin famously described comedy as “what makes you laugh, but not puke.” He also said: “Comedy is not pretty.”
Check out the faces on the Opera House poster promoting the upcoming appearance of Chicago City Limits. The members of the comedy troupe are not pretty either. But they are widely regarded as very funny.
Rebekah Diaddigo,
Sugar Plum Fairy
Thanks to the gift of memory, we make Nat “King” Cole rituals of the holidays. Folks dressed up like Eskimos build frosty snowmen. As chestnuts roast on an open fire, we sit squinched into a favorite armchair staring at presents piled high under a tree. Suddenly, magically, a little girl becomes a leggy pre-teen gawking at sugar plums dressed like fairy queens. In cities around the world,’tis the season of “The Nutcracker” ballet.
Locally, the Telluride Dance Academy, under the direction of artistic director/choreographer Valerie Madonia, is mounting its “Nutcracker” production this weekend at The Palm on Friday, December 12, 7 p.m. and on Sunday, December 14, 3 p.m.
The event features a large cast ranging in age from 3 – 50+, including local notables such as Jeb Berrier as the Rat King, Buff Hooper as Madam Bonbon, Ashley Boling as Uncle Drosselmeyer, the mysterious Merlin of a man, who has traveled the world gathering exotic gifts and stores beyond imagining. It is Drosselmeyer who gives Clara the present of a Nutcracker.
The Telluride Choral Society's annual WinterSing concert series celebrates the Holiday Season with a eclectic program of Holiday music old and new. Join us for an evening of warmth, laughter, and cheer! All adult and children groups to perform. Times:Wed 12/10 7pmFri 12/12 ...
On Sunday afternoon Susan and I were privileged to watch Valerie Madonia rehearsing some of the principals in the Telluride Dance Academy's upcoming production of "The Nutcracker". Watch for further posts about this event. Rebekah Diaddigo, Suger Plum FairySummer Templin Culp, Assistant to Valerie MadoniaKaty...
Cast of Characters
(in order of appearance)
Mrs. Darling/Minerva…Ryan Hanley
John Darling…Jonathan Gerald
Michael Darling…Scarlet Holvenstot
Wendy Darling…Ryan Niebrugge
Liza…Amber Furnee
Mr. Darling/Captain Hook…Robert Brown
Peter Pan…Emma Walker-Silverman
Tinkerbell…Morgan Fansler
Today she is a wife, mother and beloved director/mentor but growing up, Jen Nyman Julia was a theatre brat. Her parents ran Starflower Productions in her hometown of Winslow, Maine, where actors from all over the country visit to appear in the Nymans’ musicals.
In 1905, Maude Adams played Pan. Jean Arthur flew in the 1950s production. In the 1990s, former champion gymnast Cathy Rigby made Pan her signature role. But it was Mary Martin whose name became identified with Pan: the peerless performance in the 1954 production, in which she starred, was directed by choreographer Jerome Robbins. This became the paradigm.
Before it was a play, “Peter Pan” was a small story in a book written by Scottish novelist James Matthew Barrie. Later Barrie himself turned “The Little White Bird” into a play, “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up.” Initially the script was rejected by producers because the production was thought to be too elaborate: in addition to numerous and elaborate set changes, in 1904, plays generally did not call for special effects such as flying.
Ten years ago, when a starry-eyed go-getter named Jen Nyman (now Julia) arrived in town to build a young people’s theatre program at the historic Sheridan Opera House, Telluride pulled its Missouri stunt: “Show me, “ we said. Jen did. Big time.
Her response to the skeptics – “Really, we have Mudd Butts, who needs more kid’s theatre” – was to make like the lead of her first ever production, “Peter Pan”: pointing to the second star to the right, Jen led the way into the future.
