State Street Ballet selects local cast for Spokane Symphony’s Nutcracker

Nov 2, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 464-7071

The Spokane Symphony presents its annual production of The Nutcracker Ballet, featuring an all new production by State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara. Resident Conductor Morihiko Nakahara will lead the orchestra for five performances at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Recently, auditions were held to select a troop of local dancers to supplement the 20 member dance company.

State Street Ballet is a vibrant, innovative professional dance company based in Santa Barbara, California. Known for combining the rigors and timeless beauty of classical technique with updated looks, special effects and digital technology, the company produces original works that captivate today's diverse audiences. This version of The Nutcracker is choreographed by State Street Ballet’s founder and Artistic Director Rodney Gustafson, who has worked with many of the greatest dancers of our time including Mikhail Baryshnikov and choreographers like Alvin Ailey, George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins and Antony Tudor.

Dodie Askegard of the Ballet Arts Studio, is working with the young dancers who won the roles in the ballet. There are 124 dancers from more than eleven ballet studios and almost 50 schools from Cheney to Coeur d’Alene, from Spangle to Deer Park.

Several local dancers will appear as young guests in the Party Scene: Sophia Caruso, Mackay and Payton Graper, Annika Hennington, Marlena Mizzoni, Trey Puckett, Thomas Stenzel and Ella White.

The battle is waged between the Mouse King and his minions, and the Nutcracker, with his army of toy soldiors. The mice will be danced by Grace Basta, Arianna Ferch, Jessica Hanson, Alicia Katori, Abigail Kerr, Bridget Millsap, Haley Morris, Delaney O'Connor, Sarah Seeberger, Alxa Steinmark, Katherine Thronson, and Zoe Triggs. The soldiers will be danced by Cyrus Biehl, Emily Brower, Emma Brown, Nicole Burg, Victoria Bybee, Ashley Cartledge, Sophie Chambers, Tucker Edwards, Jordan Fillbert, Paige Fiske, Stephanie Gady, Maggie Gulliford, Rachel Harwood, Rachel Hewett, Elizabeth Horner, Hayden Jeremiah, Colter Kaley, Netsanet Kimsey, Gloria Knudsen, Mary Maystrovich, Sierra McHenry, Anna Naddy, Ruby O'Neil, and Morgan Sims. 

Advanced level students are cast as Angels in the opening of the second act. These are played by Clare Anderson, Jessica Basta, Sarah Blake, Madeline Brown, Jessalyn Cain, Sydney Cathcart, Hope Clark, Elle Collins, Claire Davey, Victoria Duke, Mackenzie Fagras, Ryann Fencl, Emily Fields, Anneliesa Guerin, Mariah Kroeze, Anissa Martinez, Megan Meier, Abigail Schornick, Samantha Thompson, and Kristen Wanke.

They will be accompanied by younger dancers playing Little Angels: Ava Aleto, Elizabeth Barker, Lilia Biehl, Sophia Caruso, Mia Etler, Arianna Flanigan, Isabelle Grimesey, Isla Hargreaves, Iris Hartwig, Katie Hurd, Willow Jones, Alexandra Konya, Kathryn Meany, Amanda Meier, Isabella Moya, Hannah Niemi, Abby Rose O'Keefe, Emily Reidt, Caroline Slater, Sophia Smith, Jenika Staben, Josephine Stenzel, and Olivia Waldenberg.

The land of sweets will also be populated by bonbons played by local dancers Eleanor Adams, Piper Adams, Rebecca Basta, Hannah Blake, Emma Boharski, Skylar Branson, Brooklyn Butler, Riley Cleveland, Lydia Colby, Maeve Collins, Cascade Donally, Emma Finkle, Dinah Gardner, Mari Hirayama, Ava Hubble, Emily Hurd, Kari Jones, Sarah Knutson, Kelsey M. Koch, Yvette Kraft, Ana Lillie, Hannah Meany, Abigail Meier, Natalie Miller, Marlena Mizzoni, Emily Moya, Kyla Puckett, Ava Romine, Sarah Schelegel, Kiersty Staben, Ila Stecher, Diana Stenzel, Kailee Swenson-Poosri, Audrey Thronson, Samantha Warren, Madeleine(Maddie)Wilson, and Faith Wurz.

Ticket prices range from $22 for adults and $16 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available with personalized service at the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox or by calling 509-624-1200, or at our website at www.spokanesymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT. We do not recommend purchasing from any other outlets.

Nutcracker is underwritten this year by Avista, and American Family Insurance with additional support provided by DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center.