The first day of December was a flurry of tulle, swords and last-minute preparations for the 60 or so Centralia Ballet Academy dancers preparing to perform “The Nutcracker” next week.
The dancers conducted their first and only full dress rehearsal in their home studio on Sunday before traveling to Shelton for a week of rehearsals with the academy’s outreach students. The show opens at Shelton High School Dec. 7 and Dec. 8 before returning to Centralia for two performances at the Corbet Theater Dec. 13 and Dec. 14.
“Centralia Ballet has an incredible opportunity this year. In addition to doing our shows at Centralia College, we will be doing three performances the previous weekend at Shelton High School Performing Arts Center (PAC),” the Centralia Ballet Academy stated in promotional material. “After breaking the Guinness Book World Record for Most Illuminated Christmas Trees, Shelton was named Christmastown USA, and we will get to be the first ‘Nutcracker’ performed there. Shelton's PAC has a huge stage and over 700 seats, and we look forward to filling each one.”
In addition to the Centralia Ballet Academy cast, the Shelton shows will also include local Shelton-area students who are part of the ballet academy’s outreach program. The Shelton youth “will perform a brand new scene created just for them,” organizers said in a news release.
“CBA's ‘Nutcracker’ has been lauded for being a great addition to everyone's holiday traditions. And with its incredible dancing, amazing costumes and fun storytelling, it is the perfect introduction to the performing arts for younger kids,” the Shelton Performing Arts Center stated on its website.
When asked how she felt the show came together this year compared to previous years, Centralia Ballet Academy co-owner and teacher Nancy Gunter said, “It’s always interesting because … we tweak things every year.”
This year, a former student volunteered to help current dancers with acrobatics for Chinese Dance to help elevate that number.
“That’s been fun,” Gunter said, “What’s also been fun is our Sugar Plum (Fairy) and Cavalier were double-cast, and one of the couples (Tess McMurry and Wesley Wilhelmi) has done it before, and it’s been ‘How can we take this further? How can we do even better?’”
The other couple, McKenna Bryan and Owen Hedgers, is new to the roles, which Gunter said “is always fun to watch.”
Dancers auditioned in early September and started Saturday rehearsals soon after.
With the older dancers choosing to put on a Halloween show this year, which was performed Oct. 19, “It’s been a little extra intense,” Gunter said.
Approximately 60 dancers of all ages are involved in this year’s production.
“It’s probably pretty similar to last year,” Gunter said of the cast size.
The Centralia Ballet Academy’s “Nutcracker” began in 2015 as a compilation of excerpts from the show advertised as a “Sugar Plum Tea,” which it held again in 2016 before expanding to the full-length “Nutcracker” in 2017.
Showtimes are 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in Shelton; and 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, and 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, in Centralia.
Online ticket prices are $17 for the Shelton shows and $19.40 for the Centralia shows.
Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.centraliaballet.com/2024-nutcracker.html.
Each Centralia show has approximately 150 pay-what-you-can tickets that will be available at the door on a first come, first served basis.
Owned by Mickey and Nancy Gunter, the Centralia Ballet Academy provides students with “structured, disciplined, classically-based dance training in a positive, family-friendly environment at an affordable cost,” according to the academy’s website.
Cast list:
Young Drosselmyer: Callum Black
Fairy Doll: Chloe Maruca
Ballerina Doll: Ava James
Red Riding Hood Doll: Zoey Tondre
Pirate Doll: Lane Stoney
Little Mouse: Rainier Black
Clara Silberhaus: Thalia Martinez and Lucy Lennox
Fritz Silberhaus: Alexander Kellum and Tiberius Wilhelmi
Mr. Silberhaus: Alex McMurry
Mrs. Silberhaus: Theresa McMurry
Widow: Jeni Burlingame
Party Moms: Kristina Leopold and Jen Hedgers
Party Dads: Matt Leopold and Jared Hedgers
Head Maid: Samantha Gunter
Maid: Jordan Larson
Butler: Xavier Cox
Grandma: Katherine Gulmert
Party Boys: Roman Alvarado-Zaldivar, Sam Burlingame, Liam Clark, Tiberius Wilhelmi, Alexander Kellum, Joshua Foote and Landen Nowa
Party Girls: Lucy Lennox, Thalia Martinez, Kendra Aguirre-Huerta, Aurora Foote, Summer Moran: Laney Nowa
Drosselmeyer: Scott Burlingame
Nephew/Nutcracker: Landen Nowa and Joshua Foote
Columbine Doll: Elsa Freeberg
Ballerina Doll: Adeline Wilhelmi
Soldier Doll: Carter Johnston
Pirate Doll: Rebecca Fogde
Owl: Tatum Razberry
Rat King: Emmett Thomas
Rat Admirals: Corbyn Barnette, Abraham Fanning and Perrin Fisher
Mouse General: Lillian Hostetler
Mice: Hester Fanning and Charlotte Leopold
General: Kendra Razberry
Soldiers: Jonnie Foote, Emma Kresse, Behya Miranda, Delilah Newberry, Tiberius Wilhelmi, Jecht Mora
Snow Queen: Nevaeh Rose and Jamiah Wood
Snow King: Wesley Wilhelmi and Owen Hedgers
Snowflakes: McKenna Bryan, Ari Hannum, Lily Lennox, Tess McMurry, Elaina Porter, Marilyn Selin, Briana Smith, Lydia Smith, Jamiah Wood and Nevaeh Rose
Musketeers: Corbyn Barnette, Sam Burlingame and Abraham Fanning
Spanish: Ari Hannum, Emma Hashagen and Lily Lennox
Spanish Senoras: Lynn Gear and Kristina Leopold
Arabian: Samantha Gunter, Elaina Porter and Adeline Wilhelmi
Chinese Lead: Marilyn Selin
Chinese Corps: Liam Clark, Laney Nowa
Russian: Jack Burlingame, Carter Johnston, Emmett Thomas, Joshua Foote, Landen Nowa
Marzipan Shephardess: Briana Smith
Sheep: Carly Burlingame, Katianne Parnel
Chef Ginger: Elsa Freeberg
Sous-Chef: Jordan Larson
Gingerbread Cookies: Eleanor Heck, Rakel Hannum, Matthew Leopold, Zaria Terrel and Quinton Wilhelmi
Dewdrop Fairy: Lydia Smith
Lead Flowers: Nevaeh Rose, Jamiah Wood
Flowers: Rebecca Fogde, Auria Frank, Emma Hashagen, Maddison Leopold, Tatum Razberry and Amelia White
Sugar Plum Fairy: McKenna Bryan and Tess McMurry
Cavalier: Owen Hedgers and Wesley Wilhelmi
