Ready for opening night Ready for opening night (November 26, 2004)

Dress rehearsals prepare casts for holiday shows
by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

A row of little girls sat on the floor of the ballet studio, wearing old-fashioned party dresses, lacy pantaloons they call "lambs legs," and ballet shoes. Rebecca Crowell, director of the Danville Ballet Company, handed out hair ribbons, which the girls fastened onto their pinned up hair, and told them how the dress rehearsal would proceed.

"We'll be doing Act I several times," she told the young ballerinas. "At least twice, if not three times. So don't think you can change until I tell you." This latter advice was aimed at those who play multiple roles in next weekend's production of "The Nutcracker."

All around the Bay Area - indeed, all around the world - ballet companies are preparing their holiday productions of the classic that tells the tale of Clara and the magic nutcracker she receives at her family's Christmas party from Herr Drosselmeyer. It is performed to the delightful score by Tchaikovsky, written in 1892.

Last Saturday was one of the first dress rehearsals for the Danville Ballet Company, which draws many students from Pleasanton and has its studio in Alamo. Some grownups were also in their costumed finery to play the parts of Clara's parents, Maria the maid, and the guests at the party.

Crowell explained to the performers that downstage is toward the audience and upstage is away from the audience. "Does anyone know why?" she asked, and one girl knew that stages were once slanted.

"Some of them still are, in Europe," said Crowell. She went on to say that stage right is to the performers' right as they face the audience, and left is to their left. She also pointed out markings on the studio floor that stood for center stage, the entrances and exits.

Then she announced: "Take your places!" and everyone scurried into place. The familiar opening strains of "The Nutcracker Suite" began, and silently the guests arrived at the Christmas party to be greeted by a smiling and pantomiming Maria.

"Big smiles!" called out Crowell, also instructing the girls not to line up, rather to stagger their positions so they could all be seen. The girls concentrated hard as they executed their steps.

The scene progressed as Clara and her parents welcomed the guests. Then Herr Drosselmeyer arrived with his servant and handed out pretty Victorian-styled dolls to the little girls and the handsome nutcracker to Clara. The guests gathered around to watch as windup toys performed for them. Act I drew to a close after the guests left, Clara said good night to her parents and put the nutcracker under the Christmas tree, and exited stage left with Maria to be put to bed.

When the music stopped, Crowell climbed on her high stool, gathering everyone before her. First she had the young party guests line up in front of her to compare their lambs legs and dress lengths.

"That dress is too short," she pointed out to the costumer. "Those lamb's legs - check they're even."

She made notes of items to look for to complete the scene - lanterns, a feather duster.

Then she instructed the students on acting techniques. "Pretend!" she exclaimed. "Pretend someone is there that you are talking to. Wave across the aisle. Pretend you are waving to someone."

She directed them to act happy and excited as they approached Clara's. When they gathered at the party to watch the toys dance, "We need to see more reaction," she said. "It has to look like you're seeing them for the first time."

"And move around," she added. "You're looking like dolls yourself."

She also worked out other technicalities - who holds their dolls while the girls put their capes on to leave? Parts of the dolls' outfits were catching on the girls' clothing, and she asked for volunteers from the parents to take the dolls home to remove their accessories.

Susan and Lou Astbury play two of the adult roles in the production. Their daughter Emily, a sophomore at Foothill High, has been dancing since she was 3 and has performed many of the roles.

"I love to do the performances," Emily said. "It's so different from class." They also perform a ballet in the spring at the Amador Theater.

"The 'Nutcracker' is a tradition and it's always exciting to hear what part you're going to do," she noted. This year she plays a snowflake, a Spanish dancer, Dew Drop and a flower.

She said that she and her mom worked together to convince her dad to join the production this year. "My brother Trey just went away to college so we thought this would be a fun family experience," said Emily. "At first he was reluctant but we talked him into it."

Her mother Susan has been one of the party guests in previous performances and in other years her father Lou helped out backstage.

"I was drafted," said Lou. "It's fun to see what goes on in the background. But without a doubt I probably need some remedial acting classes."

Herr Drosselmeyer is played by a guest artist, Pleasanton resident David Hicks. He danced professionally with the Oakland Ballet and skated for three seasons with the Ice Capades.

Other Pleasanton residents in the production are Alyssa and Olivia Wible, and Athena Bringhurst.

Valley Dance Theatre, which performs at the Livermore High School Theater, is also preparing its traditional, full-length production of "The Nutcracker." Its music is provided by the Livermore-Amador Symphony and Harmony Crossroads Chorus. Julia Peterson, a student at Amador Valley High, plays a soldier; Natasha Carl, a student at Harvest Park Middle School, plays Clara; and Jennifer Jansen, also at Amador, plays Harlequin.

Meanwhile back at Danville Ballet Company, Crowell called the two girls who take turns playing Clara to her side and instructed them how to place the nutcracker under the tree, join Maria, and turn back on her toes to blow him a kiss. Each of the Claras went through the paces, gracefully bowing down to put him in place and blowing the kiss lightly on the air.

Then everyone took their places to practice Act I again, and the haunting strains of Tchaikovsky once more filled the studio with the sounds of the Christmas classic.
Holidays on stage

What: "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens Who: Pleasanton's Civic Arts Stage Company Where: Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road When: 8 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays, Dec. 3-4, 10-11; 2 p.m., Saturdays, Dec. 5, 11; Sunday, Dec. 12 Tickets: $10, $15, $20 for adults; $5, $10, $15 for youth 12 and under. Call 931-3444 or online at www.civicartstickets.org.
What: "Sugar Plum Fairy," a one-woman theatrical show of a slightly skewed comedic version of a holiday classic Who: National Public Radio's Sandra Tsing Loh Where: San Jose Repertory theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose Times: Performance times vary When: Nov. 27-Jan. 2 Tickets: $11-$52; ticket and show time information are available online at www.sjrep.com, or call (408) 367-7255
What: "Story of the Nutcracker, " featuring Tina Kay Bohnstedt and Viktor Kabaniaev of the Diablo Ballet Who: Contra Costa Ballet Where: Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek Times: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 4:30, 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2, 4:30, 7:30 p.m. Saturday When: Dec. 2-4 Tickets: $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and children. Tickets are available at the box office or call 943-SHOW (943-7469)
What: "The Nutcracker" Who: Danville Ballet Company Where: Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek Times: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2, 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday When: Dec. 3-5 Tickets: $22 for adults and $20 for children younger than 12. For tickets, call 943-SHOW (943-7469).
What: Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" Who: Storyteller Rev. Robert Fish Where: Tri-Valley Unity Church, 6325 Sierra Court, Dublin Times: 7-8:30 p.m. When: Dec. 4 Tickets: Free admission, but donations accepted.
What: Holiday concerts, including Deck the Hall, Peter the Wolf, Colors of Christmas and Choral Christmas Spectacular Who: San Francisco Symphony Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco Times: Varies, depending on concert When: Throughout December Tickets: Prices vary and are available online or by calling (415) 864-6000 from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; noon to 6 p.m. Saturday
What: Holiday concert and audience sing-along. Christmas selections include "The Christmas Song," "Silver Bells," "Adeste Fideles" and "Sleigh Ride" Who: Contra Costa Wind Symphony Where: Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Drive, Lafayette Times: 7:30 p.m. When: Dec. 13 Tickets: Free
What: "The Nutcracker." Opening night includes a snowfall to welcome guests, tables filled with sweets from Bay Area restaurants and bakeries, and jugglers and magicians to entertain while the San Francisco Boys Chorus sings carols. Who: San Francisco Ballet Where: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco Times: 7 p.m., opening night Friday; after that, two performances daily at varying times When: Dec. 17-31, except on Christmas day Tickets: Prices vary depending on seat and are available online at www.sfballet.org or call (415) 865-2000.
What: "The Nutcracker" Who: Valley Dance Theatre, the Livermore-Amador Symphony and Harmony Crossroad Chorus Where: Livermore High School Performing Arts Theater, 600 Maple St., Livermore Performance times: 2, 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 7 p.m. Tuesday When: Dec. 18-19 and Dec. 21 Tickets: Advance adult reserved seats are $15; seniors and students, $13; unassigned seating, $12 and $10, respectively. Order tickets by calling 243-0925, or online at www.valleydancetheatre.com.
'Nutcracker' notes

"The Nutcracker" is based on a book published by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King." This work was never intended for children; it was a morbid story meant to show the depravity of mankind. Russian choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Peter I. Tchaikovsky to compose the music for "The Nutcracker," and the music was premiered before the ballet. The music was an immediate success, although Tchaikovsky felt it was "infinitely poorer" than his "Sleeping Beauty," which he had composed in 1890. Nonetheless it has become the most attended holiday ballet ever produced.

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