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Studio K presents holiday ballet at Farthing
Auditorium
By Jeff Eason
For young ladies who pursue interests in the performing arts,
there are some roles that just stand a cut above
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Ashley Harkins takes the stage as
Clara Von Stahlbaum in the Studio K production of the
holiday ballet The Nutcracker at Farthing Auditorium.
Photo by Jeff Eason.
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the others. For actresses, the chance to play Juliet in Romeo
and Juliet or Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is an opportunity
of a lifetime. For opera singers, the roles of Carmen and Cio-Cio
San (Madame Butterfly) are among the characters who tantalize
young sopranos.
For ballet dancers, there are few roles that can compare with
Clara Von Stahlbaum, the young protagonist of Tchaikovsky’s
ballet The Nutcracker. For local dance company Studio K Ballet,
it has become a tradition to give the role of Clara to a different
ballerina each year, usually to a dancer in her late teens or
early twenties.
This weekend, Watauga High School student Ashley Harkins will
become Clara as Studio K presents The Nutcracker at Farthing Auditorium
in Boone. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 8th
at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 9th at 3 p.m. Tickets are on sale
now.
After a career spent writing symphonies such as Romeo and Juliet
and The 1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky took to writing scores for
dance rather late in life, with The Nutcracker being his final
ballet. In the century since its debut, it has become one of the
most popular ballets performed, particularly during the holidays.
As the ballet opens, we meet Clara and her family as the Von Stahlbaum
household is preparing for a large Christmas party, complete with
a huge Christmas tree and lavish decorations. Many guests arrive,
including the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer, a kindly old gentleman
who is godfather to both Clara and her mischievous brother Fritz.
Drosselmeyer gives the two children mechanical dolls: Clara receives
a harlequin doll and Fritz gets a soldier doll.
Drosselmeyer also gives Clara a nutcracker doll dressed as a soldier.
Fritz tries to take the nutcracker from Clara and in the ensuing
struggle, the doll is broken in two. Clara tries to comfort the
injured soldier as her parents say goodnight to their parting
guests.
When Clara falls asleep in the living room, her dreams magically
transform her surroundings. An army of soldier dolls come to life
and hails the arrival of the Nutcracker Prince. After fighting
off the Mouse King and his horde, Clara and the Nutcracker visit
the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Along the way they
meet dancers from around the world and are enchanted by the beautiful
Sugar Plum Fairy.
Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Clara awakens to find her journey
has been a magical dream…or was it?
Leads in the production include Kenneth Wright as Councillor Von
Stahlbaum, Kit Olsen as Frau Von Stahlbaum, Savannah Spencer as
Fritz, Andy Harkins as Dr. Drosselmeyer, Lindsey Harkins as Grandmother,
Michael Sutton as the Mouse King, Ariel Franklin as the soldier
doll, Anna Reichard as Columbine, Cay Harkins as the Snow Queen,
Greg Pope as Cavalier, Catharine Milner as the Queen of Sweets,
Sally Miller as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Matt Backe as the Nutcracker
Prince.
The toy store children are Eden Arquette, Emma Barr, Isabelle
Broman-Fulks, Bethany Critcher, Devin Drummond, Savannah Grizzard,
Gaia Harper, Josie Herring, Caroline Hodges, Taylor Replogle,
Madelyne Street, Katy Drummond, Addy Arnold, Julia Banks, Rebekah
Blair, Emme Catio, Lilly Coggins, Luci Brooke Creed, Alessandra
Densham, Alexis Eggers, Anna Galloway, Libby Glidewell, Kati Mac
Greene, Molly Grimes, Sarah Grimes, Molly Kirkland, Isabella Knight,
Marisa Romanat, Allison Turbyfill, Rhianna Verholek, Peyton Walton
and Ava Williamson.
The toy store family includes Fredenburg, Andrew Hatley, Catie
Holder, Carrie Labonte, Josie Lawrence, Breanna Meadows, Kelci
Moody, Jade Newton, Sophie Reese, Emma Kate Sevensky, Anna Shellman,
Audrey Smith, Sydney Styron, Savannah Troyer, Kathryn Watson,
Lindsey Cole, Andrew Hatley, Raven Cook, Emily Grant, Journey
Hamm, Cheney Hester, Angela Ramsdell and Elizabeth Vilas. Their
teacher is Kathy Moorman and the dancing little doll is Hannah
Reaves.
The party guests at the Stahlbaum home include Ruth Curtis, Gene
Messenkopf, Carol Anderson, Mike Wilson, Jeff Hatley, Sandy Miller,
Shannon Hatley, Ken Steele, Dan Krontz, Colette Krontz, Tom Fisher,
John Cook, Carol Cook, Kathy Moorman, Margaret Handley, Terry
Anderson, Saralynn Kader, Greg Lovins, Gene Messenkopf, Mary Dean
Silver, and Tiffany Christian.
The party children include Emma Harkins, Andrew Hatley, Morgan
Hatley, Megan Smith, Nicole Krontz, Kellyn Stamey, Gayle Anderson,
Simone Anderson, Brandy Hicks, Caroline Lovins, Savannah Copeland,
Laurel Beebe, Alex Ellis, Abby Foster, Mary Lovins, Brittany Burwell,
Sara Frances Greene, Ryan Loflin, Wendy Curtis, Peyton Walton,
Kati Mac Greene, Alana Patterson, Eliza Eason, Emily Burwell,
Cami Hastings, Annie Venable, Amanda Eagle Farrar, Anna Jensen,
Bailey Messenkopf, Cora Hatley, Anna Jensen, Abigail Apgar, Julia
Handley, Kaitlin Meiring Rhianna Verholek, Gaia Harper and Courtney
Bell.
The maids are Mary Ellis, Lysia Jones and Meresa Verholek.
The small clock mice are Lacey Bradford, Olivia Pinnix, Ella Carroll,
Bailey Cook, Kayla Edmisten, Delia Forrester, Linley Garwood,
Emily Hill, Kaitlyn Hodges, Hailey Marshall, Savannah McIntosh,
Ramsey Parker, Gracie Proffit, Kacie Rominger, Eden Stroupe, Katie
Thompson, Ella Triplett, Ava Black, Lily Brown, Hallie Grace Byrd,
Alexis Clary, Lauren Darbo, Kathline Gibson, Emma Knight, Lizzie
Miller, Lucy Miller, Quincy Peacock, Ella Pennell, Grace Sears
and Janie Ann Soucek.
The large mice are Jeff Hatley, Ken Steele, Mike Wilson and Kenneth
Wright. The soldiers are Katelyn Callahan, Kaitlin Felts, Alana
Patterson, Elizabeth Pitts, Evan Redmond, Kellyn Stamey, Annie
Venable, Laurel Beebe, Taylor Blanton, Emily Burwell, Alex Ellis,
Anna Kay Greene, Sarah Mohr, Carly Moser, Rebekah Washburn, Alana
Patterson, Anna Jenson, Abigail Apgar, Anna Jensen, Nicole Krontz
and Britney Burwell.
The snow attendants are Tara Wicker, Hannah Williams, Cathryn
Smith, Callie Stanberry, Meghan Harris and Akesha Greene. The
snowflakes are Gayle Anderson, Sara Critcher, Wendy Curtis, Kathryn
DeVoe, Abby Foster, Ariel Franklin, Akesha Greene, Catharine Milner,
Lindsey Harkins, Meghan Harris, Shellie Karaus, Lindsay Kaudelka,
Sally Miller, Sarah Mixter, Shannon Hatley, Anna Reichard, Eve
Smalling, Cathryn Smith, Callie Stanbery, Amanda Taylor, Haley
Walton, Nicole Werner, Tara Wicker and Hannah Williams.
The lead angels are Nicole Werner, Eve Smalling, Kathryn DeVoe
and Lindsay Kaudelka. The little angels are Rebecca Anderson,
Lauren Cottom, Ashlyn Edmisten, Marley Forrester, Caroline Hoover,
Eden Indicott, Chloe Lawrence, Lennon Lupton, Maggie Milhaupt,
Mckayla Minor, Sydney Morrison, Caitlin Sanders, Mattie Suggs,
Ella Thompson, Bridgett Baird, Victoria Cool, Faith Flores, Lauren
Jaquays, Terran Julian, Piper Lawrence, Emma Liesegang, Delia
Rhodes, Shaelyn Sheaff, Molly Taylor, Abigail Utter and Kaycee
Wilson.
The maypole angels are Abigail Button, Avery Devereux, Lily Devereux,
Will Devereux, Katy Drummond, Carlton Dyer, Summer Finch, Julia
Handley, Madeline Hays, Angela Claire Hendersons, Jackie Illich,
Reagan Miller, Evangelina Mizell, Elizabeth Noble, Isabella Phipps,
Browning Proctor, Lydia Rothrock, Chloe Wilburn, Tiana Wilson,
Courtney Bell, Samantha Byrd, Meredith Carter, Megan Dean, Sarah
Ledford, Emily Ray, Sara Ware, Laurel Beebe, Taylor Blanton, Anna
Kay Greene, Laurel Beebe, Taylor Blanton and Sarah Mohr.
The sugar plum attendants are Heather Byrd, Emma Carder, Sara
Frances Greene, Olivia Handley, Emma Harkins, Cami Hastings, Lacy
Holder, Tory Jensen, Kelsi Kanoy, Hannah Nemcosky, Heather Ostwalt,
Olivia Reese, Meghan Smith, Jessica Tufts, Katherine Tufts, Camille
Ward, Olivia Williamson, Staci Brown, Mackenna Berry, Joanna Campbell,
Catherine Catoe, Rayanna Christian, Moriah Franklin, Amelia Humiston-Baker,
Jasmine Jackson, Courtney Jensen, Kennedy Kavanaugh, Sierra Lowder,
Francesca Mancini, Gabrielle Moody, Rachel Norwood, Rebecca Price
and Sierra Sweeney.
Leads in the Chocolate Dance include Wendy Curtis, Sara Critcher,
Hannah Williams and Sarah Mixter. Attendants include Abigail Apgar,
Hannah Bates, Brittany Burwell, Ashley Canter, Megan Critcher,
Sidney Ginn, Nicole Krontz, Brook Matheson, Amelia Powers, Victoria
Redmon, Hanna Reeves, Megan Tate, Ivy Ulmer, Olivia Watson, Savannah
Copeland, Amanda Eagle-Farrar, Matilda Gragg, Morgan Hatley, Brandy
Hicks, Ryan Loflin, Caroline Lovins, Aynsley Moore, Elizabeth
Watson, Mackenna Berry and Laura Zuber.
Leads in the Coffe Dance are Cathryn Smith and Nolan McKew. Attendants
include Allison Brown, Lindsey Cole, Carolina Conway, Morgan Critcher,
Eliza Grace Eason, Sara Frances Greene, Emma Harkins, Breianna
Hehenberger, Deanna Indicott, Mary Lovins, Amanda Lubkemann, Tabitha
Moody, Alexis Pope, Allison Quinn and Emily Whittaker.
Leads in the Chinese Dance are Wendy Curtis, Meghan Harris, Gayle
Anderson and Sarah Mixter.
Leads in the Russian Dance are Haley Walton, Lindsey Harkins and
Gayle Anderson.
The Mirlitons (reed flutes) include soloists Amanda Taylor, Tara
Wicker, Calie Stanberry, Anna Reichard and Ariel Franklin. Attendants
include Emily Burwell, Katelyn Callahan, Alana Patterson, Evan
Redmond, Marlie Shelton, Kellyn Stamey, Morgan Story, Annie Venable,
Kathleen Baker, Laurel Beebe, Charlotte Black, Taylor Blanton,
Alex Ellis, Kaitlin Felts, Anna Kay Greene, Anna Jensen, Bailey
Messenkopf, Sarah Mohr, Carly Moser, Elizabeth Pitts, Rebekah
Washburn, Abigail Apgar, Nicole Krontz, Brittney Burwell and Nicole
Krontz.
The Mother Ginger children are Brooke Ashcraft, Haylee Barker,
Zoe Brown, Claudia Button, Alison Cook, Hattie Rose Greene, Faith
Ann Henson, Allie Hollis, Emmie Huffman, Erin Jensen, Megan Lewis,
Savannah Opalecky, Taylor Parsons, Emma Pinnix, Sarah Grace Shellman,
Anna Grace Williams, Lili Bauar, Sage Cercopely, Grace Corwine,
Sadye Franklin, Kaitlin Meiring, Natalie Noble, Samantha Reese,
Olivia Shepherd, Savannah Spencer, Belinda Wang, Demi Wang and
Caroline Zuber.
The Waltz of the Flowers includes dancers Rae Fritz, Gayle Anderson,
Sara Critcher, Wendy Curtis, Kathryn DeVoe, Abby Foster, Ariel
Franklin, Akesha Greene, Meghan Harris, Lindsay Kaudelka, Sally
Miller, Sarah Mixter, Anna Reichard, Eve Smalling, Cathryn Smith,
Callie Stanbery, Amanda Taylor, Nicole Werner, Tara Wicker, Hannah
Williams, Katelyn Turley, Jenny Myers, Simone Anderson, Megan
Rush, Annie Venable, Alana Patterson, Kellyn Stamey, Jessica Townsend
and Lindsey Harkins.
The Pas de deux features dancers Lauren Greene and Sid Greene.
The cotton candy dancers are Jenny Myers, Katelyn Turley, Lindsay
Kaudelka, Abby Foster, Kathryn DeVoe, Eve Smalling, Rae Fritz
and Ariel Franklin.
The Finale Corps de Ballet includes Simone Anderson, Megan Rush,
Annie Venable, Alana Patterson, Kellyn Stamey, Jessica Townsend
Katelyn Turley and Jenny Myers.
Choreographers for The Nutcracker are Cay Harkins, Lauren Greene,
Shannon Hatley, Haley Walton, Lindsey Harkins, Wendy Curtis and
Catharine Harkins.
The production staff includes Cay Harkins, Marci Moore, Guerry
McLaurin, Connor McKenzie, Charles Faison, Kristi Gill, Jonathan
Scales, Jamie Porco, Sara Huestess, Sara Carter, Jackie Greene,
Colette Krontz, Claudine Lovins and Jessica Hubbard.
Tickets
Tickets for the Studio K production of The Nutcracker are $11
for adults and $9 for children and students. To order tickets,
or for further information, call the Farthing Auditorium Box Office
at (828) 262-4046.
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