So much more than sugar plums
by Sally Lubetich

We all know how frantic this time of year can be. Time seems to just fly by. You rush around to get it all done, and then you’re left saying “It doesn’t feel like Christmas!”

Well, one thing you must rush to do this weekend is to see The Nutcracker at the Mount Baker Theatre, a magical holiday tradition that is brought to life by the Northwest Ballet Theatre, under the artistic direction of John Bishop and choreographed by Miye Bishop.

This year the production is enhanced with live music performed by the Starry Night Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Daniel Schmidt. The live orchestra, a first for our area, adds another character to the story, the Narrator. This talented ensemble brings so much more depth to the story than recorded music ever could.

Young Clara (Holly Forsberg/ Ona Underwood) receives a gift of a beautiful nutcracker from her Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer (Angus Mclane.) Clara’s naughty little brother Fritz (Tavian Ancheta) breaks the nutcracker, but Herr Drosselmeyer magically repairs it.

That night, after everyone has gone to bed, Clara sneaks back downstairs and falls asleep under the Christmas tree. She then has the most magical dream! First off, mice of all sizes come running through the house. Their leader, the Mouse Queen (Mija Bishop) leads her minions in an exciting battle against the Nutcracker (Jonathan D.Vogt) and his Toy Soldiers. Clara and the Nutcracker defeat the Mouse Queen.

The dream then transforms the Nutcracker into a handsome Prince and Clara into a beautiful young lady (Venise Lee) they are whisked off to the Land of Snow where they meet the Snow Queen (Ayesha Wise) and her dancing snowflakes. She leads them to the Kingdom of Sweets where they are treated to a delightful celebration of dance, featuring Spanish Chocolate (Anna Ford), Chinese Tea (Julianne Pemberton) and Arabian Coffee (Miye Bishop). Clara’s dream ends and she awakes to find her Nutcracker toy in her arms.

From the adorable pink mice and toy soldiers, charming snowflakes, fairies and flowers, to the delightful Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, this large cast of talented dancers will enchant everyone. Bring your younger children to see this lavish production. You’ll find them twirling in the aisles!

The Nutcracker plays December 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. and December 11 at 2:00 p.m. at the Mount Baker Theatre. Tickets are $15 and $24, with discounts for seniors and students. Call MBT at 360-734-6080 or order online at www.mountbakertheatre.com. Next weekend, The Nutcracker moves to McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon for performances on December 17 and 18. Information regarding these performances is available at www.mcintyrehall.org.

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Moscow Ballet does Romeo and Juliet
by John Evans French

Your humble reviewer has something of a hang up which I will get off my chest at the very beginning of this review. I do not like productions where one of the centerpieces is music and it is canned. I really do not care how good the can is. When I am paying to see live people that is exactly what I want.

Part of the orchestra that would have been required to perform Prokofiev’s score or some of the corps de ballet or the first two rows of audience would have had to sit in another part of the building to make it work. The pit area at the Mount Baker Theatre simply would not accommodate that large of a group, and please believe that I have had first-hand experience with this situation.

As to what did work, the production was really quite elegant all the way through. The costumes, from in the house, were vibrant, colorful and very much enhanced the dancers’ movements and expression. A well-deserved kudo goes to Arthur Oliver for his very intriguing work.

The stand out for me last night was Juliet. Alexandra Elagina had all of the facets for her character. The sublime beauty of the ballerina and her charmingly graceful mannerisms – especially in her duets with Romeo – were superb. She was quite simply, grace personified.

The other stand outs were Benvolio and Mercutio (Romeo’s close friends) who were incredibly charming and irritating (in the little brother sort of way) as they continually terrorized Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt. The three of them spent a great deal time chasing each other and it was marvelous – until Tybalt killed Mercutio, that is. And Romeo then killed Tybalt. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Some the most exciting dancing of the evening took place during the sword play moments. There just is something about Russians, swords and dance that brings out excitement all the time for me.

The scenic backdrops for this production were of high quality, especially the Capulet family tomb which drew the audience in to being a part of the room. The lighting effects were very well done and wonderfully subtle, especially in the scenes with Friar Lawrence.

My two main criticisms of this experience are not with the production, but with the MBT. The volume of the orchestra in the can almost drove the audience out of the building in the first act. This is not the first time I have experienced this effect at the MBT. The “Spotlight” program I was given was 47 pages long of which 4 & 1/4 were given to information about the company. Do you really need to give me the construction shots of the MBT in 1926 every time and not let me read anything except a brief paragraph about each of the principal dancers?

This was a terrific night for dance lovers in Bellingham and I look forward to more.

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Leave your preconceptions by the door
by Judith Owens-Lancaster

Directed by Pam Kuntz, Leave My Shoes by the Door is the tenth in a series of pieces exploring a wide range of social and personal issues regarding death and dying. Engaging community members, Kuntz uses dance as a vehicle for their stories. This evening is truly poetry in movement and visual art which takes us on an interesting and provocative journey exploring death as a part of life and our struggles to come to terms with its inevitability.

Kuntz’s imaginative rendering takes us through a door where we end up witnessing death, dying and grieving; by dreaming of it, dancing with it, going kicking and screaming toward it, and sometimes welcoming it by surrendering to it. Take comfort, for in all these possible scenarios, we are not left in fear. Rather, death is seen as a seductive shadow, partnering us, promising our eventual rendezvous, sometimes sneaking up on us, taking us unaware, but despite that, never becoming our enemy.

You could see more than one performance and come away with entirely different emotions than the first time. One feels the commitment of the ensemble and they draw us into their vignettes. Their honesty is so engaging, we want to see more.

This talented ensemble of performers not only dance, but sing and play various instruments. The visual artist Ruthie V. has used a very simple set to enhance the performances. There is a white backdrop upon which we see projected drawings much like finger paintings and there is one large white drop which covers the entire stage. Sometimes this drop is a curtain, a cloud, a shroud, a blanket, a robe, but always part of the drama. Further support to the montage is the music of Spencer Thun and lighting design by Mark Kuntz.

The ensemble is Alona Christman, Angela Kiser, Ella Mahler, Nathan Scarborough, Brooke Friswold, Ben Scholtz, Linda Allen, Spencer Thun, Brittaney Schunzel and Marie Eaton.

Leave Your Shoes by the Door can be seen at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1214 Harris Avenue. Performances are Friday – Sunday, September 16-18, 23-15, and September 30-October 2. Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday performances at 5:00 p.m. Saturday nights, there will be a post-show discussion where the audience will be invited to ask questions and share thoughts. Tickets are $15 and available at the Food Co-op downtown, Village Books, www.brownpapertickets.com, and at the door. Donations to Whatcom Hospice are welcomed.

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Stunning production from local company
by Christopher Key

This City of Subdued Excitement is, in many ways, a model of multi-cultural acceptance and understanding. Not perfect, by any means, but light-years ahead of many American communities. Northwest Ballet has brought forth a production that sheds some light on a shameful part of our history and will help us move forward with passion and compassion.

Emerald Bay is set during the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act 125 years ago and brings us a retelling of Romeo and Juliet in terms that both Shakespeare and modern audiences can relate to.

Several years in the making, Emerald Bay is the result of a fortuitous collaboration between Northwest Ballet Artistic Director John Bishop and Western Washington University professor Christopher Wise. Early on, they enlisted the help of another WWU professor, Ning Yu, who became the Cultural Advisor for the production.

One of the things that makes the ballet so powerful is the inclusion of actual historical characters. It was Yu’s suggestion to include Goon Dip, a merchant who struggled to bridge the cultural gaps of the time. That opened the way to including Fairhaven founder Dirty Dan Harris and Mark Twain, who was in town on the lecture circuit.

The love story centers on Julie O’Connor, an Irish-American girl who falls in love with Li Puo, captain of a Chinese trading ship. This horrifies both of their families and tensions in the community, already high, explode into violence.

Christina Stockdale and Shuai Chen star in the Northwest Ballet production of Emerald Bay. Photo credit - Christopher Key

Bishop and Wise have ingeniously incorporated other cultures into the mix, including the Lummi, the Scots and the Dutch, all of whom played a role in the historical drama that is Whatcom County. The result is a history lesson that is far more compelling than anything taught in a classroom.

Christina Stockdale is a principal dancer with Ballet Bellevue and will be familiar to local audiences, having performed in the Northwest Ballet productions of The Nutcracker and Dracula. Her heart-wrenching performance in Emerald Bay will leave you limp.

Her Chinese paramour is portrayed by Shuai Chen, a member of Ballet San Jose. He is the hero of a backstage drama that took place when a dancer from China was denied an exit visa just two weeks before the scheduled premiere at Meany Hall in Seattle. That was the performance I attended on May 15 and there was no doubt that a week of 18-hour rehearsal days paid off. Chen looked as though he had been part of the troupe from the beginning and that speaks wonders for his professionalism and dedication. Not to mention that of the rest of the company who obviously supported him every step of the way.

Artistic Director Bishop keeps threatening to retire as a dancer and we can all be thankful that his threats have proved empty so far. He plays Gurn O’Connor, Julie’s violently racist brother, with the verve of a much younger man. Allison Kahl, who collaborated on the choreography, plays Julie’s best friend Reilly Doyle with exquisite grace and style. The other collaborator on the choreography, Jianna Zhang, leads the Chinese dancers. Venise Lee is enchanting as Li Ling, sister of the besotted captain.

Wise, who authored the script, is wonderfully whimsical as Dirty Dan and the inimitable Angus McLane reprises an earlier theatrical role as Mark Twain. It is perfectly fitting that professor Yu plays Goon Dip. He admits that he often found himself strongly identifying with the character and that was evident in his performance.

Emerald Bay performs at Mt. Vernon’s McIntyre Hall on June 4 at 7:30 p.m. and June 5 at 2:00 p.m. Call the box office at (360) 416-7727 Ext. 2 or toll free at (866) 624-6897 Ext. 2. Online ordering: www.mcintyrehall.org. The production moves to the Mount Baker Theatre on June 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and June 12 at 2:00 p.m. Call the box office at (360) 734-6080 or order online at www.mountbakertheatre.com.

Even the Montagues and Capulets would agree that this is a production not to be missed.

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Kuntz takes us inside
by Sally Lubetich

One of the things I like best about doing the occasional review is having the opportunity to see unique and innovative performances that I may have otherwise missed.

Prison Pieces is a trifecta of original work written and performed by local artists. It combines interpretative dance and music, with personal interviews from people who are most affected by the prison system.

Directed and choreographed be Pam Kuntz with an original score composed by Spencer Thun, the very talented dancers, Alona Christman, Vanessa Daines, and Kate Stevenson add a tangible component to the audio interviews conducted by Bellingham-based documentarian and writer, Maria McLeod.

Photo credit - Robin Dude

The interviews, merged with the dance and music, give a compelling glimpse into “the process.” Inmates relate the circumstances that lead them to prison. Abandonment, abuse, drug addiction are portrayed as the burdens they carry through the process along with the loss of identity, human contact, and family. The effect it has on the daughter of an imprisoned mother. Throughout her story you hear the echo of past lives underscored with internal tension. Insight from prison guards telling what it takes to gain respect and the toll they pay to be the gate keepers in the process.

Pam Kuntz is the Artistic Director of Kuntz and Company, a local non-profit dance and theatre organization. She was approached by the Flow Project to produce a piece for the Regional UNESCO Conference on Prisons and Peace to be held in Mt. Vernon.

Although it may not be a light-hearted romp through the prison system, it is an insightful and poignant first person account of the process. Well worth seeing and well worth supporting Kuntz and Company and UNESCO.

There will be five public performances of Prison Pieces at the Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Avenue in Bellingham. Friday May 13 at 7:30, Saturday May 14 at 5:00 and 7:30, and Sunday May 15 at 5:00 and 7:30. Admission is $15.00. Tickets available at Community Food Co‐op (on Holly Street), Village Books, Brownpapertickets.com, and at the door. For more information, go to http://www.kuntzandcompany.org.

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Little Mermaid enchants
by Christopher Key

At the entrance to Copenhagen harbor, a statue of a mermaid looks out to sea, pining for her lost love. Her legend is one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved fairy tales and Northwest Ballet is bringing the fable to vibrant life this weekend and next in Mt. Vernon and Bellingham.

Artistic Director John Bishop has done his usual masterful job choreographing The Little Mermaid, set to music by Ottorino Respighi and Benjamin Britten. Very briefly, the title character saves the life of a captain following a shipwreck. The captain doesn’t remember her in his delirium and believes a human girl saved him. The two humans fall in love and are engaged to be married.

Meanwhile, the mermaid asks a sea witch to transform her into a human so that she can pursue her lost love on land. The transformation comes at the expense of the mermaid’s voice so she can’t explain to her captain what actually happened. Her sisters suggest she kill him, but her love is such that the sacrifices her own life instead. Powerful stuff and Bishop’s ballet tells the story with heartbreaking sympathy.

Dancing the title role is the lovely and graceful Amber Johnson. She’s been dancing since age three, but has also studied gymnastics. Her amazing athleticism is demonstrated in spectacular leaps during the second act. She also has a gift for physical comedy as seen when the mermaid tries to gain her land legs.

Bishop may have given up his career as a professional dancer some years back, but you’d never guess. He plays the Sea Captain with great exuberance, leaping and spinning like someone half his age. He also brings great sensitivity to the role and it’s easy to see why he had such a stellar career as a dancer before transitioning to choreography. The second career is equally stellar.

Mija Bishop is powerful and imperious as Ursula, the Sea Witch, and one has to suspect a certain amount of inherited talent. Physically diminutive, her confident stage presence makes her seem much larger and more threatening as the villainess of the piece. She completely owns the stage when she is on.

As the human object of the Sea Captain’s affections, Kelly Skomerza brings a doll-like perfection to the role. She recently returned to dancing after a four-year hiatus and the layoff doesn’t seem to have affected her skills in the slightest.

Photo credit - Selena Storey

Northwest Ballet stalwart Angus McLane delivers another stunning performance as the Sea King. The Little Mermaid is his youngest daughter and the interactions between McLane and Johnson are immensely touching. He always makes his characters a bit larger than life and makes it look easy.

As always, there is an enormous supporting cast of Northwest Ballet students who are probably the best advertisement for that institution’s caliber of instruction. The little ones steal the show, of course.

Beth Sanchez is one of the best costumers in the Northwest. She and her crew have created extraordinary costumes that are worth the price of admission by themselves. They depict starfish, swordfish, jellyfish, sea rays, sea anemones, pearls and lots more with an imagination that brings the characters to life. Bravo!

The Little Mermaid plays McIntyre Hall in Mt. Vernon Sunday, May 2, at 2:00 p.m. Call the McIntyre box office at (360) 416-7727 or go to www.mcintyrehall.org. The ballet comes to Bellingham’s Mt. Baker Theatre on Saturday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 16, at 2:00 p.m. Call the MBT box office at (360) 734-6080 or go to www.mountbakertheatre.com.

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Please make a note/correction that Dance Gallery’s final weekend of performances do begin at 7:30pm 3/19 and 3/20
with a Matinee performance on Sunday 3/21 at 5:00 (not 2:30 as previously noted).

Students strut their stuff
by Christopher Key

Whatcom Community College always seems to be seething with young talent ready to take on the world. The Second Annual Student Showcase, playing March 3 – 6 at the Syre Student Center Black Box Theatre, is a sort of post-modern Chautauqua that offers something for everyone.

The festivities start with I Am Not Batman, a four-part piece written by Marco Ramerez and directed by Todd Gibbs, WCC’s answer to Tim Burton. Interwoven among the other acts, Ramerez’s script examines some of the subliminal aspects of the Dark Knight that the movies left out. Actors Rodney DeJager, Maddy Gold, Christina Canton and Katie Dec take us on a sometimes giddy and often touching exploration of the pop culture hero’s id.

Taking Shape is a modern dance and movement work choreographed by the imaginative Hannah Lindberg. Dancers Elsa Mansfield, Janell Murphy, Alyssa Hamilton, Michelle MacLean, Jake Martin, Jen Skaer, Glenn Clark, Danielle Comchoc, Danielly Boylen and Jeremy Larsen are both energetic and hypnotic. They weave an enchanting tapestry about the stage, freezing briefly into lovely tableaux.

Photo credit - Christopher Key

Hip-hop dance has evolved from individual showboating into a legitimate art form, as evidenced by the WCC Hip-Hop Club. Exuberant and frequently witty, dancers Jake Martin, Felix Li, Kyuha Lee, Elaine Cheung, Makaila MacLean, Stan Hui, Mary Thai, Taka Namiki and Ariel Smith lead us on a merry chase through the urban jungle.

Anger management, or the lack thereof, is the theme of Untitled Play. Directed by Brooke Minkler and Colleen Ames, this a brief vignette in which Danielle Comchoc and Selina Flannery play roommates who know how to take the fun out of dysfunctional.

Tim Greger shows off some impressive writing and directing chops with a delightful confection called Further Ado. It boldly goes where Noises Off has never gone before. I won’t spoil the fun for you by getting too specific. Two of my fave WCC actors, Emily Lester and Trevor Van Houten, own the stage as usual, but Nick Twietmeyer, Stephane Potter and Alice Despopoulos give them a serious run for their money.

The whole shebang runs about an hour and you’ll wish it went on much longer. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by calling (360) 383-3852.

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Northwest Ballet production soars
by Christopher Key

My companion at The Nutcracker this evening asked me how I review a performance like this, assuming that I have some knowledge of ballet. I don’t and I admitted it to her and to you. That’s why I end up talking about the backdrops and the costumes a lot. But I will make some small claim to theatrical wisdom. Ballet is just musical theatre without speaking parts, so I can usually fake my way through a review.

Frankly, Northwest Ballet deserves better. However, since I seem to be the only one writing reviews regularly, they have to settle for me and I do what I can. One of the things I have learned since starting to review ballet is that no two productions are alike. Don’t assume that because you’ve seen The Nutcracker before, you don’t need to see it again. This Northwest Ballet production is a fresh experience every year and we could all profit from a bit of fantasy at this time of year.

Artistic Director John Bishop told me that the opening backdrop is new this year and it sets the mood perfectly, portraying winter in an old English town as the dancers swirl in the snow. Bishop got to step into the spotlight this evening as The Cossack and his obvious joy in performing is thoroughly infectious.

The costumes are spectacular, as always. Beth Sanchez and Holly Bennett have obviously spent countless hours on this project and it shows. There. I’ve talked about the backdrops and costumes and have exhausted my ballet expertise. Now, let’s move on to the performers.

Guest artist for this production is Mahomi Endoh, a dancer with the Alberta Ballet. She began her training at age five with the Mami Ballet in Kyoto, Japan, and joined the Alberta School of Ballet in 2006. She is totally enchanting and obviously has a stellar future ahead of her. The only photo of her that I could access on very short notice comes from her Facebook page and conveys her charm the way no professional photo could. I hope she doesn’t mind that I stole it.

Playing the title role is Meridian High School senior Seth Weatherby. I have now seen him in several productions and am blown away by his athleticism and stage presence. His talent is prodigious, evidenced by his ability to pair with a professional like Endoh and look completely at home. This young dancer began training with Bishop in 2005, but he comes off as a seasoned veteran. Bravo!

There are far too many people in the cast to mention in this space, but they are all amazingly talented and deserve full houses at every performance. Theatrical Renaissance Man Angus McLane repeats his role as Herr Drosselmeyer and is always a treat to watch. The young dancers are especially enchanting and lend credence to the old W. C. Fields saw about never sharing the stage with a child. They steal the show every time.

I never cease to be amazed by the level of talent we are blessed with in this fourth corner of the nation and Northwest Ballet is one of the main reasons.

The Nutcracker performs Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at the Mount Baker Theatre with a matinee on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.. Call (360) 734-6080 for tickets or go to www.mountbakertheatre.com. Your holiday season won’t be complete without it.

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Aladdin rubs the right lamp
by Christopher Key

There are probably a lot of jocks out there who would sneer at the idea of ballet being an athletic event. There are probably an equal number of ballet dancers who could seriously kick their butts and do it with grace and artistry. If there are any doubts in your mind, go see Northwest Ballet’s production of Aladdin, playing this weekend at McIntyre Hall in Mt. Vernon.

If there is anyone out there unfamiliar with the tale from One Thousand and One Nights (aka Arabian Nights), go look it up on Wikipedia. I’d rather devote the space to singing the praises of Northwest Ballet and the extraordinary cast of dancers they bring to the stage.

As a director of musicals, I have a passing familiarity with choreography. Meaning I recruit a choreographer to deal with that because my familiarity with the art is passing, indeed. I have, however, witnessed how many hours it takes to choreograph a two-minute number. The work involved in choreographing a major ballet like Aladdin is mind-boggling. Northwest Ballet Artistic Director John Bishop seems to be able to toss it off as easily as I mix metaphors. I hope he’s as in awe of my skills as I am of his.

Aladdin is all about magic, so it makes sense that Bishop recruited the multi-talented Sterling Dietz to play the evil Genie of the Ring. I’ve sung Sterling’s praises before (www.ennw.info/2009/01/18/a-sterling-performance/) and this production only adds to his luster. He also supervised the spectacular special effects that will leave you gasping.

The sheer number of dancers involved in this production is astounding and I obviously can’t mention them all here. Suffice it to say that they are all incredibly talented and poised beyond their years. Especially the little girls who reminded me of why it’s unwise to share the stage with a child. They captivate the audience every time they are on and almost make you forget that the adult dancers are supremely talented.

Words fail me when I try to describe how enchanting Miye Bishop is, not just in this role, but in every production I have seen. She truly owns the role of Jasmine with her ethereal beauty. Seth Weatherby plays the title role with enormous energy and admirable athleticism. He is small in stature, but lifts, tosses, and carries Bishop around with seeming ease.

Ballet has often been unfairly depicted as an esoteric art form that appeals only to elitists. Please don’t subscribe to that calumny. If you can’t appreciate ballet for its artistry, you can certainly appreciate it for its sheer athleticism. And, of course, it is supremely sensual. What’s not to like?

Aladdin performs at McIntyre Hall in Mt. Vernon on May 16 and 17. Tickets are $15 to $25, with discounts available to seniors, students and groups. Call 360-416-7727, ext. 2. For more information, see www.mcintyrehall.org or www.northwestballet.org.

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