A Southwest NutcrackerFeaturing the Tucson Symphony OrchestraMusic Peter Ilyich TchaikovskyStory Linda WalkerChoreography 2018 Production Jeffrey Hughes, Pamela Reyman-Hughes & Linda Walker, after Sheri Giller, Carolyn Haatainen-Wallace, Deborah Kenner, and Gary McKenzie Staging & Rehearsal Lead Assistant Alexis SalmenStaging & Rehearsal Assistants Isabella Berryman, Leila Dahdal, Morgan Dahdal, Emily Fass, Ashlyn Foley, Rocio Guerrero, Anastasia Hamilton, Brooke Heverly, Sylvie Morales, Katie Morden, Hayley Nguyen, Corazon Nunez, Cruz Nunez, Molly Pacheco, Emily Perrotta, Halle Peru, Xanthi Plant, Natalee Russell, Janessa Sala, Kassondra Sala, Olivea Spencer, Allison Wallace, Kadynce WilliamsonChoir Director Maya HughesStage Manager Keno SnyderLighting Design Candice WashburnStage Crew Rhino StagingCostume Design Shereen Greenberg, Geri Salmen, Linda WalkerWardrobe Director’s Assistant AnnaLiza SalaNutcracker Mask Design/Construction Beckie Kravetz Coyotes Mask Design/Construction Clifton Dance & Lara PrestonScenic Design Cheryl Lee, Johanna Martinez, Amy Novelli, Ashley Stephenson, Susan Veenema, Don YunkerSet/Scenery Construction Viviana Aguero, Don Yunker Design, Sonora Theatre Works, Michael Howard, Curtis RebeckScenic Painters Matt Cotton, Rene Garcia, Heather Green, Elana Henry, Cheryl Lee, Johanna Martinez, Paloma Martinez, Lisa Lenke, Amy Novelli, Sara Smith, Susan Veenema, Liz Weibler

A Southwest Nutcracker Story1880s Tucson, Arizona It is Christmas Eve and a lovely young girl named Maria is busy helping her parents, Señor and Señora Martinez, prepare for a wonderful party. The merriment begins as Maria and her brother Pepito welcome guests into their home. The final guest to arrive is Maria’s favorite, Tio Diego. All the children love him so much. He appears magical as he enchants the children with a story about shady characters of the West. From behind his flowing black cape appear three life-sized dancing dolls—Gambler, Hurdy-Gurdy Gal and Gunslinger. Tio Diego then presents Maria with a Nutcracker, which is designed in the form of a U.S. Cavalry General. A jealous Pepito snatches it from her and breaks it. He is scolded by his father while Tio Diego repairs the Nutcracker General and returns it to Maria. As the evening comes to a close, Maria and her family say good night to the guests and Maria retires to her room and snuggles into bed. Unable to sleep, she returns to the darkened living room to check on her favorite gift, the Nutcracker General. She curls up on the sofa and falls fast asleep with the Nutcracker in her arms. As the clock strikes twelve, she awakens to find the room overrun by a vicious pack of coyotes led by King Coyote. King Coyote steals Maria’s Nutcracker General and victoriously hurls it down at the base of the Christmas tree. The coyotes howl with triumph as Maria stands beside the tree, weeping. Suddenly, magic fills the air and the Christmas tree begins to grow and grow and grow. From behind the enormous tree, the now life-sized Nutcracker General leaps out, sword in hand, ready to do battle with King Coyote and protect his Maria. He recruits his cavalry and a great battle begins. Maria anxiously looks on as a lone roadrunner races through the battlefield. Coyotes and soldiers fight to their death, leaving Maria in total despair. Through her tears she looks across the smoky battlefield into a heavenly light and sees her Nutcracker General transformed into a handsome soldier. Hypnotically, the soldier pulls Maria towards him, takes her by the hand, and together they escape through the forest to snow-covered Mount Lemmon. Maria looks on with delight as Tio Diego greets her lovingly and the Snowflakes dance around the radiant Snow Queen. Traveling onward, they come to a beautiful Desert Dream where they are welcomed by Native American Princesses, Prairie Children, the Caballero, and the Prickly Pear Fairy. The Caballero and the Prickly Pear Fairy order a fiesta in honor of Maria and her Nutcracker, and all of the citizens of the Desert Dream perform for the couple: Chili Peppers, the Native American Queen and Maidens, Rattlesnakes, Tumbleweeds, Ocotillo, Mama Piñata and her Dulces, the Desert Flowers, and the beautiful Prickly Pear Fairy and her dashing Caballero. As the festival ends, Maria begins to feel very drowsy. She sees her Tio Diego and goes to him with joy and appreciation. Maria sleepily reaches out to her beloved soldier as Tio Diego leads her away. On Christmas morning, Maria awakens with her Nutcracker General and the memories of a wonderful dream.

PLEASE—NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR SOUND RECORDING DURING THE PERFORMANCE.

Cast in order of appearance Friday, December 14, 10:00 am Act I

Maria Katie Morden PepitoPelayo MoralesSeñor & Señora MartinezSteve Cady & Dorothy Gilbertson-DahdalHouse ServantsEmily Fass, Sylvie Morales, Natalee RussellAbuelo & AbuelaMary Lou Gammon & Rick Levine Guests - Little GirlsDominique Ettien, Hannah Everitt, Lia Martinez-Sevilla, Nevaeh RodriguezGuests - Little BoysGenevieve Harmon, Alyssa Higgins, Elizabeth Peterson, Kiara RojasGuests – LadiesLeah Blue, Nicole Hamilton, Alexis SalmenGuests – GentlemenCJ Bell, Chris McNamara, Ralph MoralesTio DiegoMiro Tymosiak GamblerJaVonte’ CarneyHurdy-Gurdy Gal Corazon Nunez GunslingerGregory TaylorKing CoyoteKadynce WilliamsonCoyotesEleanor Bales, Emily Brownlee, Kaydence Carrillo, Karena Dulger, Emma Flores, Sofia Guardi, Frankie Morales, Arianna Rodriguez, Mia Rodriguez, Isabella Silva, Mackenzie Thomas, Ambrey WilliamsNutcracker General Cruz NunezLieutenantSamantha DankerSoldiersAsa Dahdal, Hannah Everitt, Mia Fetsko, Cecilia Gaspers, Emma Juarez-Jarillo, Yeva Mamaeva, Pelayo Morales, MacKenzie SalmenRoadrunnerNevaeh RodriguezSnow Queen Janessa Sala SnowflakesAshley Burke, Leila Dahdal, Rocio Guerrero, Brooke Heverly, Maya Hughes, Hayley Nguyen, Halle Peru, Xanthi Plant, Kassondra Sala, Ashley Shi, Olivea Spencer, Allison Wallace Tucson Regional Ballet Choir Kaydence Carrillo, Asa Dahdal, Morgan Dahdal, Samantha Danker, Julianne Dickerson, Dominique Ettien, Hannah Everitt, Emily Fass, Ashlyn Foley, Jillian Foley, Cecilia Gaspers, Anastasia Hamilton, Genevieve Harmon, Emma Juarez-Jarillo, Yeva Mamaeva, Sylvie Morales, Corazon Nunez, Molly Pacheco, Emily Perrotta, Nevaeh Rodriguez, Natalee Russell, Isabella Silva, Kadynce Williamson

Intermission

PLEASE—NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR SOUND RECORDING DURING THE PERFORMANCE.

Act II

Native American PrincessesJillian FoleyEmma Flores & Isabella SilvaEleanor Bales, Karena Dulger, Caroline Lasch, Andrea Miranda, Isabel Perez, Arianna Rodriguez, Mia Rodriguez, Mackenzie Thomas, Ambrey Williams, Olympia WorthyPrairie GirlsSamantha Danker, Dominique Ettien, Hannah Everitt, Genevieve Harmon, Lia Martinez-Sevilla, Elizabeth Peterson, Nevaeh Rodriguez, Kiara RojasPrairie BoysAsa Dahdal, Alyssa Higgins, Pelayo MoralesPrickly Pear FairyIsabella Berryman CaballeroGregory TaylorChili Peppers Julianne Dickerson, Rocio Guerrero, Corazon Nunez Native American Queen Emily Perrotta MaidensHayley Nguyen, Xanthi Plant, Kassondra Sala, Kadynce Williamson BravesJulian Pacheco & Rueben RodriguezRattlesnakes Morgan Dahdal, Ashlyn Foley, Anastasia HamiltonTumbleweeds JaVonte’ Carney & Olivea SpencerOcotillo Leila Dahdal, Brooke Heverly, Allison Wallace Mama Piñata Halle PeruDulces PequeñosJillian Foley & Alyssa HigginsDulcesKaydence Carrillo, Asa Dahdal, Samantha Danker, Mia Fetsko, Cecilia Gaspers, Emma Juarez-Jarillo, Yeva Mamaeva, Pelayo Morales, Nevaeh Rodriguez, MacKenzie SalmenDesert Flowers Rocio Guerrero, Maya Hughes, Corazon Nunez, Janessa SalaMorgan Dahdal, Julianne Dickerson, Ashlyn Foley, Sylvie Morales, Molly Pacheco,Emily Perrotta, Natalee Russell, Kadynce Williamson(understudy Anastasia Hamilton)

PLEASE—NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR SOUND RECORDING DURING THE PERFORMANCE.

Don’t miss TRB’s spring performance of La Boutique Fantasque (The Magic Doll Shop) and Les SylphidesChildren and adults alike will enjoy the tale of a toyshop with magical dolls that come alive. Poodles, Cossacks, and Can-Can Dancers are brought to colorful life in the charming one-act ballet La Boutique Fantasque. The program also includes Fokine’s masterpiece Les Sylphides, a romantic reverie set to live piano music com-posed by Frédéric Chopin. This poet’s dream of white-clad sylphs dancing in the moonlight combines technical artistry with an ethereal mood. These magical interludes will be complemented by a selection of original contem-porary and classical ballet works.

TCC Leo Rich Theatre Public performances at Sat., April 13, 2019 at 2:00 & 7:30 p.m., and Sun., April 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

The Schools Show will be Friday morning, April 12, at 9:30 at a special reduced price. Go to www.tucsonregionalballet.org.

History of The Nutcracker BalletThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, Based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story, “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” by way of Alexandre Dumas’ adapted story “The Story of a Nutcracker.” The music was written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and the original choreography was created by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. (Marius Petipa also choreographed the ballet, Swan Lake. The ballet first premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in December 1892

Tchaikovsky’s score has become one of his most famous compositions. Among other things, the score is noted for its use of the celesta, an instrument newly invented in 1886. “Celesta” is based on the French word for “heavenly.” The celesta is an idiophone with a keyboard—an idiophone is any musical instrument that creates sound primarily by the instrument as a whole vibrating, without the use of strings or membranes. The celesta is the instrument that looks like a piano but sounds like bells, associated with the Sugar Plum Fairy’s dance in the Nutcracker Ballet. It sounds like this: https://bit.ly/2PiQzczThe original story of The Nutcracker takes place in Germany in the early 19th century. The curtain rises on a Christmas Eve party in the Silberhaus home. Guests arrive. The children get their presents, then dance about the room.The door opens. A strange little man named Drosselmeyer comes into the room. He is a toy-maker. He is also Clara Silberhaus’s godfather. He has four dancing dolls for the children and a special surprise for Clara. It is a nutcracker. She loves it, but her brother Fritz breaks it. She puts the Nutcracker in her doll bed to get well.The party ends and everyone leaves. Clara and her family go to bed. Clara creeps back to the room. She needs to be certain her Nutcracker is resting quietly. All of a sudden, mice start running about the room. The dolls, the tin soldiers, and all the other playthings come to life to fight the mice.The Christmas tree rises higher and higher. The Nutcracker jumps out of the doll bed to fight the Mouse King. When the Nutcracker is in danger, Clara saves his life by throwing her slipper at the Mouse King. The Mouse King runs out of the room with all the other mice.The Nutcracker becomes a human prince. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince set off through the snowy woods for the magical Land of Sweets. The beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy rules this land. She welcomes the two chil-dren then orders her subjects to dance for them. Dances about Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate are presented. Many other dances are presented. The ballet ends with everyone dancing a waltz.The Tucson Regional Ballet has adapt-ed the original storyline to depict a Christmas party in the Tucson of the 1880s in Senor and Senora Martinez’ home. The character of Drosselmeyer is now Tio Diego, and the Sugar Plum Fairy has become the Prickly Pear Fairy.Today, The Nutcracker has been staged and seen by people all over the world. The first complete performance outside Russia took place in England in 1934, and the ballet’s first com-plete United States performance was on 24 December 1944, by the San Francisco Ballet. The New York City Ballet gave its first annual perfor-mance of George Balanchine’s staging of The Nutcracker in 1954. Beginning in the 1960s, the tradition of performing the complete ballet at Christmas eventu-ally spread to the rest of the United States.

The celesta, invented in 1886, was newly invented when it was used in The Nutcracker.