In Review

Nutcracker: A gift that keeps on giving             

 

By C.S. GILBERT

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Dance in Key West is a relatively rare and precious gift. Student recitals are held annually by CoffeeMill, the Dance Factory and Allison Mayer’s Florida Keys Community College Ballet/ Southernmost Dance Theatre. Kyla Piscopink’s Dance Key West, based at the CoffeeMill, periodically produces superb full length danceworks such as last season’s fine two-character narrative, “After These Messages” (co-starring the equally gifted Jordan Fife).

As a dance-hungry community, however, we can look forward to a biannual feast in Joyce Stahl’s original version of that beloved holiday chestnut, “Nutcracker Suite” with music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and motion by scores and scores of talented choreographers the world over. “Nutcracker Key West” combines Stahl’s work with that of a number of other ballet professionals and a theme among creators of the various numbers and the provenance of more than a few dancers is Alun Jones and The Louisville Ballet. Now, add our own multi-talented Mary Kay Lee, who is today, amidst a bevy of modern, jazz and variety dancers led by Piscopink, Key West’s prima ballerina. She is credited with choreography for the very important Jewels of the Atocha in Act II, probably by its placement the major corps de ballet /pas de deux/solo combo in the production.

 

Unlike a corps in years past, this ensemble is very good, good enough that I believe Stahl’s assertion that each dancer is a star in her (or his) own right. It’s certainly true of Lee, who dances the role of the Tanzanite amidst the treasure trove of nine female and two male dancers.

About 60 local children dance the roles of party guests, baby chicks, reef fish and shrimp and every single one of them is adorable. They seemed not as rigidly disciplined as in the past –but this was a dress rehearsal, in fact the first of two dress rehearsals, after all. Some of the adult costumes were still incomplete. Nevertheless, it was a captivating show.

Among the principals (stars) who were magnificent were the Siamese Fighting Fish Josh Christopher, Jayson Douglas (Jan Czerny) (whatever that parens means) and Amanda Diehl as the Sea Star Fairy and her Cavalier Preston Swovelin.

In truth, the most puzzling thing about this year’s Nutcracker is the program, which Marketing Director Peter Arnow generously provided in .pdf format when printed programs were not yet available for the Thursday dress rehearsal I saw to meet Konk Life’s deadline. (What is a review without naming performers worth the mention and, hopefully, spelling their names correctly?) There is a Cast A and a Cast B. OK. Double casting is a standard practice. I was informed that I was to see Cast A — except that the lead children I saw were siblings Echo and Jaden Burchfield as siblings Clara and Fritz Patterson, designated Cast B in the program. Other dancers are listed in parentheses in addition to A and B dancers. Therefore, except for the handful of dancers I know, it’s anybody’s guess who played whom.

All, however, acquitted themselves very well. I would wish more focus on the entertaining undersea dancer from both Clara and her Prince (Jack Willis). The balletic demands on the young leads are not strenuous, but the performers really have to be good actors, concentrating and in character at all times. I trust that skill will increase.

My favorite has to be Jeordan Gasche, a young professional from Key West; she was an absolute standout in a student performance I reviewed a few years ago and she is, not surprisingly, even more polished now. This past year, she performed in her first professional company, Columbia Classical Ballet. ”Jeordan came back home to have major knee surgery by Dr. Loeffler and planned it perfectly so she would be fully recovered to perform in the Key West Nutcracker again this year,” said the program.

Younger sister Sidney was efficient and lovely as the maid and mother Nikki danced like a pro (she is in real life an artist) as Mayor Patterson’s wife in Act I. The Mayor was played by Gary Burchfield, dad of Echo and Jaden.

Credit goes, in addition to all those cited, and to Ballet Mistress Kathy Holtgrave, Executive Director Elizabeth Love, Stage Manager Patricia Mahoney, Company Manager David Goud, Art Director Michael Epperhardt and TWT sound guru and Technical Director Matthew Rawls. Arnow noted lighting design and direction, which was excellent, was for the first time fully the work of TWT pro and production veteran Anthony Palmer and, in fact, that this was the first year that all the show’s tech was in the hands of TWT’s professionals. It was a wise move. They burnished the show’s technical polish to a new shine.

Angela Whitehead, Dick Moody and Lauren McAloon assisted Stahl in costume design; in their construction she was joined by Carlos Gaitan, Sonja Romero Julieta Alverez and Sophie Van Hamm. The LED lights purchased by the Anne McKee grant and sewn into the costumes of the corps showed to fine effect.

Sponsor credits were given the Hyatt, Marriot Beachside, Dogwood Foundation, Helmerich Trust, Hunter-Ward Foundation, Anne McKee Artists Fund and the Florida Keys Council of the Arts.

Although the usual level of professionalism of Nutcracker Key West had not been reached by its first dress, Arnow reports ticket sales $13,000 ahead of where they were at this time in 2012 and we can heartily recommend this heartwarming holiday tradition. Better get those tickets now.

 

 

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