WIDT | “The Nutcracker” at WICA

Whidbey Island Dance Theatre is Back on Stage with “The Nutcracker” at WICA

Among the whirlwind of the holiday season, there is that undeniably lovely and tempestuous affair fluffed with snow and tulle and cute children in creature costumes that few can resist. That is “The Nutcracker,” of course, and Whidbey Island Dance Theatre (WIDT) is back on stage with the ballet. 

When Russian choreographer Marius Petipa collaborated with composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to create “The Nutcracker” ballet in 1892, the famous team was most likely oblivious to the global tradition the piece would become through the next 125 years and beyond. Countless productions of the holiday ballet abound all over the world, but nothing makes the heart sing more than seeing one’s own community bring this holiday winter dream to life on stage. 

After being only able to perform via livestream last year due to the pandemic, WIDT is particularly excited to present its 29th season of “The Nutcracker” live and onstage at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley. Tickets are on sale now for the show which opens Friday, Dec. 10 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 19. 

WIDT alums, Brittany Falso and Elliauna McLean, have taken on the leadership roles of artistic directors at WIDT and are over-the-moon to be back on stage with this dedicated company of dancers and community members. 

"We are so excited to bring back live performances this year,” says McLean. “To see that curtain open for the first time on opening night is going to feel surreal." 

The ballet dramatizes the tale of Clara’s enchanted Christmas Eve, when her mysterious godfather’s magic leads to a dream of unexplainable and wonderful events through the night. Clara journeys to lands where snowflakes and flowers dance; where fairies, mermaids, and even a dragon perform; where a fierce and terrible battle is fought; and where a handsome prince comes to the rescue. 

Here is a company that is skilled enough to turn out a professional-caliber performance every year, much to the delight of its enthusiastic island audiences. The company manages to combine the traditional and the deliciously daring in a production in which more than 100 characters come to life. As always, WIDT’s production is full of color and fun, newcomers and familiar faces, and new twists in choreography, along with the artistry of several professional guest dancers and the charming collective of an all-ages cast. 

"Seeing how dedicated these dancers are in all of their rehearsals makes the lead-up to this year’s show all the more enjoyable," McLean added. 

Principal company dancer Kendall Marshall takes the role of Clara, supported by community member Lars Larson returning in the role of Godfather Drosselmeyer. Professional guest artist Robbi Moore dances the role of the illustrious Forest King and performs the Grand Pas de Deux with the Faerie Queen played by Chyler White, another guest artist to join the show. 

“Every year, newcomers marvel at how joyous and spectacular our local production is,” says Whidbey Island Dance Company founder Charlene Brown, who began bringing this holiday event to islanders back in 1992. 

Brown helps choreograph the show along with other longtime WIDT collaborators including, both Falso and McLean, Megan LeMay, Katelyn Lodell, Leah Marshall, Robbi Moore, Jamee Pitts, Taylor Pitts, Chyler White and Graham Vanderwood. 

Even amid the pandemic, this ensemble of dancers, buoyed by their directors, choreographers and parents, has come together, even while breathing through masks as they dance, to make this show happen again. It is their holiday gift to their community and has all the festive earmarks of what the holiday season is at its best: bringing joy to others. Come and see them dance! 

“The Nutcracker” plays at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10, 17, 18 and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 11, 12 and 19. 

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for youths/seniors/military and are available online at wicaonline.org. 

Covid-19 Safety Precautions in Place for “The Nutcracker”: 50% audience capacity/adults proof of vax or Covid test required + mask/under 18 mask required. 

Summer Programs and Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

PURCHASE WITH CONFIDENCE

As we continue to navigate this new and ever-changing landscape, it’s hard to know what the future holds when it comes to travel plans. Right now, however, be assured that we are working diligently to create an unforgettable summer.

We want to make sure you have the flexibility to make the best decisions for you and your family as we get closer to performance dates. If you decide to postpone your trip to the center, your tickets will be refunded without question and without fees.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARRIVE

The WICA Staff and Board of Directors are working hard and earnestly exploring new ways for us to produce, present, and support exceptional works that celebrate our community’s artistic excellence. And, at the heart of every conversation and every decision, is a singular focus on your experience and safety.

THE DOLL’S HOUSE PROJECT

Directed by Deana Duncan

A DOLL’S HOUSE

Henrik Ibsen’s controversial masterpiece about Nora and Torvald Helmer's fragile marriage was a watershed moment in both theatre and feminism. As Christmas Eve approaches and purse strings tighten; the Helmer's discover that the facade of their perfect lives is beginning to crack. Nora has a secret and what begins as an exquisite family drama quickly reveals itself to be a life-or-death thriller with no clear villains or means of escape.

Featuring Anja Bentson, Kaia Bentson, Katrina Bentson, Olena Hodges, Zora Lungren, Kevin Lynch, David Mayer, Cindy Rutstein, Zachary Schneider.

Performance dates to be announced!

A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2

Fifteen years have passed between a door slam in Ibsen’s classic and a “knock-knock” that begins Part 2. What follows are 90 deft, devastating minutes that connect the past and present and shine a light on how we seem to be going backwards in our thinking about women’s rights, identities, ownership of bodies, and gender roles.

Featuring David Churchill, Ada Faith-Feyma, Shelley Hartle, Amy Walker.

JUL 31 - AUG 08

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ARTICLE | The beginner's guide to Philip Glass

Often regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the twenty-first century, American composer Philip Glass is best-known for his minimalist compositions.

He is a minimalist composer

Minimal music is a modern style of classical music, developed in the early 1960s by the likes of Glass and his contemporaries, Steve Reich and Terry Riley. The minimalist music genre is best categorized by its use of repetitive sounds over long periods, which has a hypnotic, meditative feel. Although his works can be described as minimalist, Glass prefers to describe himself as a composer of ‘music with repetitive structures.’

The hypnotic structures of Indian music inspired many of his works

In the mid-1960s, Glass met Indian musician Ravi Shankar (the man who introduced The Beatles’ George Harrison to psychedelic music). Hired as an assistant, it was Glass’s job to transcribe Shankar’s music in a way that western musicians could play. At the time, Indian music was unfamiliar to many westerners, meaning few had transcribed the hypnotic melodies of eastern music. Immersing himself in the addictive structure of Indian music lead to Glass journeying around India, the Himalayas and North Africa. It was his first trip to India, in 1966 that inspired Glass to create an opera on Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha (an ancient Indian word meaning ‘truth-force’) premiered in 1980.

His trilogy of ‘portrait operas’ are like nothing you’ve ever seen before

Throughout his career, Glass has composed more than 25 operas. Out of all his operas, the three ‘portraits’ are some of the best known. The first in the series, Einstein on the Beach, premiered in 1976, pushing minimalism into the mainstream. The opera (as with the others in the trilogy) focuses on a major historical figure, in this case, the famous scientist. The piece has neither dialogue nor a narrative, and Einstein himself is played by a violinist. Four years later, Satyagraha, an opera on a much larger scale, was premiered. This time Gandhi is the focus of the work, specifically his early years in South Africa and his approach to non-violent protest. The non-conventional libretto is loosely based on texts from the Bhagavad-Gita, a scripture in the ancient Hindu language, Sanskrit. Satyagraha was Glass’s first major work to use a traditional orchestral line-up and cast of soloists.

While planning the third part of his “Portrait Trilogy,” Glass turned to smaller music theater projects such as the non-narrative Madrigal Opera (1980) and The Photographer (1982).

He also writes music for films

Glass began composing music for film in the 1970s, when he scored a number of documentary films. In 1982, he worked on American experimental film Koyaanisqatsi, his score plays almost uninterrupted for the duration of the film. Pre-existing and original compositions can be heard in 1998’s The Truman Show. Glass also has a cameo in the film. Have a watch of the video to see him playing the piano whilst Truman sleeps. He is perhaps best known, however, for writing music for the 2002 film, The Hours, staring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore. It was for this work that Glass won the BAFTA award for best film music.

RELATED PROGRAMMING: THE PHOTOGRAPHER | MAR 20-22, 2020

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