Embassy Theatre Ballet

SEPT. 8-14, 2016 FACEBOOK.COM // WHATZUPFORTWAYNE WWW.WHATZUP.COM ------------------ Feature • Le Gala Grand/Fort Wayne Ballet ------------------ A 60th Birthday Party By Michele DeVinney reograph Mary Poppins for the Civic, and us again this year for the first three perfor- I connected with her then, and it was like mances.” Wednesdays | 5-9pm Five years removed from the move that we’d known each other all our lives. She Rounding out the season will be a classic put them right in the heart of the downtown came and taught at our summer program and and well-known ballet which has never been SUMMER NIGHT S arts district, Fort Wayne Ballet has had a lot is working with us on our fall show.” performed in its entirety in this area before: to celebrate in recent years. This year they’ll While that September weekend prom- Swan Lake. Those who may wish a preview AT THE EMBA ss Y celebrate a remarkable milestone, their 60- ises to be a hectic one – with three parties of this iconic piece should also consider at- September 7 ............. Fernando Tarango year history, with a series of special events and two performances – behind the scenes tending the fall production in September and a season which features some Fort another major production will already be when Act II will be performed in full for the Wayne firsts. underway. Auditions for the ballet’s annual 60th season debut. But for its first full pre- To kick things off, the ballet will host holiday tradition, The Nutcracker, will have sentation of Swan Lake, Fort Wayne Ballet a special gala on Friday, September 23 at taken place two weeks earlier on September will bring their professional corps of dancers the Mirro Center, a festive evening to com- 11, which means as they put the finishing to the spotlight, a group which features nine memorate Fort Wayne Ballet’s long history touches on the fall performance, long hours professionals, six apprentices and six train- of bringing classical and modern dance per- will also include the complicated casting ees. Among them will be six new faces to the formance to the city. Tickets for the gala are decisions which allow many of the ballet ballet, a sign of its constant growth. $150, but if that’s out of your price range, academy’s students to participate. In fact, Aside from their usual scheduling of September 15 | 8pm there are still more opportunities to join in an informational meeting for parents of The three full-length productions on their main the fun that weekend. With stage at the Arts United MIRA N DA SI N G S the fall performance taking Center, Fort Wayne Bal- place that Saturday (with let also hosts its annual an evening performance) Family Series, less formal and Sunday (with a mati- presentations intended nee), there are additional for young audiences with gatherings planned to hon- shorter attention spans. or the kickoff of Season Usually running about 60. Prior to the Saturday 30-40 minutes, the per- performance, a cocktail formances take place in reception will be held in the ballet studios in their the Ian Rolland Gallery, home at the Auer Center October 15 | 8pm just above the Arts United for Arts and Culture. This stage where the dancers year’s Series will include will begin at 8 p.m. A Ju- The Firebird (October 15), HERE COME THE MUMMIE S bilee Celebration will also The Little Prince (Janu- Sponsored by Jefferson Pointe take place following that ary 28) and Celebrating and Fort Wayne CW performance. Dr. Seuss (March 4). Each While those gather- show will have two per- October 16 | 7pm ings provide the com- formances (10 a.m. and munity with a chance to 11:30 a.m.) and include a celebrate along with Fort Wayne Ballet, the chance for youngsters to interact with the JOH nn Y MATHI S most important thing to celebrate is the sea- LE GALA GRAND Youth Company members who perform. son, one filled with some returning favorites FORT WAYNE BALLET In the last couple of years, with the ad- October 19 | 7:30pm and exciting debuts. dition of the ArtsLab in the Auer Center, The fall production will be highlighted 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 Fort Wayne Ballet has been offering a pair GALLAGHER by the return of “Birthday Variations,” a 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 of special, intimate performances specifi- piece which Fort Wayne Ballet has been Arts United Center cally tailored to that space. This year those November 10 | 8pm granted permission to perform by the Ger- will include Love Notes in February and ald Arpino Foundation. Kim Sagami of the 303 E . Main St. , Fort Wayne Progressions in May, the latter highlighted Joffrey Ballet will return to help prepare the $10-$35, 260-422-4226 by both an indoor ticketed performance as GOO GOO DOLL S piece which, although performed by the bal- well as the annual Fort Wayne Ballet, Too, let a couple of times in recent years, will fea- Nutcracker cast members takes place the an outdoor piece that is open to the public ture many new dancers, part of the ballet’s same weekend that the ballet is immersed in and continues inside for ticket holders. ON SALE NOW growing and evolving professional corps. parties and performances. Being able to share this milestone with Tedeschi Trucks Band ..................Nov. 17 But in addition to the classical works, the That kind of overlap underscores the Fort Wayne as well as growing their num- Joe Bonamassa ............................... Dec. 2 fall performance always strives to show the time it takes to put on The Nutcracker each ber of performances over the years is part of Hal Holbrook/Mark Twain Tonight ...... Dec. 3 depth and diversity of the dancers’ talents. year, something which might surprise people the ballet’s commitment to its community, Mannheim Steamroller ................. Dec. 6 What better way to accomplish that than to who assume it’s just the same show every something Gibbons-Brown thinks is the cor- Moscow Ballet: Great Russian Nutcracker Dec. 7 bring back some of the ballet’s most distin- year. With significant cast changes each year nerstone of their success. guished alumni. (costumes are costly, so casting is often de- “Our success for 60 years is thanks to Straight No Chaser .......................Dec. 13 “We are hoping to bring some of our termined by which children fit into which the foresight of those who came ahead of us Cinderella ........................................Jan. 17 alumni in to help us celebrate this anniver- outfits) the logistics of The Nutcracker are and made us what we are in the community,” sary with us,” says Karen Gibbons-Brown, extensive. Additionally, there’s an effort she says. “Our dancers are a beautiful group executive and artistic director of Fort Wayne each year to do something a bit different. of young people who believe in art first – Embassy Theatre Ballet. This year will be no exception. that dance is more important than just their 125 W. Jefferson Blvd. “Our fall show will feature choreogra- “There will be some additions to the sets pleasure in dancing – and who support the phy from Jane Lanier, who is an alum who this year, and we’re hoping to have a new mission of Fort Wayne Ballet in its place Fort Wayne, Indiana left Fort Wayne to become Broadway roy- tree,” says Gibbons-Brown. “We try to al- in the community. We are grateful that this alty. She had a lovely career on Broadway ways have something new and different. Of community has supported us for all these ticketmaster.com and was nominated for a Tony Award. She course, one thing that doesn’t change is that years, and it’s important to us to give back to had come back to town last summer to cho- the Fort Wayne Philharmonic will be joining them.” 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ---------------------------------------------------------- September 8, 2016 whatzup Volume 21, Number 6 s the summer winds down and the air starts to turn a little more brisk, things change around the Fort. Not that they slow down – not at all – but the nature of the available entertainment opportunities begin toA change. With the Middle Waves Festival at Headwaters the 18th and final Summer Concert Series show at Foellinger just around the corner, more and more we’ll be finding our fun indoors. Hence this week’s features – all of which are weather-proofed by dint of their happening indoors. We start with Le Gala Grand, the Fort Wayne Ballet’s kickoff of their 60th season, followed by all for One’s production of Freud’s Last Session. Michele DeVinney penned both features, found on pages 2 and 4. With baseball season in the rear view (mostly), C2G Music Hall is gearing up for another round of intimate shows, beginning with Wishbone Ash on Sept. 19. Deb Kennedy interviews founding member Andy Powell on page 5. Last but not least is Miranda Sings, aka Colleen Ballinger, who’ll bring her special brand of charm and grace to the Embassy stage on Sept. 15. Steve Penhollow’s got the inside dope on the YouTube sensation on page 6. If you’re not ready to bring it indoors, not to worry. Brandt’s Harley-Davidson in Marion has a couple of tributes playing a free outdoor show (see Picks, page 11), and you’ll find lots more stuff, both indoors and out, in the calendars, columns and ads within these 20 pages (28 if you count the Middle Waves pullout).

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