THE NUTCRACKER 2019 40th Sunday December 22 at 2 pmseason 2019–2020!

December 14–22, 2019: eight public performances

Artistic Director Betsy Hausburg

Assistant Director Madison Adkins

Executive Director Karin Bunnell

Conductor of the Valley Dance Theatre Pit Orchestra H. Robert Williams

Scenic Design Lighting Design Jim Wright Harold Waters Jean Francois Revon

Stage Wardrobe Manager Mistress Gregory Adkins Christy Ruzicka

Tutu Design & Fight Scene Construction Choreography Caryne Mount Kristin DelSoldato

Doll Dresses Makeup Jean Gill Karen Lee Bilbray Zengel The Company Lauren Allen Arthur Barinque Ashley Belmessieri Carmen Cortez Cora Dooley Olivia Dooley Emma Ferran Hanna Ford Alexia Herrera Anna Mount Matthew Rever Lia Sendler Jessica Seu Janelle SooHoo Sarah Touati Emily Turk Keara Zengel

Adult Division Rochelle Abrantes Madison Adkins Tyler Aichroth Virgil Angulo Mark Belmessieri John Dooley Jeff Dormer Sarah Dormer Jennifer Foster Mark Gervase Jean Gill Andrew Koponen Sarah Marlett Peggy McGurk Bryn Miyahara Dawnell Moody Sara Mount David Ruzicka Heather Whitley

Apprentices Alana Bourguet Gabby Brown Alyssa Colin Audrey Curtner Manel Elhadj Katherine Foster Leila Grigoropoulos Yumeng He Grace Heaney Hannah Henze Grace Huang Catherine Kim Danica Koski Sofie Langdon-Streeter Anoush Mashlakian Meera Memula Lakshmi Nair The Story It is Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaums’ house, and the family is preparing for their annual Christmas party. The children, Clara and Fritz, are excited at the arriv- al of their friends and family and the grand celebration. A mysterious guest arrives who shocks Fritz, but Clara knows him to be their uncle Herr Drosselmeyer the toy maker who presents Clara with the best gift of all, the Nutcracker. Fritz grows jealous, snatches the Nutcracker from Clara, and breaks it. Clara is upset, but Herr Dross- elmeyer magically repairs her treasured gift. The party picks up with dancing and celebration. As the evening grows late and the children get sleepy, the guests thank the Stahlbaums and bid farewell. Once the family is in bed, Clara sneaks downstairs to check on her Nutcracker and ends up falling asleep under the Christmas tree. At the stroke of midnight Clara wakes up to find the Christmas tree and toys growing larger as she seems to be shrinking! Suddenly she is surrounded by an army of mice led by the Mouse King. The Nutcracker commands a group of toy soldiers into battle with the mice. The Mouse King traps the Nutcracker, but Clara comes to his rescue. She throws her slipper and hits the Mouse King in the head, allowing the Nutcracker to defeat the Mouse King. The victorious Nutcracker becomes a prince who takes Clara on a magical journey to the Land of Snow. They are welcomed by the Snow Queen, and as the snow continues to fall, snowflakes begin to dance. Clara continues on her journey and is met by angels who escort her to the Kingdom of the Sweets. There she is greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy, who hears Clara’s story of the Prince’s battle with the Mouse King and of her own bravery. The Sugar Plum Fairy rewards her with a celebration of dances of beautiful flowers and every imaginable treat. The festival concludes when everyone comes together to bid Clara farewell. synopsis by Heidi Massie The Nutcracker Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Sunday, December 22, 2019, 2 pm (cast members are listed in order of appearance) Pre-Show Carolers from Harmony Fusion Chorus Director: Barbara Vander Putten Act I

Family #1 Madison Adkins & Mark Belmessieri Amanda Lawson Viola Williams Jonah Denny Family #2 Dawnell Moody & David Ruzicka Marisela Jones Asher Denny Grandmama Jean Gill Grandpapa Virgil Angulo Family #3 Rochelle Abrantes & Arthur Barinque Camille Grondalski Jimmie Baker Teenage Girl Manel Elhadj Teenage Boy Harry Dunne Family #4 Jennifer Foster & Mark Gervase Piper Fiebig Kai Fiebig Dr. Stahlbaum John Dooley Mrs. Stahlbaum Sarah Marlett Clara Rachael Norton Fritz Will Brammer Tilly (the Maid) Hanna Ford Herr Drosselmeyer Andrew Koponen Drosselmeyer’s Niece Leila Grigoropoulos Harlequin Dolls Floppy Sydney Kechter En Pointe Keara Zengel Soldier Doll Carmen Cortez Mice Brielle Pedroni Ava Palmer Skye Farquar Dominic Yovino Ellen Shi Gabrielle Gondouin Nutcracker Alex Foster Mouse King Katherine Foster Soldiers Camryn Yovino Cheryl Rui-Chen Emme Kechter Bridget Gervase Abbie Palmer Anna Clark

Land of Snow Backdrops made possible by the generous donation from the Memula Family Singers from Harmony Fusion Chorus Snow Queen Lauren Allen Demi-Soloists Emily Turk & Olivia Dooley Corps Sofie Langdon-Streeter Leila Grigoropoulos Meera Memula Alyssa Colin Lakshmi Nair Anoush Mashlakian Intermission Act II Kingdom of the Sweets Backdrops made possible by the generous donation from the Memula Family Angels Halos Design and Creation by Cynthia Lagodzinski Penelope Bendezu Brielle Dahlheim Coraline Moody-Johnson Emme Kechter Camille Grondalski Lila McVey Viola Williams Helen Lieberman Gold Fairy Gabby Brown Clara Rachael Norton Handmaidens Ena Lim Amanda Lawson Tatum Ryan Sofie Langdon-Streeter Grace McVey Hannah Henze Danica Koski Manel Elhadj Sugar Plum Fairy Emma Ferran Spanish Chocolate Choreography by Sarah Touati Cora Dooley Mini Spanish Ava McKay Arabian Coffee Couple Carmen Cortez & Matthew Rever Ribbon Candy Solo Grace Huang Stage Left Audrey Curtner Stage Right Hanna Ford Candy Cane Sophie Suttora Chinese Tea Soloist Alana Bourguet Demi-Soloists Hannah Henze & Grace Heaney Mini Chinese Wyatt Robbins Russian Cake Anna Mount Keara Zengel Sydney Kechter Mother Gigogne and Her Little Buds Choreography by Heather Whitley Mother Gigogne Jennifer Foster Father Gigogne Mark Gervase Rosebuds Matlida Moody-Johnson Penelope Bendezu Samantha Gonzalez Sydney Pepperell Marlena Adkins Rosehips Ben Palmer Noah Robbins Wyatt Robbins Waltz of the Flowers Floral Accessories by Angela Piazza Queen Alexia Herrera Flowers Green Gabby Brown & Lakshmi Nair Pink Lauren Allen & Grace Huang Blue Carmen Cortez & Audrey Curtner Orange Anoush Mashlakian & Janelle SooHoo Lilac Katherine Foster & Danica Koski Nutcracker Pas de Deux Choreography by Lev Ivanov New Choreography and Restaging by Betsy Hausburg Sugar Plum Fairy Emma Ferran Cavalier Maxwell Simoes Finale Entire Ensemble

Betsy Hausburg—Director Upon graduating cum laude with a BA in Dance from Butler University, Betsy Hausburg got her first professional job as soloist with the Syracuse Ballet Theatre. A year later, she took a job as costumer for the Hartford Ballet Company. When directorship of the company changed, she was rehired as company member and dean of students in charge of the two-year teacher training program. Betsy married and moved to California several years later. She founded the East Bay Ballet Theatre in Albany, California, and then went on to teach for Miss Penny’s in Castro Valley. There she and Penny Tomasello founded the Valley Dance Theatre in 1980. Along with directing and teaching for the Valley Dance Theatre, Betsy is the choreographer for all Livermore High School musicals and the tuba player for the Livermore-Amador Symphony. H. Robert Williams—Conductor Affiliated with the Pleasanton Community Concert Band since 1975, Bob Williams has been its conductor for more than 35 years. His affiliation with the Liver- more-Amador Symphony began as a horn player in 1972, when he moved to California; for many years he was both the assistant conductor of the Symphony and conductor of its pit orchestra. He is a graduate of West Chester University (Pennsylvania) and the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester (New York). Bob is now retired from 22 years of public school music teaching and a second (18-year) career in nuclear materials study with General Electric at Vallecitos. Maxwell Simoes—Guest Artist Philadelphia native Maxwell Simoes was awarded gold at the Tanzolymp inter- national dance festival in Berlin and was a finalist in the New York City competition for Youth America Grand Prix. He studied at the Rudra Béjart School in Switzerland and has performed with the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal, Complexions Contem- porary Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and Diablo Ballet. Harmony Fusion Chorus Harmony Fusion Chorus, an all-women’s chorus, is committed to musical excel- lence and education, enthusiastically sharing the joy of singing four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. Harmony Fusion Chorus is proud to be a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, a worldwide organization of women singers com- mitted to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education, performances, and competitions. Harmony Fusion has won multiple awards in their SAI regional contests, including first place in their division in 2010. More information about Harmony Fusion Chorus is available at www.isingharmony.com. harmony. Board of Directors 2019–2020 Kristin Memula — President Matthew Rever — Treasurer Rochelle Abrantes — Secretary Karen Allen Jennifer Foster Sandra Pastor Kendra Williams Carmen Cortez Olivia Dooley Hanna Ford Student Liaisons Betsy Hausburg — Artistic Director (ex officio) Valley Dance Theatre Pit Orchestra Conductor H. Robert Williams Violin 1 Bass Oboe Horn Kristina Anderson Navaz Jasavala Jeanne Brown Jim Hartman Concertmaster Markus Salasoo Larry George Roger Henderson Norman Back Rich Goodman Chris Immesoete Harp Feliza Bourguet Amy Kahn Bryan Waugh Dan Levitan Lana Hodzic Lorna Kruse Samantha Mulgrew Trumpet Susan Ivie Eva Langfeldt Steve Anderson Jackie Maruskin Keyboard Jeff Lenigan Steve Azevedo Doug Morrison Lisa Ennis Tim Meals Bob Bryant Miki Nakamura Rijuta Vallishayee Tympani Bob Gast Violin 2 Lee Carpenter Clarinet Melody Minto Anne Anaya Kathy Boster Roberto Ruiz Percussion Jeana Ernst Barbara Denny Tom Dreiman Trombone Stacy Hughes Christy Diggins Alice Durand Forrest Jones Denise Leddon Danielle Napoleon Phil Kerr Bonnie Maddox Jacqueline McBride Jack Stanley Tom Munns Flute / Piccolo Viola Bassoon Diane Schildbach Marianne Beeler Judy Beck Sarah Berman Jeff Smurthwaite Barbara Brown Dora Scott Katie Brunner Myra Downs Tuba Brandon Tran Helena Ellis do Fernanda Van Atta Alice Koniges Amaral Earl Pitman Stacie Manuel George Pascoe Marcus Schildbach Cello Jack Stanley Claire Armstrong Beth Wilson Alexander Canicosa- Miles Richard Hibbs Sharon Schumacher Orchestra list includes players from all performances. Spring REP May 23 at 7 pm and May 24 at 2 pm Don’t miss our 2020 Spring Rep performance featuring soloist Jake Casey. You will see “Less is More” and “Dolores” plus dances from Carmen, Masquerade, and a vivid Carnival of the Animals. The VDT pit orchestra’s accompaniment will include music by Khatchaturian (Masquerade) and Saint-Saëns (Carnival of the Animals). Friends of the Ballet Directors Gang He and Hongman Yang The Memula Family Jayn and Tat Ho Eileen Yun Virtuoso Heather Whitley Contributors Juliet Dunne Choreographers Bia McPeek The Bourguet Family Riya Penmethsa Aaron Daly RongPei Shi and Family John and Dao Dooley Nicole and Brendan Ferran Matching Grants Jennifer Foster and Family Feliza Bourguet The Grigopolous Family and LLNL HOME Kathy and Clark Streeter Nicole and Brendan Ferran Linda Tinney and LAM Research The Memula Family Corps and Apple Ryan and Roberta Foster Heather Whitley The Turk Family and LLNL HOME

Apprentices FoB categories: Dan and Kathy Crawford Director ($10,000+), Principal ($5,000–9,999), Carol Gonzalez Soloist ($1,000–4,999), Virtuoso ($500–999), in honor of Peggy McGurk Choreographer ($250–499),Corp ($100–249), Apprentice ($50–99), Contributor (up to $49)

Your tax-deductible contribution would be much appreciated. Please make checks payable to Valley Dance Theatre If you would like your donation used to support the Kristin Reams Bettencourt Memorial Scholarship program, please write “scholarship fund” on the memo line of your check. Mail to: Valley Dance Theatre 2247-B Second Street Livermore, CA 94550 About Valley Dance Theatre Valley Dance Theatre is the Tri-Valley’s premier ballet company and is cele- brating its 40th season during 2019–2020. Its professionally staged production of The Nutcracker is one of the largest productions of this ballet in the Bay Area. Valley Dance Theatre’s affiliated school offers classes in classical ballet for boys and girls ages 3 and up as well as adults. For more information on our Company or ballet classes: 925-243-0925 valleydancetheatre.com