By Perry Whitehair and Cindy Whitehair
It just felt right to go see Salt Lake City Ballet’s The Night Before Christmas at Salt Lake City’s Rose Wagner Theater. Growing up, my sister danced with the Illinois Ballet School, so as a girl, my Christmas seasons were spent helping with and spending hours at their school holiday show. These shows are always a delight because you get to see the talent just beginning, talent developing, and the talent developed…and there is plenty of that on display.
The Night Before Christmas is an original work written by Executive Producer Neil Hess. In i’s tenth year, the production is directed by Jillana Hess Webb and co-directed by Susan Bushaw (who also plays Mother Goose in Saturday night’s performance). Choreographers Heather Webb Jasso, Alexia Hess-Sheehan, and Alexandra Baty do a wonderful job helping these young people showcase their talents.
Alexandria (Kelsey Cook) and her family are hosting a Christmas party – after the party ends, Alexandria falls into a dream filled sleep that takes her to Santa’s Palace, the Kingdom of the Snow Queen, the Land of Nutcracker Sweets, the Palace of the Christmas Fairy, and the Land of Story Book Characters before returning home to save Santa (Parker Madsen) and Christmas – with the help of her friends and the Christmas Fairy.
The principal dancers/soloists (Sophia Mason, Brooke Farrell, Tate Burk, Lexie Harvey, Abigail Robison, Lily Bruce, Lanie Hola, Tereza Tvrdik, Tia Bloom, Ellie Tille, Summer Leonelli, Gabby Madsen, Kelsey Cook, Monica Miller, Madi Bruce, and Sophie Brewer) are all stunning in their individual roles. We were especially impressed by Robinson in the Tarantella and as the Sugar Plum Fairy, Bruce as Mother Goose and Tvrdik in the Arabian Dance.
In most ballets, it’s the corps work that will make or break you. The corps work in The Night Before Christmas is outstanding, especially in some of the featured dances – Japan (Kendall Barlow, Alazaha Bartholomew, Lexus Harvey, Kate Johnsen, Leonelli, and Bruce), the Tarantella (Emma Johnson, Ruthie Larsen, Averie Lee, Isabelle Strong, Farrell and Hola), Winter Jewels (Sally Ames, Ryann Barlos, Sophie Bennion, Eliza Bjorklund, Isa, Harris, Bloom Hartsfield, London Richards, Hola, Mason, and Johnson), and the Pointsettias (Caroline Crump, Bartholomew, Bjorklund, Harvey, Hola, Mason, Tille and Tvrdik). Look for these ladies in the future.
A couple of scenes that really stood out for us. Santa’s assistants (Kacey Cisar, Megan Graham, Bjorklund, and Strong) are absolutely adorable and so much fun. The Lemon Drops, with their yellow costumes and yellow stage lighting (lighting design by Jordan Street) are a ray of sunshine. A stunning contrast to that was the Northern Lights (Caroline Barrus, Kendra Clements, Amanda Moss, Gabi Rasmussen, Ames, Bennion, Harris, Hartsfield, Mason, and Richards) with their blues, purples and greens. Last, but certainly not least are the scene stealing Russian dancers (Ames, Bennion, Harris, Hartsfield, Richards and Nora Zimmerman). They had the audience eating out of their hand by the end of their dance.
The costumes (designed by Webb and Debi King) ranged from the typical ballet fare to stunning. The costumes for the aforementioned Northern Lights make that scene a visual delight. Perry loved the Russian dancers’ costumes as well. I also thought that the Pointsettias, the Candy Canes/Gingerbreads, the Story Book Land characters, and the Petit Fours costumes are delightful.
You will find much of the story familiar, which is what makes this a perfect, pocketbook friendly way to introduce your children to the wonders of ballet. This ballet has a much shorter run than its well known cousin up the block, but it really is worth the effort to go see. Children of all ages will adore The Night Before Christmas.
Salt Lake Ballet Theater Presents The Night Before Christmas by Neil Hess
Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W Broadway (300 S), Salt Lake City, UT 84101
December 7 (7:00 PM) and 8 (1:00 PM, 7:00 PM)
Tickets: $16.50-$18.40
Salt Lake Ballet Facebook Page
The Night Before Christmas Facebook Event
0 Comments