The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare performance program

Tuesday

MAY 19 7:00 pm

The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare

This event is sponsored, in part, by the Lied Performance Fund.

This event is made possible through the generous support of the Tim and Jerrye Van Leer Education Endowment.

Please be mindful of the following in the auditorium: • Please silence cellular phones and electronic devices • No food or drink • No cameras or recording devices

Sponsored by

May 19, 2015

The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare Created by Ian Carney and Corbin Popp

CHOREOGRAPHED AND DIRECTED BY

Ian Carney with

Stephen Charles Nicholson, Elizabeth Daniels, Tierney St John and Michael Bagne

This program is sponsored in part by the Paramount Theatre of Austin and The Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans

There will be no intermission during this performance.

The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare

The Ugly Duckling Of the five eggs in Mother Duck’s nest, one is the largest and last to hatch.

Bigger and paler than the others, this last hatchling is treated as an outsider

by Mother Duck and her ducklings.

He may be the best swimmer of the brood, but this alone is not enough to ensure his acceptance. Knowing only rejection, this Ugly Duckling goes out into the wild alone. Reflecting upon his plight under the glow of a remote willow tree, he sees a wily cat creeping in the direction of Mother Duck’s nest. The Ugly Duckling follows and watches as one lagging duckling is captured and taken back to the cat’s lair. In true heroic fashion, this Ugly Duckling succeeds in vanquishing the cat and rescuing the captured duckling. Celebrated by Mother Duck and her ducklings for his uniqueness, all realize that he may have been an ugly duckling, but he has grown into a beautiful and powerful swan.

The Tortoise and the Hare Ridiculed by the Hare, the Tortoise challenges him to a race. They set off and the Hare takes a commanding lead right away. Thinking he will win easily, the Hare allows himself to be distracted

with many modern day activities: texting, video games and the paparazzi, of course. The Tortoise continues to trudge along at his methodical pace and, despite the fact that the Hare is a swifter creature, wins the race due to his discipline and fortitude.

BIOS IAN CARNEY (Creator, Director and Choreographer) Carney was born in New Hampshire and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.

He started dancing as a child, studying ballet both in New Orleans and in New York City. Carney earned a degree in English literature from Tulane University while he was performing ballet professionally. He has danced lead roles in The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and many other ballets, as well as in Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp’s musical Movin’ Out on Broadway.

Carney has also been a guest dancer, teacher and choreographer in companies across the United States.

He is the co-director of Darwin the Dinosaur, the ever so popular family show that continues to delight audiences around the world. Carney recently appeared with Lightwire

May 19, 2015

Theater on America’s Got Talent, The Best television show in France and was the winner of Tru TV’s Fake Off.

ELEANOR B. CARNEY (Company Manager) Originally from New Orleans, Eleanor began her dance training with Harvey Hysell and Joseph Giaccobbe. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BFA in Dance and a BA in Anthropology. She has danced professionally with Indianapolis Ballet Theater, the Lexington Ballet, Northwest Florida Ballet, Delta Festival Ballet and Montgomery Ballet. Some of her principal roles include Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, Desdemona in The Moor’s Pavane, the Sugarplum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and title roles in Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, Giselle and Coppelia. Carney was delighted to appear on America’s Got Talent with Lightwire Theater and most recently on France’s new hit show The Best.

CORBIN POPP (Co-Creator) Popp is from Lincoln, Nebraska. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he earned a degree in biochemistry, while also studying math, physics and

dance. He speaks German and studied in Germany on a Fulbright scholarship.

Popp has performed in The Phantom of the Opera and Billy Joel and Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out on Broadway. He has toured throughout the United States with many shows, and all over Europe with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company. Popp recently graduated from dental school yet still continues to perform and collaborate with Lightwire Theater.

STEPHEN CHARLES NICHOLSON (Tour Manager, Ensemble) Nicholson has appeared in many off-Broadway stage productions as well as independent films and is pleased to be joining the cast of Ugly Duckling. He received a BA from Colgate University in religion with a minor in Asian Studies and a MFA in acting from The Actors Studio Drama School at The New School. He also has many graduate hours in elementary education, acquired during his two years teaching second and third grade with Teach for America in Louisiana public schools.

The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare

ELIZABETH R. DANIELS (Dance Captain, Ensemble) Daniels is very excited to be performing with The Ugly Duckling!

Some favorite credits include the Asian tour of The Sound of Music, The Music Man, White Widow, The Wild Party, Let Freedom Swing!, and the World Premiere of Cold As Ice, the first figure skating musical, co-starring Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul.

Daniels would like to dedicate this performance to her childhood ballet teacher, Mim. Thanks to Ian and Eleanor for the great opportunity to do what I love and see the country. Love and gratitude to Mom and Dad.

MICHAEL BAGNE (Ensemble) Bagne is a graduate of Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts. He has had the opportunity to perform works by Kiesha Lalama, Daniel Ezralow, David Parsons, Nathan Trice, Sidra Bell, Kyle Abraham, Kim Bears-Bailey, Camille A. Brown and Darrell Grand Moultrie, among others. He has danced with the Martha Graham Two Ensemble, Amy Marshall Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theater, August Wilson Dance Ensemble and Jessica Gaynor Dance.

He has performed throughout the Seattle area in Nick Cave’s Sound Suits and has been a guest performer with the Seattle Men’s Choir and Olympic Ballet Theater. He has recently moved back to NYC after performing throughout the Mediterranean with Norwegian Cruise Lines. Bagne is thrilled to be joining Lightwire Theater.

TIERNEY ST. JOHN (Ensemble) St. John received her bachelor’s degree in dance and sociology from Tulane University in New Orleans. She has performed and choreographed for Tsunami Dance Company, PatrikWidrig Dance Theatre and First Physical Theatre Company. In 2008, St. John became a member of Lightwire Theater and has toured the U.S., Canada, Germany, Russia, Colombia and Taiwan performing in The Ugly Duckling and Darwin the Dinosaur (DinoLight). In 2012, St. John relocated from New Orleans to San Diego to be with her family and pursue a career in healing arts. She is an E-RYT 200 yoga instructor and Reiki Healer. She is eternally grateful for the creators and cast of Lightwire Theater for their support, talent and friendship.

MONDAY, JUNE 1 • 8-9 A.M.

It is Party Time!

S INGLE K I C K O F F

TICKE T PA R T Y

Join us at the Lied Center as we kick off public single ticket sales. There will be refreshments, free ticket drawings and much more!

lied.ku.edu 785-864-2787

785-864-2787

2015-16 SEASON

Get the Best Seats Now!

Our 2015–16 season is packed with outstanding performances including, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, KANSAS, An Evening with Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt, MAMMA MIA!, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and more.

Single tickets go on sale to the public Monday, June 1, 8 a.m.

For more information and to see the complete season, visit us online at lied.ku.edu.

lied.ku.edu

Ticket Office hours Weekdays, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

1600 Stewart Drive Lawrence, KS 66045-7544

Summer hours: June 1–July 31 Weekdays, Noon–5:30 p.m.

Summer hours: June 1–July 31 785-864-2787 Weekdays, Noon–5:30 p.m.

UPDATE These individuals and businesses have become Friends since the original list was published.

INDIVIDUAL FRIENDS Patron ($500+) Anonymous Tyrone Duncan & Bozenna Pasik-Duncan Sponsor ($250+) Rolf & Laura Borchert Lewis & Laura Gregory Piersol Foundation, Inc. Ted & Nancy Haggart Andrea Mosher Jeannot & Todd Seymour Tim & Julia Shaftel

Contributor ($100+) Anonymous Hannes Combest Mary-Elizabeth Debicki, Phd Marilyn Dobski Joel & Diana Frederick Robert Friauf Barbara Gorman Linda & Rick Honeyman Barbara McCorkle Christopher & Julie Petr Siyuan Han & Sha Ma Graham & Ann Walker Sara Trautman-Yegenoglu & Ferit Yegenoglu

Advocate ($50+) Bill & Margaret Arnold Nadya & David Benson Jim & Yun Butler Mary & David Gage Dennis & Kristine Lane EJ Necefer Fred & Cathie Pawlicki Gavin & Raylene Young Jo Anne Zingo

BUSINESS FRIENDS Benefactor ($1,000+) Maceli’s Banquet Hall & Catering Sponsor ($250+) Sunlite Contributor ($100+) Edmonds/Duncan Advisors Yello Sub

Join the Friends of the Lied by calling Development Director Sue Mango at 785-864-2788 or visit lied.ku.edu/donate.