Dear Friends, Thank you for joining us for A Kansas Nutcracker, featuring our Free State Liberation Orchestra. This show is a Lawrence original, created by artists Ric Averill, Deb Bettinger, and Jeff Dearinger. A Kansas Nutcracker provides our region with a rich cultural and historical holiday tradition for audiences, actors, dancers, and musicians. We know that many in our Nutcracker audiences support the Lawrence Arts Center in a variety of ways all year long; however, we have included information about giving in this program, hoping that you will consider a special year end gift in honor of the wonder that happens when visual and performing artists, choreographers, writers, composers, teaching artists, costumers, children and adults, and theater technicians all conspire to create something from almost nothing—as we do every day at the Arts Center—for this extraordinary holiday event. The Lawrence Arts Center is a 501(c)(3), and we receive 5% of our operating budget from the City of Lawrence; the remainder we raise through ticket sales, tuition, grants, and donations. Our productions are supported by businesses and individuals in the community who believe that visual and performing arts are central to our lives, and without this support, our work would be impossible. Thank you for considering a special year end gift to the Lawrence Arts Center.
Thank you.
Susan Tate CEO, Lawrence Arts Center
Pediatric AND Adolescent Medicine, P.A.
Terrance P. Riordan, MD Beth Rundquist, MD Marshall D. Kelley, MD Chris Koster, MD Waco Goodnight, MD 346 Maine St. Lawrence, KS 66044 4824 Quail Crest Place Lawrence, KS 66049 Phone 785.842.4477 | Fax 785.842.7433
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THE LAWRENCE ARTS CENTER PRESENTS
A Kansas Nutcracker
with Free State Liberation Orchestra
featuring members of the Uptown Mandolin Quartet
Based on the original music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and the story by E. T. A. Hoffman Our story is set in Lawrence, Kansas, on December 24, 1856 STAGE DIRECTOR & PLAYWRIGHT
LEAD COSTUMER
Ric Averill
Olivia Hernandez
ORCHESTRATION & CONDUCTING
STAGE MANAGER
Jeff Dearinger
Aubrey Near
ORIGINAL CONECPT
ORIGINAL SNOWFLAKE ARTWORK
Deb Bettinger CHOREOGRAPHY
Cynthia Crews and Hanan Misko
Dave Loewenstein
Director’s Note I have had a really wonderful time working closely with Hanan Misko, Cindy Crews and Jeff Dearinger resetting this production with a nod to some of the original intention of the Tchaikovsky ballet. The Sugar Plum is a prima ballerina solo and the Pas De Deux of the Nutcracker Prince and Queen is new music at the end of the show. We cut a little here and added a little music there and restructured the way the second act runs. All of this gives a new vibrancy to the production and provides us with even more teachable moments about Kansas history, acting and dancing. We take great pleasure in working with this holiday classic to provide a production that is unique to our amazing Lawrence community. Happy holidays, fellow freestaters, and thanks for joining us this season.
Ric Averill Artistic Director, Performing Arts
The Cast ACT I: BARN DANCE AND PARTY Stahlbaum Family Dr. Stahlbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Hollond Mrs. Stahlbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trish Neuteboom Clara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anna Weslander Jeanette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hailey Gotto Fritz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mostyn Hollond Sissy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bella Neuteboom Hugh Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ric Averill Kurt/Nutcracker Prince/Orphan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Giosue Ferrara John Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Sturm Hattie Coleman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy O’Connell George Coleman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daniel Turner Mary Ann Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindy Bracker Sturm Owen Brown, a son. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Henry Morland Salmon Brown, a son. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jerry Dixon Annie Brown, a daughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophia Bracker Sturm Sarah Brown, a daughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . River Dixon Julia Brown, a daughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daphne Bracker Sturm Lt. Gale, a Soldier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Barber Hal Witherspoon, a Slaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jason Van Nice Dr. Charles Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Nigh Sara Tappen Doolittle Robison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth Ann Bittlingmayer Clarinda Nichols, a young reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabriela Carttar Betsy, Stahlbaum cousin, takes care of Sissy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Averill Hollond Alice, Stahlbaum cousin, takes care of Fritz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zanna Ingram Belinda Eldredge, Clara’s friend (Clara Understudy). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maya Sabatini Marie Pomeroy, Clara’s friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zuzu Melchor Sharon Crane, Clara’s friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sydney Hawley Elizabeth Hancock, Jeanette’s friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenna Gaston Rebecca Litchfield, Jeanette’s friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eva Markoulatos Grace Eldredge, Jeannette’s friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leilani Chun Timmy Reynolds, Fritz’s friend (Kurt Understudy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oliver Frankenfeld
Charles Savage, Fritz’s friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Santino Jasso Miss White, a Kansas City Socialite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saskia Ferrara Eugene Simpson, a School Teacher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ilya Schaeffer Frankie Haskell, a farm girl and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Maack Bobbi Colburn, a farm girl and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessica Vassar Janey Eldredge, a farm girl and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate O’Keefe Laurie Hanscom, a farm girl and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haley McCloskey Teresa Pomeroy, a young ladies society member . . . . . . . . . . . Aoife Hyland Sidener Rev. S.Y. Lum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benjamin Pease Mrs. Lum, an ardent abolitionist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa Dixon Ralph Lum, a farm boy and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bryce Erickson Hiram Lum, a farm boy and student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elodie Maack Arnold Lum, a farm boy and student. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Antonio Mayana De la Paz Heidi Lum, a young ladies society member. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yelena Pease S.J. Willis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blair Bracciano Mrs. Willis, a suffragette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martha Keslar Ronnie Willis, a Farm Boy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finn Lotton-Barker Linda Willis, SJ’s sister, a ladies society assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maggy Keslar Elsbeth Willis, a young ladies society member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karenna Peterson Caroline Willis, a young ladies society member. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tess Nichols Martha Willis, a young ladies society member. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kylee Wales John Speer, a Reporter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keegan West John Speer, Jr., a Printer’s apprentice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elijah Jackson Billy Speer, a Printer’s apprentice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fletcher Austin Opal Speer, a young ladies society member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Howard Deborah Speer, a young ladies society member. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emma Conforti Madeline Speer, a young ladies society member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madeline Elliott Elaine Speer, a young ladies society member. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abigail Sawyer Princess Elizabeth DeMarco, the Bear Trainer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erin Fisher Bosco the Dancing Bear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Estrella Frankenfeld Mechanical Doll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Darwin Michener-Rutledge THE BATTLE BETWEEN MICE AND TOYS Mouse King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Sturm Mice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evelyn Bills, Eliza Brockhoff, Logan Carter, Gabrielle Delano, Arabella Haigh Wilsey, Roman Jasso, Molly Kelly, Soeren Long, Bria McCormick, Olivia Nagel, Trip Radley, Quinn Thompson-Aaron Soldiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gracia Greenhoot, Isaac Hartz-Jensen, Olivia Hazlett, Tayte Markoulatos, Allison McNellis, Maeve Nichols, Callia Peterson, Linnaea Radley, Geneva Sabatini,Tiger Sievers, Evie Stull
SNOW WONDERLAND Snow Queen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saskia Ferrara Snow King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tristian Griffin Snow Queen Understudy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annie Olson First Snowflake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexis Kriegh Snowfall I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amelia Carttar, Sydney Combs, Estrella Frankenfeld, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adelaine Horan, Emma Krause, Annie Olson, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luisa Pierce, Miranda Powell Snowfall II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwentessa Alfie, Samantha Dunham, Erin Fisher, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Lollar, Darwin Michener-Rutledge, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Libby Pratte, Maya Weslander Snow Understudies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Samantha Dunham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Lollar Snow Flurries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abbey Bieker, Adele Erickson, Gayla Gao, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jana Ka, Keira Kuhlman, Phoebe Morris, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Celeste Stinson, Lois Xie
ACT II: THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE’S PRAIRIE KINGDOM A VISION OF THE FUTURE Older Clara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vashti Goracke Older Kurt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hanan Misko GRASSLAND INVADERS Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samantha Dunham Elizabeth Lollar Grasshoppers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fiona Bini, Aadan Blair, Maxfield Fitzgerald, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chloe Hannings, Iris Ihloff Kline, Amelia M. Lang, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helena Mattes, Kellar Musser, Madilyn Pierson, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hazel Powers, Tekla Radley DANGEROUS BEAUTY Snakes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexis Kriegh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luisa Pierce GENEROUS HARVEST Crops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daphne Bracker Sturm, Marie Brockhoff, Brooke Burgess, Danielle Dong, Rose Morland, Emily Myers, Caroline Nagel, Amelia Osborn, Iris Sherron Farmhands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oliver Frankenfeld, Isaac Hartz-Jensen, Henry Horan, Keegan West
CAVALRY Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Fisher, Estrella Frankenfeld, Maya Sabatini, Maya Weslander Cavalry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emmy Easley, Clara Ketchell, Matilda Learned, Zora Lotton-Barker, Libby Pratte, Naomi Terkildsen SOCIETIES Society Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amelia Carttar, Adelaine Horan, Emma Krause Society Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophia Bracker Sturm, Eila Deavours, Erin Doyle, Hailey Gotto, Sophia Hamilton, Amelia Q. Lang SCHOOLYARD SHENANIGANS Mother Ginger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ilya Schaeffer Schoolchildren. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Braden, Annika Chun, May Gao, Lolly Hindman, Mariclare Murray, Addison Novak, Ainsley Novak, Paris Spotted Tail, Eliza Wysong, Grace Xie WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS Hummingbird. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miranda Powell Dew Drops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sydney Combs, Saskia Ferrara Alexis Kriegh, Annie Olson Flowers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amelia Carttar, Samantha Dunham, Erin Fisher, Estrella Frankenfeld, Adelaine Horan, Emma Krause, Elizabeth Lollar, Darwin Michener-Rutledge, Luisa Pierce, Libby Pratte, Maya Sabatini, Maya Weslander Flower understudies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophia Bracker Sturm Eila Deavours LAST BATTLE Bear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keegan West GRAND PAS DE DEUX Older Clara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vashti Goracke Older Kurt/Nutcracker Prince. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hanan Misko FINALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Entire Cast
Orchestra Gwyneth Sigmon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flute/Piccolo Puyin Bai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clarinet Leigh Munoz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bassoon Beth Dearinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mandolin 1 Mike Stewart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mandolin 2 Charles Higginson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mandola Kelly Bohling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Violin 1 Katina Bilberry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Violin 2 Cindy Novelo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Viola Adam Galigher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Double Bass Steve Riley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Percussion Erin Hansen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harp Jeff Dearinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conductor
Production Staff Original Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deborah Bettinger Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ric Averill Choreographers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cynthia Crews Hanan Misko Dance Rehearsal Assistants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan Derry Donna Jo Harkrider Jennifer Walker Original Script Adaptation (adapted from story by E.T.A. Hoffman). . . . . . . . Ric Averill Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Score Arrangement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Dearinger Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Dearinger Stage Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aubrey Near Assistant Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cara Powers Lighting Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Art Kent Tony Ontiveros Video Projections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Badgett Sound. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mat Brownrigg Lead Costumer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Hernandez Costumers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beth Dearinger Marlena Gramly Laura Caitlin Pettijohn Susan Rendall Makeup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hazel Ingram Mia Romano Scenic Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Smith
Props Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Walker Backstage & Costume Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alle Baker Krista Barbour Chelsea Pitts Sara Spencer Karen Whitman Student Tech Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sadie Capps Ari Myers-Arenth Nathan Plumlee
Artistic Staff Performing Arts Artistic Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ric Averill Performing Arts Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erika Gray Dance Program Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hanan Misko Marketing Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth DeWitt Graphic Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Albright Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Dean? House Manager & Technical Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whitney Juneau
Dancers of Lawrence Ballet Theatre Lawrence Ballet Theatre is a pre-professional company under the artistic direction of Cynthia Crews. Company members are selected at an annual audition. SENIOR MEMBERS Amelia Carttar, Sydney Combs, Samantha Dunham, Saskia Ferrara, Erin Fisher, Estrella Frankenfeld, Adelaine Horan, Emma Krause, Alexis Kriegh, Elizabeth Lollar, Darwin Michener-Rutledge, Annie Olson, Luisa Pierce, Miranda Powell JUNIOR MEMBERS Sophia Bracker-Sturm, Eila Deavours, Zuzu Melchor, Anna Weslander, Maya Weslander The Lawrence Ballet Theater would like to thank Dr. John Hay, DDS, and Teresa Mulinazzi Kempf, CFP Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. for their support.
Thank You! Artistic To the many volunteers Hundreds of hours of volunteer efforts contributed to tonight’s event. Thank you to all of the parents, teachers, and performers who ushered, baked, supervised backstage, drove to practice, helped memorize lines and dances, ironed costumes and contributed to this event in so many ways.
To the additional staff at the Lawrence Arts Center Susan Tate, CEO, Heather Hoy, Stacy Galloway Haywood, Ben Ahlvers, Laurie McLane Higginson, Linda Reimond, Kyla Strid, Marlo Angell, Sarah Bishop, Margaret Weisbrod Morris, Neal Barbour, Beth Murphy, Steve Richardson, Sam Holloway, Cate Richards, Mica Mendez, Devante Green, Nishta Dasta, Nina Trespalacios-Paris, Mary Boyd and Phillip “Buck” Drowns.
To our friends in the community
A Kansas Nutcracker
with Free State Liberation Orchestra
dapted from a fairytale popular in France in the 1840’s, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker has become one of the world’s most beloved ballets. The original story that inspired both the fairytale and ballet was written by E.T.A. Hoffman in 1816 called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. This original tale, informed by the 1840’s version of the story and Tchaikovsky’s ballet with Kansas history as a backdrop, serves as the inspiration for A Kansas Nutcracker. A Kansas Nutcracker brings the Nutcracker Prince and Mouse King to life as a play with Tchaikovsky’s joyful, folk-influenced music, scored by Jeff Dearinger for the Lawrence Arts Center’s Free State Liberation Orchestra. Assembled as a reincarnation of the original Lawrence city band comprised of Emigrant Aid Society settlers, the modern day Free State Liberation Orchestra utilizes instruments the city band could have used at the time, including a mandolin trio. The orchestration gives Tchaikovsky’s romantic music the grassroots feel of 1850’s America. The Nutcracker and the Mouse King tells the story of Clara and her dream adventures with a nutcracker toy given to her by her godfather. Given to Clara at a Christmas party, the nutcracker is broken by Clara’s younger brother, Fritz. Godfather Dros-
selmeier restores peace amongst the children by telling them the story of how the nutcracker came to be so “ugly.” After the story is told, the party ends and Clara falls asleep to dream of a land of sweets and adventure, where she is made Queen to the Nutcracker Prince. In the 1856 version of A Kansas Nutcracker, Clara is surrounded at the party and in her dream by the colorful, sometimes fantastical figures in Kansas during a critical time in American history. The dramatized Stahlbaum holiday party takes place in the abolitionist town of Lawrence two years after the initial settlement by the New England Emigrant Aid Society whose sole purpose was to prevent Kansas from entering the union as a slave state. Clara is surrounded by the likes of John Brown and future Governor Charles Robinson and their radical wives, Mary Ann and Sara. Hugh Cameron, the first postmaster and ferryman of Lawrence takes on the Godfather function of Drosselmeier from the original. Reporter Clarina Nichols, the Speer, Willis, and Lum families are all named for original Lawrence settlers. 1856 saw the first sack of Lawrence by Sheriff Jones of Lecompton, including the destruction of the Eldridge Hotel and the Herald of Freedom Printing Press. The Free
MAY 24, 1854
JULY 6, 1854
JULY 28, 1856
Kansas-Nebraska Act passes Congress; effective with president’s signature, May 30.
Republican Party born, Jackson, Michigan.
First organized band of Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company settlers arrives in Kansas Territory and soon founds the city of Lawrence, includes four members of the City Band.
State Militia response included John Brown’s Pottawatomie Massacre, Samuel Walker’s Battle of Black Jack and the Battle of Ft. Titus, where Doctor Robinson was liberated through and attack featuring cannon balls melted down and cast from the printing presses of the Herald of Freedom, each ball another “Issue.” The Stahlbaum party culminates in a reenactment of that battle after guests gather, receive gifts, including the Nutcracker, from Godfather Cameron. The settlers dance a few folk dances, do a recitation of the Song of the Kansas Emigrant, give thanks for crops, grasshoppers, mice, snakes, snow, flowers, and enjoy the antics of a dancing bear and mechanical doll. The party falls apart when a Slaver from Lecompton, Hal Witherspoon, threatens to return two of John Brown’s liberated slaves to Lecompton. Cameron stops a fight from happening and Fritz breaks Clara’s Nutcracker, leading the party to break up. Clara, overwhelmed by all that she has seen, prepares to run away into the night because she ‘hates Kansas.’
With a little magical guidance from Godfather Cameron, the Nutcracker is magically repaired, Clara shrinks down and helps save her Nutcracker soldier, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Godfather’s ward, Kurt, from a very John Brown-like Mouse King. Clara and the Nutcracker prince run into the snow to discover the real Kansas she has rejected. In Act Two, she becomes a grown up version of herself, as does the Nutcracker Prince. She is crowned a Queen of the Prairie and all the Kansas Creatures, greet her. Her vision of Kansas features grasshoppers, birds, society girls, harvesters, crops, cavalry, flowers, schoolchildren and more. At the height of her transformation, she witnesses a victory of Free Staters over the Slavers and a beautiful dance of the Nutcracker Prince and Queen. The play ends with Clara’s return to reality and her family and a realization that she is a Kansan and ready to enjoy and embrace her Free State and perhaps, Kurt.
AUGUST 14, 1855
OCTOBER 23, 1855
DEEMBER 15, 1855
First convention of free-staters gather in Lawrence and call for election of delegates to free-state constitutional convention.
Free-state delegates assemble in Topeka to draft “Topeka Constitution” prohibiting slavery in Kansas Territory; Charles Robinson “elected” governor.
Election on the adoption of the Topeka Constitution; document ratified 1,731 to 46, as was a separate “exclusionary clause,” 1,287 to 453 (“Exclusion of Negroes and Mulattoes”).
A Kansas Nutcracker
Real life Characters in A Kansas Nutcracker
John Brown was born in Torrington, Connecticut, on May 9, 1800. Brown married Dianthe Lusk, June 21, 1820, and the couple moved to Pennsylvania, where their seven children were born. There they raised cattle, and Brown was a surveyor and tanner. She died in 1832. Brown then married Mary Ann Day, June 14, 1833. The couple had 13 children. In 1836 the family moved to what is now Kent, Ohio, and operated a tannery. Brown also developed a reputation as an expert in wool. In 1837, after the murder of influential abolitionist and editorialist Elijah P. Lovejoy, Brown proclaimed his support of the antislavery cause. Brown moved his family in 1846 to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he saw lectures by African American abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
The names used in this year’s A Kansas Nutcracker are drawn from the first two groups of settlers in Lawrence and include the families of: John Speer, printer and farmer, Rev Lum, S.J. Willis family, S.C. Pomeroy, Shalor Eldridge, Frank Haskell, Colborn, Savage, Lichtfield, Coleman, Hancock and Crane. MAY 10, 1856
In response to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, Brown established a militant group to prevent the capture of those who were attempting to escape from slavery. In 1848 he moved his family to North Elba, New York, where land grants were offered to African Americans. Brown’s sons had settled in Kansas Territory and in 1855 reported to him their encounters with proslavery supporters. With the hope of making Kansas a free state, Brown headed west to join the antislavery cause. Brown’s half-sister, Florella, and her husband, the Reverend Samuel Adair, lived near Osawatomie. Brown stayed in the Adair family home as he rallied support. Proslavery forces attacked the community of Lawrence on May 21, 1856, burning two printing offices. Antislavery supporters sought revenge near Dutch Henry’s Crossing on Pottawatomie Creek in Franklin County on May 24, which resulted in the deaths of five proslavery men. Brown denied involvement but supported the efforts. The Pottawatomie Massacre gained national attention and was denounced by both the freestaters and proslavery forces. In battle August 30, 1856, Brown’s son Frederick was killed and he earned the nickname “Osawatomie Brown.” Brown left Kansas that fall and his appearance at the Stahlbaum party is fictionalized.
MAY 21, 1856
Free-state Sack of Lawrence “Governor” by Sheriff Samuel Charles Robinson Jones and arrested in Lex- proslavery posse. ington, Missouri (released on bail, Sept. 10)
MAY 24, 1856
JUNE 2, 1856
JULY 4, 1856
Pottawatomie Battle of Black Dispersal of Massacre in Franklin Jack, near Baldwin, Topeka legislature County. Douglas County. by U.S. Army troops under command of Col. Edwin V. Sumner.
Hugh Cameron was an early Free Stater, member of the Emigrant Aid Society and founder of Lawrence. Appointed as a judge in the first Kansas territorial election, it is argued that his actions may have prevented Kansas from entering the union as a slave state. Cameron was famous for walking the entire distance to and from Washington, DC, in order to hear the inaugurations of several presidents and, some say, to pursue an unrequited love. In his later years, Cameron became known as ‘The Kansas Hermit’ and was a legend among University of Kansas students who would visit his camps in the woods north and west of the city. Charles Robinson was the first Governor of the state of Kansas. With his wife Sara, Charles Robinson was an active abolitionist, and an early member of the New England Emigrant Aid Society. Charles Robinson traveled from Boston to the Kansas Territory to pick a settlement site for the Society, and lead the second party of New England emigrants back to Kansas. The site he selected was Lawrence. Eventually he was chosen president of the Lawrence Town Company and was recognized as the preeminent leader of the freestate movement in the Kansas Territory. The Robinsons remained in Kansas and Lawrence for the rest of their lives, eventually contributing their estate to the University of Kansas, which included most of the land that the main campus of the university now occupies. Sara Tappen Doolittle Robinson was an ardent supporter of the cause of freedom who played a prominent and helpful role in the struggle to make Kansas a free state. She authored a book entitled Kansas: Its Interior and Exterior Life that described in vivid detail the social and political situation in Bleeding Kansas immediately following the events. At the time, Robinson’s book was considered second only to Uncle Tom’s Cabin in importance to the anti-slavery cause. In later years, Mrs. Robinson spent much time and effort trying to correct untrue published accounts of incidents in Kansas history. She was especially active in trying to prevent the elevation of John Brown to hero status. Clarina Nichols was an early Free State settler who spent most of her time in Quindaro, a stop on the underground railroad between Kansas City and the inner – free - territory of Kansas. A reporter and editor of her own newspaper, Clarina was also a station master on the underground railroad. The real life Clarina Nichols was older during the civil war period than portrayed in A Kansas Nutcracker. AUGUST 16, 1856
AUGUST 30, 1856
NOVEMBER 4, 1856
DECEMBER (TONIGHT)
Free-state “Governor” Charles Robinson arrested in Lexington, Missouri (released on bail, Sept. 10)
Battle at Osawatomie, Miami County; Frederick Brown, the son of John Brown, among the dead.
Free-state “Governor” Charles Robinson arrested in Lexington, Missouri (released on bail, Sept. 10)
Party at the Stahlbaum’s House (Fictionalized)
(Portrait photos above from Kansas Historical Society)
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Production Staff and Professional Cast As artistic director for performing arts at the Lawrence Arts Center, Ric Averill brings the community a rich variety of theater and dance events featuring both professional and community performers. As a performer, teacher, playwright, composer, and director for the Lawrence Arts Center, Ric brings a unique and invaluable opportunity for people of all ages, areas of interest and skill levels to participate in performance arts. Ric has degrees in both Music Composition and Children’s Theater, and has received numerous playwrighting fellowships and national awards. Many of his original plays have been published by Dramatic Publishing, and his plays have been commissioned by the Kennedy Center. Jeff Dearinger is founder and musical director of the Uptown Mandolin Quartet of Lawrence, Kansas, and has been interested in music all his life. Jeff studied music at KU and played guitar in mandolin-guitar duo with Ric Averill, performing classical, bluegrass, folk, and original styles. In 1973, Jeff was inspired to form the Lawrence Mandolin and Guitar Ensemble and began arranging pieces regularly for this group, now called the Uptown Mandolin Quartet. The Quartet has released three CDs and has performed regularly at the Classical Mandolin Society of America’s national convention. Jeff also arranges for other mandolin orchestras across the United States and for groups in Japan, Israel, Germany, Canada and Australia. Cynthia Crews started her dance training in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with Roman Jasinski and Moscelyn Larkin acclaimed Ballet Russe stars and co-founders of Tulsa Ballet Theatre. In high school she performed solo roles with Tulsa Civic Ballet, including being Tulsa’s very first Clara in The Nutcracker. Cynthia continued her dance education in New York City as a full scholarship student for Joffery Ballet and Harkness Ballet. She then returned to Oklahoma and received a BFA in Ballet Pedagogy from The University of Oklahoma. Cynthia performed as a principal with Tulsa Ballet Theatre for nine years. Cynthia has performed and choreographed in many community and professional musical productions. Her teaching career started at The School of Tampa Ballet and continued at the Post School of Ballet (Southwest Virginia Ballet Company) and Jasinski Academy, the official school for Tulsa Ballet. Cynthia joined the Lawrence Arts Center in 2004, teaching primarily ballet and pointe. She is founder and artistic director of the Lawrence Ballet Theatre. Hanan Misko studied at the Kansas City School of Ballet and received his B.F.A. from the Julliard School where he studied under director Lawrence Rhodes. Hanan has recently been a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Ballet Hispanico. Nimbus Dance works in New York City. He has been a guest dancer with the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Metropolitan Opera (Faust, Don Giovanni, Orfeo ed Euridice, and Nixon in China), and Jessica Lang Dance. Hanan has taught at the Kansas City Ballet School, the Wharton Music Center, New Jersey public schools after school programs and in The Julliard School’s CLIMB Program for children ages 4-10. He collaborated with other artists through The Julliard School integrating art performances in hospitals and schools. Paige Comparato started her ballet training at the age of nine in Topeka, KS, at Barbara’s Conservatory of Dance and danced with Ballet Midwest. She has performed several principal roles including Clara, Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle and Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee. Paige continued her ballet training at Texas Christian University in Forth Worth, TX, for two years before returning to Kansas University to pursue a degree in Art History. Paige taught at Barbara’s Conservatory of Dance and Copeland’s Gymnastics before joining the Arts Center staff. Her emphasis is in ballet, but she has also taught in the arts-based preschool and in visual art classes at the Arts Center.
Tristian Griffin, Kansas City, Missouri, completed his BFA in Ballet. While at Texas Christian University, he studied with Li-Chou Cheng, Elizabeth Gillaspy, Dr. Jessica Zeller, Dr. Suki John, and Dr. Nina Martin. Before he was accepted into TCU, on a Nordan Fine Arts Scholarship, he trained at Legacy School of the Arts with Michele Hamlett-Weith and Virginia School of the Arts with Dominique Angel, Adam Sage and Rafael Delgado. He also trained at Kansas City Ballet with Alecia Good, Sean Duus and William Whitener. With DanceTCU he has performed soloist roles in Gerlad Arpino’s Birthday Variations and the “Russian Variation” from Swan Lake, Act III, staged by Li Chou Cheng. He has taught in various settings including classes for underprivileged children at a Kansas City community center. At TCU, he has discovered his passion for choreography and plans to continue making dances alongside his teaching pursuits and performance goals. Vashti Goracke is the founder of YACO Productions dance and film company. She is currently attending the University of Kansas where she is completing her BFA in Dance and is a board member for Cinema KC. Vashti has danced for 17 years training in many different styles of ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary dance, and commedia dell’arte, and spent two consecutive summers training at the Juilliard School in New York, New York. Vashti has twice won the Monticello Foundation Award, receiving one award for dance and a second for choreography, which allowed her to attend the Craft of Choreography Conferences in both Utah and Washington. Her dance work entitled, Like-Poetry, was accepted to be performed at the Midstates Regional Dance Festival in Anderson, Indiana, and the American College Dance Festival in St. Olaf, Minnesota. Vashti was a member of Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri of Kansas City where she spent three years training before transferring to the University of Kansas. While at UMKC Vashti danced, stage managed, and choreographed for the conservatory stage, as well as choreographing and dancing for the UMKC Opera Department. She choreographed the “Wedding Dance” for the opera, The Marriage of Figaro, and choreographed a two-part series of operas entitled, Night in the Museum and Night in the Museum: The Second Floor, in which she also danced a leading role as The Curator of the museum in both operas. Trish Neuteboom is the Drama Director at Southwest Middle School, but in her spare time enjoys working as a freelance actress and director. Trish has performed as Margalo in Stuart Little at the Coterie Theatre and understudied Meg in Little Women at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She has been seen on the Arts Center stage as Angie in Motherf%&^$Hood and Mrs. Stahlbaum in last year’s A Kansas Nutcracker. She has also taught stage make up and acting classes and served as assistant director for Arts Center Summer Youth Theater. Trish received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado in Musical Theater and Directing and a Masters of Education from Baker University. Trish has a very supportive husband and two beautiful daughters and they are all excited to welcome a third child to the family in April. Cindy Bracker Sturm was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. Her love of performing arts began at age three with private piano lessons and dance instruction at the Lawrence School of Ballet, followed by choral music, instrumental music and acting in elementary school and continuing through high school. Cindy attended the University of Kansas where she performed in both band and choir. In 2002, she earned her bachelor of music education with a vocal emphasis. Cindy appeared in Nutcracker performances as a child with Kaw Valley Dance Troupe and now as an adult here at the Lawrence Arts Center.
Aubrey Near, a recent graduate of Emporia State University, started a yearlong internship with the Lawrence Arts Center in September 2014. Interested in Art and Theatre Management, her internship includes Assistant Stage Manager for The Nervous Set, Production Stage Manager for A Kansas Nutcracker, Pies From the Porn Kitchen, and Alice in Wonderland, along with helping with drama classes and other administrative work. While still in school, Aubrey stage managed a variety of shows, including Nunsense, All Shook Up!, Fox on the Fairway, and Brownstone, where she received a Certificate of Merit from the Kennedy Center for her paperless method of stage management. Hailing from South Florida, Olivia Hernandez arrived in Kansas in 2007 to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Baker University, yet the performing arts was a strong pull. While at Baker, she contributed costumes for J.B., Blithe Spirit, and Angel Street; played the flute as part of the pit orchestra for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Seussical, Alice in Wonderland, and Honk!. She also performed on stage in Ghosts, J.B., The Complete History of America (Abridged), and as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. Upon graduating in 2011, Olivia was selected to live model for Studio Escalier’s fall sessions in Argenton-Chateau and Paris, France. She returned to Kansas in 2013 and is currently pursuing a BFA in Expanded Media at the Univerisity of Kansas. She began at the Lawrence Arts Center last fall as a volunteer and now works as both the Dance Program Coordinator and Costume Mistress, where she enjoys developing her technical skills as a seamstress. She wishes to thank Hanan Misko, Ric Averill, Alle Baker (for her dedication and giving), Mary Neddo (for her expertise and patience), and Bryce, especially. Jason Badgett graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors in Film and Media Studies. As a filmmaker he has worked on several feature films, television series, music videos, and documentaries. He is also experienced as a live sound engineer and lighting designer. Jason has been a part of the Lawrence Arts Center event and technical staff since 2010. The snowflake was commissioned by the Lawrence Arts Center in 2011. Lawrence artist Dave Loewenstein created an original paper cut for the Sesquicentennial Edition performance, featuring a ballet dancer inside our state flower, the sunflower. Radiating out from this center are Christmas trees and wheat, alternating with the Mouse King and Nutcracker Prince in battle. We are honored to have this wonderful artwork which truly reflects the community spirit and local history at the heart of this Arts Center holiday production.
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A Kansas Nutcracker
CAST PHOTOS & PORTRAITS
Photography by Ann Dean View and order photos at
anndean.zenfolio.com
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