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Lisa Mayer-Lang, artistic directorGen Horiuchi, choreographer with additional choreography

by Lisa Mayer-Lang and Marie Bollinger Vogt

Toledo Ballet’s 80th Annual

Nutcracker A TRIBUTE TO MARIE BOLLINGER VOGT

These special performances are dedicated to the life and work of Marie Bollinger Vogt, Founder of Toledo Ballet.

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Révérence to Marie Bollinger Vogt (1921 – 2020)By Condessa Croninger

Who can imagine the cultural life of our community without Marie Bollinger Vogt? One may as well try to imagine Christmastime without The Nutcracker…

In 1939, there was no classical ballet in northwest Ohio and no Nutcracker in the nation—when Marie Bollinger Vogt founded Toledo Ballet. Now in its 81st year, the mission of Toledo Ballet is to inspire the passions and spirit of our community through dance. This mission was exemplified by Mrs. Vogt, our late Founder and Artistic Director Emerita.

A lifetime resident of Toledo, Marie Bollinger Vogt was a student of Balanchine’s School of American Ballet and, with that training, established Toledo Ballet while still in her teens. For the ensuing 55 years, she passionately provided quality dance training and leadership; she offered her students extensive performance opportunities with live accompani-ment; she brought internationally acclaimed dancers to perform on Toledo’s stages; thousands of students taught and mentored by her, including Toledo Ballet’s current Artistic Director Lisa Mayer-Lang, have gone on to perform, teach and inspire others throughout the nation and around the world.

This year marks our 80th presentation of The Nutcracker. In 1940, this ballet was unknown in the U.S., an obscure production from an isolated country. Nevertheless, Mrs. Vogt envisioned it as the ideal showcase for her company. She managed to procure out of Russia an abridged orchestral score and choreographed, produced and performed what has become the oldest consecutively running annual production of The Nutcracker in America. Its continuing artistic and financial success led the way for countless other ballet companies throughout the country to create their own productions of The Nutcracker, now a quintessential part of the American holiday experience.

But most of all, Marie Bollinger Vogt’s legacy is demonstrated in the love and gratitude she had for all her dancers, from the world-renowned guest artists and principals to the smallest Mouse, from the very first Nutcracker to the 79th. “Oh, my darlings!” Madame Vogt would exclaim at each performance, expressing deep appreciation to all those who were a part of making her own dream a reality.

How fitting that Tchaikovsky entitled The Nutcracker’s grand finale Apotheosis. Marie Bollinger Vogt brought the world of dance to us— today, we dance for her.

Madame Vogt, our Révérence.


Saturday, december 12, 2020, 7PmSunday, december 13, 2020, 1Pm

PeriStyle theater

Artistic Director Lisa Mayer-Lang

Choreographer Gen Horiuchi

Staging Lisa Mayer-Lang

Additional Choreography Lisa Mayer-Lang

Marie Bollinger Vogt

Principals Caitlin Valentine-Ellis

Miguel Anaya

Music Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Set Designer Thomas C. Umfrid

Lighting Designer Timothy Durham

The Toledo Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Alain Trudel, recorded in 2019

Toledo Ballet reserves the right to substitute dancers and guest artists and make program changes without prior notice.

Toledo Ballet’s 80th Annual

Nutcracker A TRIBUTE TO MARIE BOLLINGER VOGT


3306 Executive ParkwaySuite 105

Toledo, Ohio 43606


Welcome to Toledo Ballet’s 80th anniversary presentation of The Nutcracker. Whether it’s your first year attending or your 70th, there is sure to be a wonderful experience awaiting you when the curtain opens to a beautiful set, enchanting dancers, and the iconic music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

We are thrilled you are joining us for this perennial tradition of Clara (now Marie, in honor of our beloved founder, Marie Bollinger Vogt), the Mouse King, the Nutcracker Prince, toy soldiers, the beautiful land of snow, and the land of sweets. We thank you for being a part of the magic this year and hopefully every year for this wonderful tradition so many make a part of their annual holiday season. While this year is truly unprecedented with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we feel it is very important to uphold our annual tradition for you to pay tribute to our beloved Marie Bollinger Vogt, our founder and forever friend, as well as to honor her legacy. We hope you will find joy in us performing for you with the new protocols in place to keep our dancers and audience members as safe as possible. While the dancers may be masked and will look very different than “normal” years, be assured that there is a huge smile as well as utter joy underneath they are feeling, by being able to perform onstage once again.

A historic event occurred in January of 2019, with the merging of Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, now known as The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA). We are so very happy to have this incredible union of two historic organizations in Toledo working together to assure that we bring only the best to our audience members. I am ecstatic that we will continue our eight decades of collaboration with the Toledo Symphony, now and forever, as one organization here to entertain and educate the region’s patrons of the Ballet and Symphony. Though our amazing TSO musicians are unable to perform live this year, their recorded beautiful music will still fill the hall of the Peristyle Theater.

Thank you for sharing your holidays with us and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming dance and orchestra performances of Moving Soliloquies and Dancing Fairy Tales in 2021.

Now, sit back, relax, and be transported to the wonderful world of Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker as Marie’s innovative vision lives on.

Lisa Mayer-LangArtistic Director

from the artiStic director


Marie Bollinger Vogt EndowmentCelebrate the legacy of Toledo Ballet’s Founder and

Artistic Director Emerita, Marie Bollinger Vogt, with a contribution to the Endowment designated in her name. Whether you studied under Madame Vogt for a month or more than a decade, you know that the school she created and the training she provided for more than

50 years is truly one of Toledo’s jewels. To make a gift in Marie’s memory for the Toledo Ballet,

please go to https://www.toledoballet.com/ballet/ marie-vogt-endowment-fund/

All gifts will go to the Marie Vogt Endowment Fund to support future generations of dancers at the Toledo Ballet

Photo credit: Tom Brooks


Marie Bollinger VogtFounder, Artistic Director Emerita

As the founder of Toledo Ballet, Marie Bollinger Vogt choreographed over one hundred original ballets, as well as the Chinese Tea scene in our Nutcracker. She set a precedent in the dance com-munity by bringing worldclass dance artists to Toledo stages. Madame Vogt successfully built a

quality dance program, which continues to flourish and enrich our community. In its 81st year, Toledo Ballet continues to thrive and sustain Madame Vogt’s vision to inspire, educate and engage.

Author, lecturer, and Artistic Director Emerita, Madame Vogt had an eclectic interest in numerous community activities. She received numer-ous awards, among them the prestigious Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio in the category of Arts Administration; Arts Commission of Greater Toledo Award; International Distinguished Citizen Award; DeVilbiss High School Hall of Fame Inductee; The MCO Satellites Valued Treasure Award; Zonta International Woman of Achievement Award; University of Toledo Golden Key Award; 1990 Women in Communications, Inc., Woman of Achievement Award; and the 2008 YWCA Milestones for Women Award. Madame Vogt was past president of The Toledo Bar Association Auxiliary and past president of The University of Toledo Alumni Association Trustees. In addition to her many achievements, Madame Vogt was a published writer and illustrator and was active on the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts Board of Directors until her death.

Madame enjoyed attending rehearsals and giving encouragement to young dancers; she never missed a Nutcracker performance—we will miss her at this year’s 80th Nutcracker!


Lisa Mayer-LangArtistic Director

Lisa Mayer-Lang began studying dance at the Toledo Ballet at the age of six, under the direction of Marie Bollinger Vogt and Madame Velta Cernonok. Two years later at the age of eight, she was cast in the coveted role of Clara in The Nutcracker, which began a lifelong passion of Ballet and the performing arts.

Ms. Mayer-Lang furthered her studies at the acclaimed Interlochen Arts Camp, winning the prestigious Toscanini Scholarship. She trained with Larry Long at Ruth Page in Chicago, and Ballet West with the legendary William Christiansen, Toni Lander and Bruce Marks. At the age of eighteen, she moved to New York City, where Ms. Mayer-Lang continued her studies with the top Ballet Masters of the world. She performed professionally as a ballerina, toured the world partnering with New York City Ballet Princi-pal Dancer, Gen Horiuchi. Ms. Mayer-Lang ultimately landed on Broadway dancing, singing and acting in Lead roles as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Carousel at Lincoln Center with Audra McDonald, CATS as Sillabub and Victoria, Kiss Me Kate, Thoroughly Modern Millie with Sutton Foster and Wonderful Town with Brooke Shields. Ms. Mayer-Lang has performed at the Kennedy Center as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Carnegie Hall in The Leading Ladies of Broadway alongside Julie Andrews, Liza Minelli, Barbara Cook, among many others. Other great performing experiences include dancing with Gene Kelly, Willie Nelson and opposite Patrick Wilson in Barry Manilow’s Harmony, at LaJolla Playhouse.

This is Ms. Mayer-Lang’s 14th year as Toledo Ballet’s School Director; in 2014, she received the additional appointment of Artistic Director. This past October, Ms. Mayer-Lang choreographed An American in Paris as part of the Gershwin Celebration accompanied by Toledo Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, she staged excerpts from Swan Lake, also accompanied by Toledo Symphony Orchestra at Toledo Museum of Art’s Peristyle.

Ms. Mayer-Lang is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 7 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. When she is not at Toledo Ballet, Ms. Mayer-Lang is an adjunct professor at The University of Michigan teaching in the world-renowned Musical Theatre Department.


Michael LangResident Director & Choreographer

Michael Lang has been a resident Director/ Choreographer for The Toledo Ballet since 2007. He has created eleven original full length productions for Toledo Ballet including: Ballet Tapestry (2007); Outside the Lines (2008); Press One for More Op-tions (2010), Museum of Dreams (2011), If These

Walls Could Dance (2012), From Heart to Quill (2014), Alice in Wonder-land (2015), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2016), Tales of Grimm… (2017), Broadway at the Ballet (2018), and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2019).

Other choreographic credits include: Gershwin Celebration (2020); Carmina Burana (2020) and Original Source with TSO (2019), Degas and the Dance—Awkward Girl with TMA (2015), All are One with TMA—inspired by and interactively performed with Artist Pineree Sanpitak’s Anything Can Break (2015); Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring with TSO (2015). Tied Notes (2013), The Soldier’s Tale with TSO (2012); and Révérence—A Tribute to Marie Vogt (2009)

Michael performed for over three decades in Indianapolis (where he is originally from), Chicago, Los Angeles, Hamburg Germany, Miami, Orlando, and New York City. Michael was a dancer, high aerial tumbler, and a stuntman and he performed for more than a decade in the original Los Angeles & NYC productions of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Michael is a Certified Personal Trainer, a NCPT Certified Pilates instructor, and a NY, OH, & MI Licensed Massage Therapist. At the Toledo Ballet he teaches Contemporary Dance, Musical Theater, Acting, Conditioning, Pilates, and Ballerina Warrior (a self-defense class for girls). Michael is also head of Performance Outreach and he is the Director of The Toledo Ballet Pilates & Wellness Studio.


Gen HoriuchiChoreographer

Mr. Horiuchi, originally from Tokyo, moved to the United States after winning the Prix de Lausanne, the international ballet competition in Switzerland in 1980 and receiving a scholarship to study at the School of the American Ballet.

In 1982, George Balanchine invited him to join the New York City Ballet, where he became a Principal Dancer in 1989. Among the many ballets he performed with New York City Ballet, the role of Mercury in the ballet Persephone was created for Mr. Horiuchi by George Balanchine, as well as the ballets Eight More and Les Gentilhommes by Peter Martins. His Broadway musical credits include Mr. Mistoffelees in Cats. He went on to perform in London’s production of Cats in the same role and became the first performer to play the lead on both Broadway and the West End in 1998. That same year, he choreographed the magnificent Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and has also been a judge of the Prix de Lausanne since 1993.

In 2004 he was honored in New York City with the Seventh Cultural Bridge Award together with Harold Prince (director of Phantom of the Opera). He most recently directed the Aoyama Ballet Festival in Tokyo with artists in major companies from around the world.

Mr. Horiuchi became artistic director of Saint Louis Ballet in 2000 and has created a dozen works for the company. His international reputation with major choreographers throughout the world has led to the presentation of many other original works to Saint Louis Ballet dancers and audiences.


CongratulationsKadin Brown -

We love to see your enthusiasm on stage and in all of life! Keep your light shining bright!

Love, Mom, Dad, Evan and Beckett

Brava! rachael roberts,

you twirled superbly!

We love you!

Mom, Greg, Na Na, Pa Pa, Franz and Mary ann

Anna Rope,We are so proud of our Big Angel!

Love, Mom & Dad


Ann HecklerStaging (Angels)

Ann Heckler holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Alma College, where she received the Performing Arts Scholarship and studied Education and Dance. She performed with the Alma College Orchesis Dance Company; her favorite roles include Kitri in Don Quixote and Taglioni in Pas De Quatre. In 1985,

Ms. Heckler began teaching dance in Michigan and joined the faculty of Toledo Ballet in 2007. Ms. Heckler is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 5 of the ABT® National Training Curriculum. The ABT® National Training Curriculum rigorously prepares teachers to train dance students to use their bodies correctly by focusing on kinetics, coordina-tion, anatomy, and proper body alignment. Through Toledo Ballet’s Outreach programs, Ms. Heckler enjoys teach-ing classes to those who might not otherwise be exposed to dance. She teaches dance in Toledo Public Schools serving communities with limited resources or access to the arts. Ms. Heckler finds great reward being part of the high-level excitement and interest of the children in the first grade and special education classrooms during her dance sessions! Additionally, Ms. Heckler is the creator and instructor of Adaptive Dance at Toledo Ballet for dancers with Down syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is also an experienced yoga teacher and a certified Myofascial Release Specialist.

Adaptive Dance courses open now!Scholarships available. ages 10+!

CALL toledo ballet at 419.471.0049 or visit toledoballet.com today!


Thomas C. UmfridSet Designer

Mr. Umfrid is committed to a collaborative relationship with the director and design team and strives to honor and support the choreographer’s vision. In Cincinnati he serves as a Professor of Set and Costume Design, College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati (Since 1987). He

recently returned to the U.S. after a two-year hiatus as Professor and Head of Design, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Wan Chai. For CCM he has created more than 68 set designs including Dialogue of the Carmelites, Falstaff, Evita, Don Giovanni, Werther, On the Town, The Elixir of Love, Pelleas et Melisande, Le Nozze di Figaro, Rusalka, My One and Only, Man of La Mancha, The Secret Garden, The Rake’s Progress, and Don Pasquale. In Hong Kong he designed the operas The Cunning Little Vixen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicci.

Regional and international credits: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Manhattan School of Music, Stages - St. Louis, the Cincinnati and Toledo Ballets, the Cincinnati Opera, Utah Shakespearean Festival, New Mexico Rep, Shakespeare-Santa Cruz, London’s Royal College of Music, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Member USA 829.

View a gallery of his work at: theumfridstudio.com/.

Cora Walker, Sugar and Spice and everything nice—like Angels and Mice—that’s how we’d describe you, too!

Dad, Mom, Micah, and Roxy

Sonya Maynard, Your energy and love for dance is felt by all those around you!

Love, Mom, Dad and Devin


act i — Scene 1: the PartyThe excitement begins as Doctor and Frau Stahlbaum welcome their guests to a Christmas party in their beautiful new home, The Manor House. Clara’s godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer, and his nephew bring three life-sized mechanical dolls who perform three lively dances. The children are disappointed as the dolls are carried off, but Herr Drosselmeyer surprises them with a Nutcracker for Clara. Her jealous brother, Fritz, snatches the Nutcracker from Clara and breaks it. Herr Drosselmeyer quickly repairs it and Clara rocks the wounded Nutcracker in her arms. As the evening ends, the adults join in a regal, traditional folk dance before everyone leaves for home.

act i — Scene 2: the battleWhen everyone is asleep, Clara slips downstairs to make sure her Nutcracker is safe. While playing with it, she becomes tired and falls asleep. Suddenly, a magical spell begins...giant mice appear...the Christmas tree grows...and the toy soldiers and bunnies battle the mice. The Mouse King and Nutcracker engage in a battle. When it becomes clear that the Nutcracker is no match for the Mouse King, Clara throws her slipper at the Mouse King, startling him, providing the perfect opportunity for the Nutcracker to kill him.

act i — Scene 3: the land of SnowAfter the battle ends, the Nutcracker is transformed into a hand-some Prince and takes Clara to his kingdom, traveling through the Land of Snow where the King and Queen of Snow and their swirling snowflakes escort them on an enchanted journey.

act ii — divertiSSement: Kingdom of the SweetSAs Clara and her Prince enter the Kingdom of Sweets, they are met by charming angels and the beautiful Sugarplum Fairy, who leads them to a place of honor. They are entertained by the sweets, spices, and flowers of many lands—Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, Russian Candy Canes, French Marzipan, and Italian Ginger Snaps. At last, the Dew Drop Fairy dances with her Flowers before the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a romantic pas de deux. The entire court joins in a tribute to Clara, who awakens to find herself back in her own home...Was it a dream? Or did it really happen on that magical night long ago?

The Nutcracker


caitlin valentine-ellis Sugar Plum Fairy

Caitlin Valentine-Ellis began her training in New Jersey before joining Orlando Ballet at age 16, led by Fernando Bujones. She later danced at Colorado Ballet as a soloist. This is Caitlin’s sixth season with BalletMet.

Throughout her career, Caitlin has performed not only soloist roles, but also numerous principal roles including Kitri in Don Quixote, Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Giselle in Giselle, Dorothy in Dorothy and the Prince of Oz, Cinderella in Cin-derella, Daisy in The Great Gatsby, The Survivor in Light/The Holocaust and Humanity Project, Lise in La Fille mal gardée, Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, Sug-ar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and Guinevere in Camelot.

She has been featured in contemporary works by Edwaard Liang, Val Caniparoli, Matthew Neenan, Dwight Rhoden, Amy Siewert, Christopher Wheeldon and has enjoyed performing lead roles in George Balanchine’s Rubies, Serenade, Square Dance, Who Cares?, Allegro Brillante, Theme and Variations and Jerome Robbin’s Fancy Free.

Guest Artists

miguel anaya Cavalier

Miguel Anaya, originally from Havana, Cuba, trained at the Alfonso Perez Isaac School and the Cuban National Ballet School, where he graduated in 2012. He has trained with Ramona de Saa, Marta Iris, Nor Maria, Ana Julia Bermudez, Magaly Suarez, Alicia Alonso, Fernando Alonso and Alberto Mendez.

He danced with the Washington Ballet Company during the 2014-15 season, performing various Septime Webre ballets including Sleepy Hol-low and Alice in Wonderland. Mr. Anaya also danced the role of Siegfried in Kirk Peterson’s Swan Lake while with the Washington Ballet.

Mr. Anaya was invited to the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2010 and the Youth America Grand Prix in 2011. In 2012, he won the Grand Prix National Competition in Cuba, and performed as a soloist dancer with Ballet Nacional de Cuba with Alicia Alonso. While dancing with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, he performed as Basilio in Don Quixote.


TOLE DOCheers to the Toledo Ballet for 80 years of inspiring performances and contributions to our community.

A special Thank You to Julie Waidelich-Roberts for her years of dedication to the Toledo Ballet and Kingston.

travis anderson Nutcracker Prince / Nephew

Travis Anderson is thrilled to join the Toledo Ballet Company for this year’s Nutcracker! He has performed in several Nutcrackers and was an active participant in community theatre productions as a child in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas.

Travis is now a senior in the Musical Theatre program at the University of Michigan. Favorite performance credits include Meet Me in St. Louis, Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors (Theatre Aspen), South Pacific (Aspen Music Festival), Sweet Charity, The Exonerated, The Pirates of Penzance (University of Michigan), and Cabaret (Mezzano, Italy).

Additionally, Travis is a choreographer and two-time Jimmy Awards Alumni. Many thanks to Lisa Mayer-Lang and all of the wonderful Toledo Ballet dancers for being so welcoming!


Resident Guest ArtistsSteven J. brown Dr. Stahlbaum

Steven Brown began his ballet studies at Toledo Ballet with Marie Vogt and Velta Cernonok. He went on to study on scholarship at many highly regarded schools including Houston Ballet Academy, the for-mer School of Cleveland Ballet, The School of Ameri-can Ballet, Andre Eglevsky State Ballet of New York,

and Steps Studio NYC with Wilhelm Burmann. The 80th season of Toledo Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, marks the 14th year Mr. Brown has danced the role of the Father, since originating the role in 2006.

Mr. Brown has danced several lead roles with Toledo Ballet including Puck in the Toledo Premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lead couple in the Czardas in Coppelia, and in The Nutcracker he’s danced Cavalier in Waltz of the Flowers, Trepak, Harlequin Doll, and Lead Tea.

Mr. Brown has also danced with the CCM Ballet Ensemble at the University of Cincinnati, Wisconsin Ballet Theatre, and Montana Ballet. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; and also has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication from the University of Toledo. Mr. Brown has been on facul-ty at the University of Toledo, Owens College, The University of Findlay, and has taught at Toledo School for the Arts and Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts. As a faculty member at the University of Findlay, he choreographed their annual musical productions.

Mr. Brown is a longtime Toledo Ballet faculty member and he has worked on outreach performances including: Music Under The Stars, Holiday With Heart, and organized Toledo Ballet’s participation in the Downtown Holi-day Parade. Mr. Brown has appeared in local theatre productions as well as appearing as a Guest Artist with Bartlesville Civic Ballet in Oklahoma. As a member of the University of Toledo Opera Ensemble Production Team, he has choreographed Aaron Copeland’s The Tender Land, Franz Lehar’s Merry Widow, incorporating several of Toledo Ballet’s talented dancers, and Dido & Anaes.

Mr. Brown feels that it is an honor being a part of this Toledo holiday tradition; and to dance the role of the father, following in the footsteps of his fellow dancers and friends, Craig Barrow and Hilary Sujkowski.

“On the momentous occasion of Our 80th Anniversary, I would like to say, Thank You, to Marie Vogt, whose vision, forethought and indomitable strength has made this longtime Toledo tradition possible.”


Kristin delverne Frau Stahlbaum

Kristin began her ballet training as a child alongside her sisters at Toledo Ballet, under the direction of Marie Bollinger Vogt and Velta Cernonok. To further her training she spent a summer at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan and at the North Carolina School of the Arts where she studied under Melissa

Hayden and Mel Tomlinson. Kristin also spent three summers at the Briansky Ballet in New York as a student and camp counselor.

She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Ballet from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. While studying at the University of Cincinnati, Kristin performed in numerous classical ballets, including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and her favorite – Giselle as a member of Cincinnati Ballet’s corps de ballet. Upon graduation, she moved to Chicago and continued her training under Larry Long at the Ruth Page Foundation. During Kristin’s time in Chicago, she performed in The Nutcracker professionally with Chicago Ballet.

When Kristin returned to Toledo, Madame Vogt asked her to perform the coveted role of Rose Bud (now known as Dew Drop) in The Nutcracker. This was an incredible honor for Kristin to share this wonderful occasion with her beloved mentor; as it was the final Nutcracker Madame directed prior to her retirement. Kristin has been teaching at Toledo Ballet for close to twenty years where she enjoys sharing her love for ballet with the very talented Toledo Ballet dancers. She has performed in more than 20 Nutcrackers; and will appear in this year’s production as Frau Stahlbaum, Clara’s mother. Continuing the family tradition, her daughter Sophia is also a member of the cast.


eric hillenbrand Herr Drosselmeyer

Eric Hillenbrand comes from an extensive performance background in the Greater Toledo community. Stage credits from his lengthy career in theater include performances with Toledo Opera, Oregon Community Theater and The Toledo Repertoire Theatre, as well as performances in

Toronto, New Orleans, Disney World Orlando and at the World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mr. Hillenbrand frequently performs featured roles in The Rep’s A Christmas Carol—a production he has been proud to be a part of since its inception in 1985.

Off-stage, Mr. Hillenbrand is a noted downtown developer and renovator of historic properties, as well as the owner of 20 North Gallery & Venue, Toledo’s oldest independent gallery. He is also a past Artistic Director and current board members of The Toledo Repertoire Theatre, one of Ohio’s oldest theatrical companies.

Our Drosselmeyer since 2007, he first appeared in Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker in 1982 and grew up watching Nutcracker from the wings as his father performed the role now held by Eric Hillenbrand, himself— honored to be continuing the Hillenbrand Family’s more than sixty-year commitment to Toledo Ballet.


2020-2021 Company Members

Sam gandy started taking adult ballet classes after high school, and fell in love with the artistry and physical challenges that ballet offers. Since then, he has participated in the scholarship program offered by the Toledo Ballet and has performed in numerous spring and Nutcracker productions. He also performed in the original production Blind Date choreographed by Daniel Zook.

domonique glover began his dance career as a senior, study-ing Mathematics, at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He took classes in ballet, modern, and contemporary and was a member of the Spelman Dance Theater student com-pany. He received his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and moved back home to Toledo, Ohio where he was able to continue studying dance. Since 2009, Dom has performed in and choreographed local performances throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, including Ragtime, Pirates of

Penzance, I Dream, Hairspray, Pippin, and many Toledo Ballet Nutcrackers and origi-nal spring shows. He has had the honor of performing on various stages, including The Valentine Theatre, The Stranahan Theater, The Toledo Repertoire, The Ohio Theater, The Maumee Theater, The Croswell Opera House in Adrian, Michigan, and The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan. He has served on various studio staffs, including Toledo Ballet’s, teaching dance styles ranging from beginning ballet to advanced/intermediate contemporary. Dom aspires to keep broadening his theatre repertoire, and inspiring as many others as he can along the way.

nora light began her classical ballet training at the age of three, and in 2010 joined Toledo Ballet, where she began studying jazz, contemporary, tap and modern dance. Through Toledo Ballet, Nora has received instruction from most of the faculty including, Lisa Mayer-Lang and Michael Lang. She has also received training from guest artists Soili Arvola, Renato Penteado and Tricia Albertson. This is Nora’s ninth year to perform in Toledo Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Some of her favorite roles in this production have been Clara, Lead

Snow, Lead Flute, Chocolate Spanish, and Dew Drop. She has also performed in Toledo Ballet’s spring productions If These Walls Could Dance (2012), Giselle (2013), Alice in Wonderland (2015), as lead in Awkward Girl (2016), as Dorothy in The Won-derful Wizard of Oz (2016), Tales of Grimm... (2017), Broadway at the Ballet as a fea-tured dancer (2018), Alice Through the Looking Glass as the Red Queen (2019), and Carmina Burana with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra (2020). This is her ninth year as a Toledo Ballet Company Member and this is her first year as a Resident Guest Artist. In March 2018, Nora placed in the top 12 in the Senior Contemporary category at Youth America Grand Prix competition held in Indianapolis. During the summer of 2018, Nora studied with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah where she was also one of thirty students across the country asked to participate in their ArtÉmotion choreo-graphic workshop and in 2019, she studied with Ballet Met in Columbus, Ohio. When Nora isn’t dancing and performing she is a Toledo Ballet instructor and this will be her third year as Ballet Mistress for the Nutcracker.

reSident gueSt artiStS


fiona barnhizer is a junior at Toledo School for the Arts. She has been studying dance since the age of three. She is a Toledo Ballet Company member and First Soloist. Fiona has performed in over ten Nutcrackers with one of her favorite roles being Clara. Fiona has previosuly performed in many of Michael Lang’s original productions ranging from 2015-2019. In January 2018, Fiona placed in the top 12 in the Junior Contem-porary category at Youth America Grand Prix competition in Pittsburgh. She has studied at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in

their dance and orchestra program, as well as cello and violin with The Toledo Sym-phony School of Music. In 2018, Fiona studied with Boston Ballet for their Summer Intensive program and A&A Ballet in Chicago for their Back to School Intensive and D.I.V.E. program with Anna Reznik, Alexei Kremnev, Val Caniparoli, and DJ Smart. In 2019 Fiona had the opportunity of studying with Patricia Villanueva, Jennifer San-doval Eccher, and Seyong Kim with Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp dance department. Fiona has also studied with many of Toledo Ballet’s invited guest teachers in the Summer Intensive program.

colette beans is a sophomore at Southview High School and has been dancing for ten years. She is a Toledo Ballet Company member and a First Soloist. Her favorite style of dance is ballet. This is her ninth Nutcracker and her favorite roles include Clara, Lead Snow, and Columbine. Colette also enjoys contemporary and has been in several of Michael Lang’s original productions such as, The Fawn in Alice Through the Looking Glass. She has participated in the Youth American Grand Prix competition with Toledo Ballet placing in the top 24 in the Junior Classical

Ballet category. Colette is looking forward to the Nutcracker and hopes you enjoy the show!

luke eller is a homeschooled high school senior. He has been studying Russian Vaganova ballet since the age of seven. Luke received most of his serious training at the Academy of Rus-sian Classical Ballet where he studied Russian Ballet, Contem-porary, Character, and Partnering. He has studied with Nikolai and Jessica Morschakov, Ivan Poroshin, Mme. Natalia Makina, Mme. Olga Korotaeva, Mme. Marianna Lobanova, Kathy Scharp, and with Lisa Mayer-Lang and Michael Lang at Toledo Ballet. He has also taken classes from Calvin Royal III, Dusty Button,

Elina Miettinen, and Sascha Radetsky.

Luke has performed in several Nutcracker productions. His roles include Fritz, the Moor doll, the Nutcracker in the battle scene, Spanish lead, Russian lead, Marzipan pas de trois, and Waltz of the Flowers soloist. Luke has also performed in Swan Lake as the lead Jester; Sleeping Beauty as Waltz soloist, Puss in Boots, and Bluebird pas de deux; Paquita as the lead male; and was cast as the Prince in Prokoviev’s Cinderel-la. Luke has competed in the Youth America Grand Prix achieving 3rd place in senior soloists, 2nd place in ensembles for Ocean and Pearls pas de trois, and was invited to perform in the YAGP finals in New York City. This past summer he was offered a full scholarship to study at the Pittsburgh Ballet Summer Intensive. He participated in the Summer Intensive with Renato Penteado at Toledo Ballet and has been studying with Toledo Ballet for the last three months.

firSt SoloiStS


When Luke is not dancing, working, or studying, he is at the piano. He grew up in a family of classical musicians and has been studying classical piano since the age of three. He credits his dance musicality to his love of classical music literature. Luke is more than excited to continue his training under the Toledo Ballet instructors and perform in the 2020 Nutcracker.

Sadie evener is a junior at Notre Dame Academy and is a Toledo Ballet Company member and First Soloist where she began dancing at the age of three. She has received training in classical ballet from Ann Heckler, Cheryl Walter, Ariel Clouse, Kristi DelVerne, and Lisa Mayer-Lang, as well as contempo-rary and jazz training from Michael Lang. Sadie has received additional instruction from visiting guest artists, Soili Arvola, Renato Penteado, Megan Stuart, Lauren Fadeley, Tricia Albert-son and Melissa Gelfin. When she isn’t dancing and performing,

Sadie is a Toledo Ballet instructor. In September 2018, she danced in Swan Lake, staged by Lisa Mayer-Lang, accompa-nied by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra; she was also a part of the Gershwin Cel-ebration in October 2020. Sadie has performed in several of Michael Lang’s original productions, including Alice in Wonderland; The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Tales of Grimm…; Broadway at the Ballet, and Alice Through the Looking Glass as Rose and Tweedledum. This December, Sadie is dancing in her eleventh Nutcracker under the direction of Lisa Mayer-Lang. Some of her favorite roles include Lead Snowflake, Ginger Snap, Flowers, Sweets, Lead Flute, and Spanish Lead.

gabrielle (gabby) grossmann is a junior at Northview High School and is Toledo Ballet First Soloist where she has been dancing since the age of four. She has received training in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz, and acting under the instruction of Lisa Mayer-Lang and Michael Lang. Gabrielle has also trained under visiting guest artists Soili Arvola, Renato Penteado, Tricia Albertson, Megan Stewart, and Melissa Gelfin. Gabrielle recently appeared as a soloist in an original Toledo Ballet production entitled A Gershwin Celebration with the

Toledo Symphony Orchestra. She has also danced in numerous Toledo Ballet produc-tions including Swan Lake, Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tales of Grimm…, Broadway at the Ballet, and Alice Through the Looking Glass. In 2019, Gabrielle performed in her tenth Nutcracker under the direction of Lisa Mayer-Lang. Some of her favorite roles include Clara, Lead Snow, Pink Sweet, and Lead Flute.

isabella ramsey is a junior at Toledo School for the Arts, as well as a First Soloist with the Toledo Ballet Company were she has studied dance since the age of three. Isabella has studied ballet, contemporary, tap and jazz under the instruction of Lisa Mayer-Lang, Michael Lang and other various faculty members. She has been trained by several guest artists including Soili Arvola, Melissa Gelfin, Ashley Knox and Renado Penteado. In Summer of 2019, Isabella was invited to study in Salt Lake City, Utah at Ballet West’s Summer Intensive Program. She has

performed in several of Michael Lang’s original productions. Some of her favorites in-clude Alice Through the Looking Glass, A Gershwin Celebration, and Broadway at the Ballet. This year, Isabella will be participating in her thirteenth Nutcracker with Toledo Ballet. She is ecstatic to be performing her dream role of Dew Drop and Lead Snow-


flake. Some of her favorite roles in the past include Columbine, Flutes and Sweets. In January of 2020, Isabella was given the opportunity to compete as a soloist in Youth America Grand Prix. She competed with assistance from Lisa Mayer-Lang and won Top 24 in the Senior Classical category. Isabella is looking forward to her upcoming performances and studies with the Toledo Ballet. Second SoloiStS

Kiera lang began dancing at the age of three at Toledo Bal-let and is a Second Soloist in Toledo Ballet’s Company. Kiera was also a competitive gymnast for many years until her love of ballet took her into a full time ballet student. She has performed in numerous productions of the Nutcracker and is excited to be playing Clara for the second time during this special 80th year celebration. Her previous Nutcracker roles include Ginger Snap, Mouse, White Mouse, Candy Cane, Party Girl, Clara’s Friend, Big Soldier, Clara, Lead Angel, Sweets, Lead

Tea, Soldier Doll, and Lead Snow. This past October, Kiera danced in Toledo Ballet’s production of Gershwin as the Degas Little Dancer. Her spring productions include Alice in Wonderland as Little Alice and Hedgehog, and Alice Through the Looking Glass as a Flower.

Sydney mack is a sophomore at Ottawa Hills High School. She has been dancing at the Toledo Ballet since she was five years old studying classical ballet, contemporary, tap, and jazz. Sydney has had the privilege of performing in eight Nutcrackers, including her favorite roles as Clara, Snow, Columbine, Flutes, Lead Tea, and Flowers. She has also danced in five of Michael Lang’s original productions, including various roles in Alice in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Broadway at the Ballet. Sydney danced the role of Lead Field Trip Girl in Awkward Girl, and Hansel in Tales of Grimm…

Sydney has attended multiple Summer Intensives under the instruction of Soili Arvola, Renato Penteado, Megan Stuart, Tricia Albertson, Lauren Fadeley, Ashley Knox and Maria Kowroski. She has also participated in two years of YAGP competitions in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Sydney is excited to continue her study at the Toledo Ballet under the excellent instruction of Lisa Mayer and Michael Lang.


2020-2021 Company Members

Emma Cole Olivia Curth Lily Grossmann

Sophie Heidenreich Sophia Turk Ashley Wang

ProdUCTion STAffChoreographer: Gen HoriuchiArtistic Director: Lisa Mayer-LangAdditional Choreography:

Lisa Mayer-LangClara Dance / Gingersnaps / Sweets

Choreography: Marie Bollinger VogtBallet Mistress: Nora LightStaged by: Lisa Mayer-LangLighting Design: Timothy DurhamStage Managers: Robert Koenig,

Damian RodgersProduction Coordinator: Sansa WarrickVolunteer Coordinator: Traci CurthProp Masters: Casey Koenig, Robert

SniderWardrobe Supervisor: Casey KoenigCostume Designer for Dew Drop Fairy,

Sugar Plum Fairy, Sweets and Flower Tutus: Casey Koenig

Wardrobe Assistants: Judy Gonia, Sansa Warrick

Set and Prop Design Consultant: James Hill

Photographer: Robert Cummerow and Jacob Galati

Program Design: Tamie Spears

Special thank you to Toledo Ballet Company members for their countless hours of assistance during Nutcracker rehearsals: Colette Beans, Olivia Curth, Sadie Evener, Gabrielle Grossmann, Lily Grossmann, Sophie Heidenreich, Kiera Lang, and Isabella Ramsey. Thank you from Props and Sets to the following for their continued support: Alan Barnhizer, John Gonia, James Hill, Robert Koenig, Terry Ramsey, and Dale Theis. A special thank you from Wardrobe: To all of the parents who graciously assist with “quick changes.”

aPPrenticeS: Victoria Burns / Charlotte Sexton


Cast act 1 - Scene 1: the Party

Marie (Cast A) .............................................................................................................Sydney Mack

Marie (Cast B) ................................................................................................................ Emma Cole

Understudies ............................................................................ Charlotte Sexton, Ashley Wang

Dr. Stahlbaum (Cast A) .......................................................................................Steven J. Brown

Dr. Stahlbaum (Cast B) ....................................................................................... Eric Hillenbrand

Understudy ........................................................................................................ Domonique Glover

Frau Stahlbaum ......................................................................................................Kristin DelVerne

Herr Drosselmeyer (Cast A) .............................................................................. Eric Hillenbrand

Herr Drosselmeyer (Cast B) ........................................................................ Domonique Glover

Female Party Adults (Casts A & B) ............. Tess Caputo, Christine Fair, Cheryl Walter

Male Party Adults (Casts A & B) .......................................... Ford Bennett, Matthew Oster

Male Party Adults (Cast A) .......................................................................... Domonique Glover

Male Party Adults (Cast B) .........................................................................................Sam Gandy

Housekeeper .................................................................................................. Condessa Croninger

Footman .......................................................................................................................Jackson Price

Nephew .....................................................................................................................Travis Anderson

Understudy ...........................................................................................................................Luke Eller

Marie’s Friends (Cast A).........................Emma Cole, Sophia DelVerne, Hayden Graham, ......................................................................................................................Ava Hansen, Lydia Keith

Marie’s Friends (Cast B) .....Victoria Burns, Claire Hubbell, Isabella Leonardi-Wilkins,........................................................................................................ Rachael Roberts, Ashley Wang

Understudy ..............................................................................................................Alyssa Edington

Marie’s Little Sister .....................................................................................................Anna Caputo

Fritz (Cast A) ....................................................................................................................Jonas Turk

Fritz (Cast B)..............................................................................................................Steven Ariss, III

Understudy .......................................................................................................................Eliot Brody

Party Boys (Cast A) ............................... Steven Ariss, III, Kadin Brown, Connor Espinosa

Party Boys (Cast B) ............................................... Eliot Brody, Rowan Hudson, Jonas Turk

Understudy ................................................................................................................. Ian McFarland

Party Girl (Cast A) ..................................................................................................Ginny Hoffman

Party Girl Cast B) ......................................................................................................... Anika Brody

Understudies ............................................................................... Isabella Shields, Lillian Shields

(Cast A – Saturday 7PM)(Cast B – Sunday 1PM)


Harlequin (Cast A). ................................................................................................ Lily Grossmann

Harlequin (Cast B) ........................................................................................................ Sophia Turk

Understudies ..........................................................................Olivia Curth, Sophie Heidenreich

Columbine (Cast A) .............................................................................................. Isabella Ramsey

Columbine (Cast B) ....................................................................................................Sydney Mack

Understudies ............................................................................Sophia Turk, Lauren Woodward

Soldier Doll ............................................................................................................ Charlotte Sexton

Understudies ........................................................................... Emma Cole, Mia Elizabeth Theis

act i - Scene ii: the battle

White Mice (Cast A) ...................................................Mia Elizabeth Theis, Coral Thompson

White Mice (Cast B) ........................................................................ Leah Brody, Rosie Hudson

Little Mice (Cast A)................. Lola Ariss, Cadence Chio, Avery Newsom, Paxton Tabb

Little Mice (Cast B) ............................................................Sophia Chernow, Charlotte Fogle, .........................................................................................................Sophie Fournier, Emily Mayhall

Bunnies (Cast A) ...................................................................Adeline Huber, Emerson Pfeiffer

Bunnies (Cast B) ........................................................................Natalie Cherko, Lauren Hesser

Mouse King ...........................................................................................................................Luke Eller

Understudy .......................................................................................................................Sam Gandy

Nutcracker Prince .................................................................................................Travis Anderson

Understudy ...........................................................................................................................Luke Eller

Cheese Cart Mice (Cast A) ............................................Connor Espinosa, Jack Koppitsch, ............................................................................................................ Ian McFarland, Jackson Price

Cheese Cart Mice (Cast B) ...........................................................Eliot Brody, Jackson Price, .......................................................................................................... Isabella Shields, Lillian Shields

Big Soldiers (Cast A) ................................Luna Ariss, Alyssa Edington, Hayden Graham, ..................................................................................Ava Hansen, Lydia Keith, Charlotte Sexton

Big Soldiers (Cast B) .........................Victoria Burns, Claire Hubbell, Cayla Huntsberger, ........................................................ Isabella Leonardi-Wilkins, Tulia Pfeffinger, Emma Snow

Understudies ............................................ Liliana Joseph, Sonya Maynard, Isabella Shields

Little Soldiers (Cast A) ...........................Katherine Davis, Audrey Kelm, Lola Koppitsch,.......................................................................Madelynn Prater, Ariana Shields, Cora Westphal

Little Soldiers (Cast B) .....................Maria Humason, Ellie Kammeyer, Carsynn Kelbley,................................................................... Julianna Rousseau, Vivienne Slade, Luciana Velez



act i - Scene iii: the land of Snow

Snow Queen ....................................................................................CAITLYN VALENTINE-ELLIS

Understudy .............................................................................................................. Isabella Ramsey

Snow King ................................................................................................................MIGUEL ANAYA

Understudy .......................................................................................................................Sam Gandy

Snow Leads (Casts A & B) ........................................................ Quinn Starner, Sadie Evener, ..........................................................................................Gabrielle Grossmann, Isabella Ramsey

Snowflakes (Casts A & B) ...................... Fiona Barnhizer, Olivia Curth, Lily Grossmann, ........................................................................Sophie Heidenreich, Sophia Turk, Ashley Wang

Snowflake (Cast A) .................................................................Emma Cole, Lauren Woodward

Snowflake (Cast B) ................................................................ Sydney Mack, Charlotte Sexton

Understudy .................................................................................................................Nikki DelVerne

Pages ............................................................................................. Isabella Shields, Lillian Shields

Unicorns (Cast A) ....................................................................... Anna Caputo, Ginny Hoffman

Unicorns (Cast B) .......................................................................Anika Brody, Carsynn Kelbley

act ii: Kingdom of SweetS

Baby Angels (Cast A) ..... Lola Ariss, Penelope Brown, Cadence Chio, Adeline Huber,..............................................Avery Newsom, Emerson Pfeiffer, Chloe Smith, Paxton Tabb

Baby Angels (Cast B) ............................. Leah Brody, Sophia Chernow, Charlotte Fogle,..........................................................................Sophie Fournier, Lauren Hesser, Rosie Hudson

Baby Angel Handlers ............................................................Sam Gandy, Domonique Glover, ...................................................................................................... Eric Hillenbrand, Matthew Oster

Lead Angels (Cast A) ................................................................ Luna Ariss, Sophia DelVerne, .............................................................................................Hayden Graham, Mia Elizabeth Theis

Lead Angels (Cast B)........................................................ Hayden Graham, Maria Humason, ..................................................................................................... Liliana Joseph, Charlotte Sexton

Understudy ..................................................................................................................... Emma Snow

Big Angels (Friday 7PM) ..................... Morgan Ewbank, Sophia Huhn, Sonya Maynard, .................................................................... Alejandra Rober, Jocelyn Tabb, Coral Thompson, .................................................................................................... Maddy Tomasewski, Cora Walker

Big Angels (Sunday 1PM) ..............................Elena Fuentes, Ellie Karakas, Audrey Kelm, ............................................................................ Emily Mayhall, Kathryn Melvin, Harper Rasey, .........................................................................................Clara Rodriguez-Douglas, Anna Roper, .............................................................................................. Julianna Rousseau, Isabella Zawisza

Understudy ..............................................................................................................Carsynn Kelbley

Cast (Cast A – Saturday 7PM)(Cast B – Sunday 1PM)


Sweets (Friday 7PM)...................................................................Fiona Barnhizer, Emma Cole, ............................................................................................... Sadie Evener, Gabrielle Grossmann, .............................................................................................Lily Grossmann, Sophie Heidenreich, ............................................................................... Isabella Ramsey, Sophia Turk, Ashley Wang

Understudies ..........................................Fiona Barnhizer, Olivia Curth, Lauren Woodward

Sugar Plum Fairy ............................................................................CAITLIN VALENTINE-ELLIS

Cavalier .....................................................................................................................MIGUEL ANAYA

Chocolate-Spanish (Cast A) .................................................... Fiona Barnhizer, Sam Gandy

Chocolate-Spanish (Cast B) .............................................................. Sadie Evener, Luke Eller

Female Understudiy .................................................................................................Colette Beans

Male Understudies ........................................................Travis Anderson, Domonique Glover

Coffee-Arabian ............................................................... Elizabeth Noble, Domonique Glover

Female Understudies ............................................ Sophie Heidenreich, Lauren Woodward

Litter Carriers ..................................................................................... Sam Gandy, Jackson Price

Lead Tea-Chinese (Cast A) ......................................... Emma Cole, Luke Eller, Sophia Turk

Lead Tea-Chinese (Cast B) .........................Olivia Curth, Luke Eller, Sophie Heidenreich

Female Understudy ....................................................................................................Ashley Wang

Malre Understudy ..................................................................................................Travis Anderson

Tea Prince (Cast A) ................................................................................................ Jack Koppitsch

Tea Prince (Cast B) .................................................................................................Rowan Hudson

Tea Princess (Cast A) .............................................................................................. Adeline Huber

Tea Princess (Cast B) .......................................................................................... Sophia Chernow

Rickshaw Drivers .............................................................................Steven Ariss, III, Jonas Turk

Little Dragon (Cast A) .............................................................Morgan Ewbank, Sophia Huhn

Little Dragon (Cast B) ...........................................................Cecilia Melvin, Isabella Zawisza

Candy Canes-Russian Lead (Casts A & B) ..................................................Travis Anderson

Candy Canes Cast A)...............................Luna Ariss, Sophia DelVerne, Alyssa Edington, ................................................................... Hayden Graham, Ava Hansen, Cayla Huntsberger, ......................................................................................................Lydia Keith, Samantha Whitaker

Candy Canes (Cast B) .........................................................Victoria Burns, Hayden Graham, ....................................................Claire Hubbell, Isabella Leonardi-Wilkins, Tulia Pfeffinger, .................................................................Rachael Roberts, Emma Snow, Mia Elizabeth Theis

Understudies ...........................................Maria Humason, Liliana Joseph, Sonya Maynard, ................................................................................................................................Mia Elizabeth Theis



Flutes-Marzipan Lead (Cast A) ..............................................................................Sadie Evener

Flutes-Marzipan Lead (Cast B) .............................................................. Gabrielle Grossmann

Understudies ...............................................................................Fiona Barnhizer, Sydney Mack

Flutes-Marzipan (Cast A) ....................................................Nikki DelVerne, Lily Grossmann, ....................................................................................... Sophie Heidenreich, Lauren Woodward

Flutes-Marzipan (Cast B) ......................................... Fiona Barnhizer, Sophie Heidenreich, ......................................................................................................... Sydney Mack, Isabella Ramsey

Understudies .............................................................................Emma Cole, Lauren Woodward

Mother Ginger (Friday, 7PM) .........................................................................Kenneth Turk, MD

Mother Ginger (Sunday 1PM) .................................................................... Steven Aliss, Jr., MD

Gingersnaps Cast A ..........................Katherine Davis, Lola Koppitsch, Emerson Pfeiffer, .......................................................................Madelynn Prater, Ariana Shields, Cora Westphal

Gingersnaps (Cast B) ........................ Ellie Kammeyer, Maria Humason, Avery Newsom, ...........................................................................Vivienne Slade, Luciana Velez, Cora Westphal

Dew Drop Fairy (Cast A) .................................................................................... Isabella Ramsey

Dew Drop Fairy (Cast B) ........................................................................................ Quinn Starner

Understudies ..................................................................... Sadie Evener, Gabrielle Grossmann

Flowers (Casts A & B) .......................Lily Grossmann, Sophie Heidenreich, Sophia Turk

Flowers (Cast A) ......................................Emma Cole, Olivia Curth, Gabrielle Grossmann, ..................................................................................................Elizabeth Noble, Charlotte Sexton

Flowers (Cast B) ...........................................Fiona Barnhizer, Sadie Evener, Sydney Mack, ......................................................................................................... Isabella Ramsey, Ashley Wang

Understudies ......................................................................Nikki DelVerne, Lauren Woodward

finale

Thank you Steven Ariss II and Connor Espinosa for providing locomotion of Marie’s bed.

A heartfelt thank you to Steven Brown, Kristi DelVerne, Domonique Glover and Elizabeth Noble for their fantastic assistance.

Cast (Cast A – Saturday 7PM)(Cast B – Sunday 1PM)


5327 MONROE STREET | TOLEDO, OHIO 43623


Mother GingersKen turk, md

Kenneth Turk, MD, is a pediatrician with Promedica Physicians Perrysburg Pediatrics. He has been practicing pediatrics for 23 years. Dr. Ken just celebrated 20 years with Promedica Physician Group. Specializing in the care of children of all ages, he focuses both on well child care and treating common childhood illnesses.

Dr. Ken grew up in West Toledo and is a graduate of St Francis de Sales High School, where he graduated in the top ten of his class. Staying local, he then studied Pre-Medicine at The University of Toledo, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. He continued his Toledo education by attending The Medical College of Ohio, receiving his medical degree in 1997. He completed his three year pediatric residency at The Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, Georgia. Dr. Ken came back to Northwest Ohio to establish his current practice because he wanted to give back to the community where he grew up.

Dr. Ken and his wife, Robyn, have two children, Sophia and Jonas, who are currently pursuing dance as part of the Toledo Ballet family. As the Nutcracker has been a long-standing holiday tradition for the Turk family, Dr. Ken is thrilled to share the stage this year with his children in his debut as Mother Ginger. He is excited to continue this tradition and is honored to be a part of the 80 year tradition of Toledo Ballet’s Nutcracker.


Steven ariss, ii, md

Steven Ariss, Jr., was born and raised in Toledo, a graduate of St. John’s Jesuit High School and an Alumnus of The University of Toledo College of Medicine.

After his Internal Medicine residency, in Michigan, he went into Clinical Informatics where he began serving as an advisor to multiple telehealth com-

panies as well as serving as a clinical consultant to the NREMT (National Registry Emergency Medical Technicians). The importance of serving oth-ers was a duty instilled in him by his father, also a physician, who has served the northwest Ohio area for the past 30 years.

Dr. Ariss has two favorite holiday traditions, The Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo and The Toledo Ballet’s annual production of Tchaikovsky’s classic, The Nutcracker. “As a Toledoan, it’s an honor to be Mother Ginger, and to do so during the 80th, continuing our claim-to-fame as the longest running Nutcracker in the country, is an absolute privilege.”


2006Robert Alexander Jerry Anderson Kristen Brown Marion Kiser Michael Schlessinger

2007Zach Lahey Chrys Peterson Chelsea Tipton II Rick Woodell

2008Dan Cummins Fred LeFebvre Tom Walton Rick Woodell

2009Rick Woodell The Honorable Judge Norman Zemmelman

2010Richard P. Anderson Rick Woodell

2011Rick Woodell Joseph H. Zerby

2012Brian Kennedy Rick Woodell

2013Dr. Romules Durant Joseph A. Napoli Rick Woodell

2014Dr. Romules Durant Randy Oostra Denny Schaffer Tom Walton

2015Keith Burwell Paul Causman Larry Nichols Pam Place

Past Mother Gingers

Celebrating the Tradition of Toledo Ballet

Congratulations on80 Seasons!

Eddie Lee’sMonday-Thursday: 4:30-8:30pmFriday & Saturday: 4:00-9:30pm

Sunday: Noon-7:30pm

4700 NantucketToledo, Ohio 43623

419.882.0616

a toledo tradition

2016Paul CausmanReverend Ronald W. Olszewski, O.S.F.S.Iman Dr. Talal EidRabbi Samuel R. Weinstein

2017Makayla Calgie Pastor Ben Snyder Daniel Watson James F. White, JD

2018Christopher CaputoJay BerschbackMayor Wade KapszukiewiczZak Vassar

2019Phil BaroneBrandon FieldsMichael LangGus Mancy


MoVinG SoLiLoqUieSmarch 14, 2021 | 7Pmtoledo muSeum of art PeriStyle theater

Michael Lang, director and choreographer

Juliette Morgan Quinlan plays the part of Shakespeare himself as the figments of his imagination in the form of Puck, Romeo, Iago, and Ariel inspire his ideas which will eventually become his future masterpieces. Michael Lang’s world premiere of Moving Soliloquies takes us on a unique journey of Shake-speare’s famous speech “All the world’s a stage” performed by Jaques in As You Like It.

Toledo Ballet dancers will move, portray, and ponder Jaques’ seven ages of life—Infancy, The Schoolboy, The Lover, The Soldier, Justice, Old Age, and Oblivion—accompanied by the chamber music of Beethoven, Ravel, Shostakovich, Grieg, and others all performed live by Toledo Symphony musicians.

dAnCinG fAiry TALeSmay 14, 2021 | 7Pm may 15, 2021 | 3Pm

Michael Lang, director and choreographer

A magical world of adventure awaits! Bring your entire family and see the beloved stories of Hans Christian Andersen come to life with talented dancers from Toledo Ballet and live music by Toledo Symphony musicians.

419.246.8000 | TOLEDOBALLET.COM


Alain TrudelConductor

Music Director of the Toledo Symphony (USA), conductor Alain Trudel has been praised for his “immense talent as conductor, musician and performer” (La Presse). He is also Music Director of l’Orchestre Symphonique de Laval, Principal Youth and Family Conductor of the National Arts Centre

Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Trudel was also the conductor of the CBC Radio Orchestra, taking the orchestra to new heights of artistic quality, as well as public and critical acclaim.

Trudel has conducted every major orchestra in Canada as well as orchestras in the UK, USA, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Russia, Japan, Hong-Kong, Malaysia and Latin America. Trudel made his Opera de Montréal debut in 2009 in Mozart’s Magic Flute and conducted the live recording of their 30th anniversary gala. He has been a regular guest since and in March 2017 he conducted to great acclaim the world premiere operatic version of “The Wall.” (“The entire audience was on its feet for another standing ovation, with concertgoers shouting “wow” and “bravo.” Rolling Stone Magazine, “The Wall Triumphs in Montréal,” Le Figaro, Paris). Trudel also led the American premiere at the Cincinnati Opera in July 2018.

Always committed to upcoming generations of musicians, Trudel was Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra from 2012 to 2014 and has regularly been invited to conduct the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. From 2011 to 2015, Trudel was Professor and Conductor of the Orchestra and Opera Orchestra at the University of Western Ontario and is now Guest Professor for Orchestra and Opera at the University of Ottawa.

First known to the public as “the Jascha Heifetz of the trombone” (Le monde de la musique), Alain Trudel has been a guest soloist with orchestras worldwide including Philharmonique de Radio-France, Hong-Kong Philharmonic, Austrian Radio Orchestra, Festival Musica Strasbourg (France), Klangbogen Festival (Vienna), Akiyoshidai and Hamamatsu Festival (Japan). Alain is also a respected composer with performances across America and in Asia.

Alain Trudel was the first Canadian to be a Yamaha International Artist, and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Virginia Parker, Charles Cros (France), Opus Prize and Heinz Unger Prizes. He has been named an Ambassador of Canadian Music by the Canadian Music Centre and received a Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2012.


first ViolinKirk TothTea ProkesJillienne BowersVasile ChintoanGyu Sun HanCharles Roth

Second ViolinMerwin SiuHeewon UhmCheryl TraceRoger Jamini

Viola Valentin RagusituReed AndersonMihaela Ragusitu

CelloMartha ReikowAmy ChangElizabeth Rice

ContrabassJack HenningAaron Keaster

fluteJoel TseAmy Heritage

PiccoloJoanna Goldstein

oboeKim LochMichele Smith

english HornKristin Reynolds

ClarinetGeorg KlaasJocelyn Langworthy

Bass ClarinetKevin Schempf

BassoonsCasey GsellJoan Weiler

HornsMegan AmosEmily DietzAlan TaplinLorenzo Robb

TrumpetsLauraine CarpenterKatherine Cosgrove

TromboneGarth SimmonsJoseph Aumann

Bass TromboneDan Harris

TubaDavid Saltzman

HarpNancy Lendrim

PercussionJordan Wirth

TimpaniSally Rochotte

CelesteValrie Kantorski

ContractorKeith McWatters419-321-6887 office419-266-1101 cell

The Toledo Symphony

Karen ClarkMarti ClaytonKathy DennisColleen GeftosEmily GeorgesonKate HennickenDebra HornerLauri Jones-SheplerMichelle KellerKathleen KressKatharin Mason-WolfeAnne Morris

Barbara OostraKate PerronGretchen RohmEllie RouttShelly SchaeferMeghan SchmidbauerRobin SmithbergerRegina Stevenson-HealyShayle WelchLisa YoungBethany Zulick

Masterworks Chorale


Congratulations

Lola and Jack Koppitsch, you have always dreamt of this and we are so proud of you! Keep reaching for your dreams! We love you!

Mom, dad and Beau

B E L O N G . S TA N D O U T. G O FA R . A P U B L I C U N I V E R S I T Y F O R T H E P U B L I C G O O D .®

Bowling Green State University Arts is proud to collaborate with the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts.

For a full calendar of BGSU Arts events, visit bgsu.edu/arts

21UA4634 Update Toledo Ballet ad.indd 1 10/29/20 9:13 AM


D E R RI C K W

A N G ’ S

G I L B ER T &

S U L L IV A N ’ S

A D O UB L E B

I L L OF C O M

I C O NE - A C T

O P E RA S

A P R I L 1 6 , 1

7 & 1 8, 2 0 2

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F O R T I C K E T S , T O L E D O O P E R A . O R G O R 4 1 9 - 2 5 5 - 74 6 4

P R E S E N T I N G S P O N S O R

TOOP_BalletProgramAd_5.5x8.5_SCTBJ_10212020_v6.indd 1 10/21/20 3:01 PM


Lydia Keith, 2020 has been one

“nutty” year, but you haven’t let that slow

you down one bit. you are such a

beautiful dancer and we cannot wait to see

you perform in your second Nutcracker.

We love you so much, Lyds!

Mom, dad & dawson

Lydia Keith, 2020 has been one

“nutty” year, but you haven’t let that slow

you down one bit. you are such a

beautiful dancer and we cannot wait to see

you perform in your second Nutcracker.

We love you so much, Lyds!

Mom, dad & dawson


ACADEMICALLY AS WELL AS ARTISTICALLY.

born toborn toperformperform

Toledo School for the Arts is a tuition-free community public school for grades 6-12 open to any Ohio student. The school also offers community art classes and workshops for all ages. Information available at 419.246.8732.

Authorized by:

ts4arts.org


For numerous years, Toledo Ballet has been quietly working in our community to share our love of dance with children and young adults, who might otherwise not have this experience.

AdAPTiVe dAnCeToledo Ballet’s Adaptive Dance Program for children and young adults allows students with Down syndrome to experience the sheer joy of movement and music. Modeled after the Boston curriculum, our Adaptive Dance Program chiefly endeavors to foster emotional well- being and social skills, while addressing the integral and crucial needs of the Down syndrome physique. Program benefits include: improving muscle tone, motor skills and balance, appreciating music and rhythm and using these skills to direct body movement. Financial Scholarships are available thanks to a generous grant from the Gretchen Gotthart Skeldon Fund of the Toledo Community Foundation. Classes are taught by Toledo Ballet Faculty member, Ann Heckler. Students with similar identifications, in-cluding autism are invited to participate as well. This class is specifically designed for students ages 14 and above, and meets weekly, on Thurs-day evenings. At the conclusion of the semester, dancers perform for the residents of Sunset House senior community. For additional information, please call Toledo Ballet at 419-471-0049.

LeArninG in MoTionAs part of its mission to engage, enrich and inspire, Toledo Ballet brings dance into area schools so young children may learn and share the passion of the human spirit through dance. Our instructors provide basic dance instruction, partnering kinder-gartens, and classrooms with students of different abilities and challenges. During the weekly dance classes, children explore movement fundamental to healthy physical development and cognitive growth.

Toledo Ballet in Our Community


An exciting component of the Learning in Motion program is the opportunity for the children to attend the Friday Student Performance of the Nutcracker, accompanied by the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.

Toledo Ballet is proud to provide this program to help young children cultivate a love of music and movement, and to engender a sense of pride and accomplishment in learning. We are grateful for the generous support of organizations in our community in helping us continue to offer this program, and the sustaining support of the Elsie and Harry Baumker Charitable Foundation.

BoyS & GirLS CLUB of ToLedo AfTerSCHooL dAnCeThrough a generous grant from the Toledo Community Foundation’s Walleye Wishing Well Fund, Toledo Ballet has taken a play from the Walleye and teamed up with Boys & Girls Club of Toledo (BGCT) to introduce classical ballet and contemporary dance to central city schoolchildren. Powered by the inspiring story of Misty Copeland, principal ballerina with American Ballet Theatre in New York City, our program hopes to ignite similar energy and ambition. Toledo Ballet, is driven by the conviction that every child, from the underserved to the disenfranchised to the disillusioned is entitled to hope, dream and achieve, and that dance can be a catalyst to this accomplishment.

Our instructor, besides infusing a sense of musicality and movement, teaches the fundamental principles of several genres of dance including ballet, jazz, contemporary and hip hop. This 24-week program held at the BGCT’s Homer Hanham site was expanded in 2018-2019, thanks to the Walleye Wishing Well Fund to include BGCT’s Sherman Elementary School site, and Toledo Public School’s class for behaviorally challenged students housed at BGCT’s Homer Hanham site.

Every level of experience is embraced… and hopefully challenged by the dance instruction provided. The classes are progressive, and build upon the previous week’s instruction emphasizing the importance of physical exercise, cultivation of strength, as well as agility, balance and coordination. The chief goal of our program is to harness a passionate spirit, and nurture our young dancers into capable, confident and curious young people.


2020-2021 Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts Board of TrusteesofficerSPatrick Bowe*, Board Chair Steven M. Cavanaugh*, Vice Chair Pam Hershberger*, Past Chair Elaine Canning*, Treasurer Frank Jacobs*, Secretary Zak Vassar*

truSteeSJames Adams Stephanie Alexander DeAnne Gorun Baker Debra Ball Shelley Bridarolli Jameel Burkett John H. Burson Stephanie Cole, MD* Jenny Coluccio Susan L. Conda Jennifer Coy Debbie Sauder David Kathleen Davis Jeanne DeWitt* Michael Ellison, Ph.D.* Melissa Freeman* Ashley A. Futrell* Charlene D. Gilbert John Gonia Judy Gorun Anneliese M. Grytafey Kimberly Howard* Joel Jerger Richard A. Karcher* Robert A. Koenig Harley Kripke David Mack William B. Mathis Lisa Mayer-Lang C. Allen McConnell William R. McDonnell Joseph D. Napoli Jonathan Orser* Marna Ramnath* Christina Ramsey John Reynolds Bennett Romanoff, MD

Ronald Rybarczyk Carolyn Savage* Robert P. Schlatter Joseph Sferra Mo Sheahan Saga Shoffner* Rebecca E. Shope Sara Ann Smith Bethanne Snodgrass, MD Sharon S. Speyer* Charles Stocking* Desmond Strooh Olivia K. Summons John S. Szuch Stephen D. Taylor Michael H. Thaman David Tighe Louis E. Tosi Alain TrudelMarlene Uhler*Julie Waidelich-Roberts Traci Watkins, MD Dave White, Jr. Lance Woodworth

board fellowSSamuel Adler, Ph.D. Dr. Tom Brady William F. Buckley Eric S. Fankhauser Kenneth E. Hileman Justice G. Johnson, Jr. George M. Jones, III Darryl R. Lippman Ronald A. McMaster Norman C. Nitschke Randy Oostra Mark Pietrykowski Mark E. Ridenour Stephen H. Staelin H. David White, Sr.

* Member, Executive Committee


toledo ballet StaffZak Vassar, President & CEOLisa Mayer-Lang, Artistic DirectorMichael Lang, Resident Director &

ChoreographerJames Hartley, Business ManagerJudith Gonia, Operations DirectorAnthony Piercefield,

Administrative Assistant

toledo ballet facultySteven J. BrownTess CaputoKristen DelVerneAnnie DeSantisSadie EvenerJeanie HaywardAnn HecklerMichael LangNora Light Lisa Mayer-LangCheryl WalterSara WegrzynLauren WoodwardSky Yang

toledo alliance for the Performing artS adminiStrative Staff & adviSorSfull timeAlain Trudel, Music DirectorRobert Bell, President EmeritusNicole Bohmer, Finance AssistantRaymond Clark, LibrarianMari Davies, Director of

Institutional GivingRandi Dier, Vice President, FinanceAllie Dresser, Marketing & Program

Ad Sales ManagerVanessa Gardner, Director of

Marketing & CommunicationsJudith Gonia, Operations Director

2020-2021 Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts Faculty & Staff

James M. Hartley, Business Manager

John Juan, Stage ManagerTim Lake, Production ManagerBrett Loney, Director of

DevelopmentKeith McWatters, Orchestra

ManagerRon Papke, Director of Individual

GivingCarly Rockenhauser, Box Office

AssociateMatty Sayre, Executive Assistant &

Artist LiaisonRachel Schultz, Director of

Education & Community Engagement

Merwin Siu*, Artistic AdministratorErin Steel, Gift & Stewardship

CoordinatorKalindi Stone, Box Office Manager

& Program Annotator

Part timePatricia Budner*, Assistant to the

Orchestra ManagerBetsy Cranston, TSYO ConductorRichard Gardiner, Assistant

LibrarianWasim Hawary, TSYO Artistic

Director & ConductorChad Hutchinson, TSYO ConductorAaron Keaster*, Assistant LibrarianKelly Hill-Kretzer, Ensemble Sales

AssociateSonsoles Llodrá, School of Music

CoordinatorAnthony Piercefield,

Administrative AssistantKathleen Schnerer, TSYO

ConductorJoan Weiler*, Youth Orchestras

Coordinator

* Member of orchestra


Mr. Robert Alexander & Ms. Stephanie Dames

Ms. Sharon Aloni Mr. & Mrs. Michael AndersonMr. & Mrs. Richard P. Anderson Ms. Soili ArvolaMr. & Mrs. William Barkan Eleanor F. Brunner Ms. Dorothy H. CoatsMr. & Mrs. Nick Conrad Ms. Condessa Croninger Stuart & Denise Cubbon John & Mari Davies Dr. & Mrs. William DavisMr. & Mrs. Thomas K. Dawson Ms. Gretchen DeBacker Mike & Jody DeBacker Ms. Judith Dye Brit & Amy EatonMr. & Mrs. Rick ElrodMr. & Mrs. Alan Fadel Dr. & Mrs. William Free Mrs. Sherrie Gilchrist John & Judy Gorun Ms. DeAnn R. Gorun-Baker Thomas & Linda Grime Dr. Richard Helldobler Henry & Pamela Herschel James S. Hill & Janet Lyon Ms. Colleen Howe Mrs. Joy Hyman Jennifer Jarrett Rob & Casey Koenig

Marie Bollinger Vogt Endowment Fund Charter Members

in memory of Kathleen gretherCheri and Matt KizaurJudy GorunShelley HagertyBarbara Neumann-Scott and Sam

ScottQuinton Settle

in memory of marie vogtNancy CelustaJohn and Gwen ClarkErnest Ford CriderStu and Denise Cubbon

Sara Jane and William DeHoffNicholas and Judith DyeBrett Loney and Amy WaskowiakEleanor and Adrian MarquezJames and Barbara MayerBonny OttneyTom and Gayle ParseghianBeatrice SchirmGerald and Sylvia SobotkaBarbara ThierwechterZachary and Emilie VassarJames F. and Sue* White, Jr.Gifts received 4/1/20 through 11/6/20

Memorial Gifts

Ms. Sharon LangeMr. & Mrs. Arne L. Larson Judith Leb & Daniel RapportMr. & Mrs. Eric Levin Ms. Karen Petersen-Lumm Ms. Susan L. Martin Dr. & Mrs. James E. Mayer John G. Mayer Mrs. Stacy MaynardMr. & Mrs. Lawrence Miller Ms. Brunetta O’NealMr. & Mrs. Thomas ParseghianMr. & Mrs. Myron E. ParsonsMr. & Mrs. Martin Porter Heather Powers Ms. Marna Ramnath Ms. June RosheMr. James Rotherham &

Ms. Beverly Thierwachter The Sodeman FamilyMr. & Mrs. Daniel Stein John & Chris Stockwell Ms. Melissa Witzler-StoneMr. & Mrs. Andy Stuart Ms. Olivia Summons Ms. Barbara Thierwechter Ms. Naomi Twining Ms. Christa Tosi VolpicelliMr. & Mrs. Richard S. Walinski Mrs. Robyn Hancock-Wenzke Dr. Louise Witherell Jeff & Laurel Zawodny*denotes deceased


PrinciPal dancer ($5,000+)Matthew and Stephanie ColeJohn and Kimberly HowardProMedica Health SystemToledo Ballet GuildEstate of Marie Bollinger Vogt*

arabeSQue $2,500 John and Judy GoniaSignature Bank, N.A.Walleye Wishing Well Fund @ TCF

grand JetÉ $1,000 Mr.* and Mrs. Richard P. AndersonThe Anderson

toledo ballet’s 80th annual nutcracker › clientuploads › pdf › ...carmina burana (2020) and...

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