SAN JOSE DANCE THEATRE
PRESENTS THE 59TH ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF
THE NUTCRACKER
Based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”
Performances at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts 255 S. Almaden Boulevard, San Jose, CA 95113
Music Composed by Peter I. Tchaikovsky
Music Director & Conductor: Scott Krijnen Dec 13-15 & Thomas Alexander Dec 6-8
Based on Original Choreography by Paul Curtis & Shawn Stuart Choreographic Staging: Kim Gardner, Brooke Wertwijn, Elizabeth Sweeney, Kathryn Petak, Nicole Khoo, Sydney Strong
Additional Choreography by Brooke Wertwijn, Kim Gardner, Kathryn Petak, Nicole Khoo, Elizabeth Sweeney
Friday, December 6, 2024 | 7:30PM Saturday, December 7, 2024 | 1:00PM and 6:00PM Sunday, December 8, 2024 | 1:00PM
Friday, December 13, 2024 | 7:30PM Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 1:00PM and 6:00PM Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 1:00PM
San Jose Dance Theatre (SJDT) promotes the positive impact of dance in Silicon Valley through accessible performances, excellent training, creative outreach, and collaboration across the arts. We strive to illuminate the human experience while enriching an appreciation of movement and music to an expanding and diverse audience.
MISSION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Elizabeth Sweeney
Vice President: John Torrey
Treasurer: Brandon Lewke
Secretary: Kay Pettitt
Board Members: Jennifer Joyce, Barbi Hamilton, John Draginoff
SJDT would like to sincerely thank former board members: Bronweyn Coleman, Brian Dougherty, Phylis Dougherty, Lee Forbes, Renee Forbes, Mike Howerton, Steve Kaplowitz, Willard Roit, Stino Tapia, Ann Timoney, Beau Watson, Miriam Watson, Michelle Yasuda, and all other former board members for their time, enormous talent, and devotion to keeping our legacy alive!
SJDT HISTORY
San Jose Dance Theatre (SJDT) was originally founded in 1964 as Paul E. Curtis Jr.’s Los Gatos Academy of Dance and the West Valley Ballet Foundation. The name was later changed to San Jose Dance Theatre in 1965 and was incorporated as a nonproft educational organization. For 59 years, San Jose Dance Theatre has trained beginning through advanced dancers. The school specializes in classical ballet training for children from 5 years of age to pre-professional level. Many of our alumni have gone on to professional careers in dance.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Dear Friends,
With great pleasure, I extend a warm welcome to you for our 59th enchanting presentation of The Nutcracker! San Jose Dance Theatre has proudly set the highest standard for dance in Silicon Valley since its inception, and I am deeply honored to play a part in advancing this remarkable legacy for future generations of San Jose audiences.
The Nutcracker holds a profound and sentimental place in the heart of every ballet dancer. This annual performance serves as an enduring milestone in the lives of all those who take to the stage, etching indelible memories that accompany them throughout their lifetime. In the dance world, it’s not just the holiday season; it’s Nutcracker season. It is truly incredible to be a part of this production, where our youngest performers are cherished and encouraged to rise to the same level as seasoned professionals. Witnessing these young dancers evolve in both skill and passion is a true honor.
The holiday season offers a unique opportunity for families to come together, uniting generations in the shared experience of the magic that is this beautiful holiday ballet. It is in moments like these that the power of art and the beauty of our shared cultural heritage shine most brightly.
Inspired by this joyous season, I humbly ask you to consider the profound impact of your support for our nonproft organization. Your generosity will enable us to continue bringing top-tier productions to this vibrant community, ensuring that the magic of dance and the arts remains accessible to all. Your donation, regardless of its size, will help sustain the legacy of the San Jose Dance Theatre and the cultural richness it adds to Silicon Valley.
We are grateful for your continued support, which has been the cornerstone of our success. It is our deepest wish that you will not only join us in our future productions but also fnd it in your heart to contribute to our mission.
Thank you for being a part of the San Jose Dance Theatre family. We look forward to sharing many more enchanting moments with you in the seasons to come.
Warmest Regards,
Elizabeth Sweeney | Executive Director of San Jose Dance Theatre
ACADEMY DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Dear Audience,
Thank you for attending this year’s 59th Annual Nutcracker performance! Putting together a show like this is impossible without our dedicated dancers, fabulous costume team, talented faculty, wonderful parent volunteers, and generous supporters. I want to thank all those who have contributed to bringing this beloved holiday tradition from the studio to the magic of the stage.
It has been a fantastic year of dance at SJDT. Our academy dancers performed beautifully in our May performance of The Little Mermaid. Over the summer, we hosted our youth and adult ballet intensives. SJDT was formally accepted to be a member of The Ballet Alliance after a successful application and evaluation process. The Ballet Alliance is a prestigious national organization of pre-professional ballet companies. This coming April, our Studio Company dancers will travel to Spokane, Washington to perform at the annual Ballet Alliance Festival.
As this year comes to an end, I can’t help but look back on the progress and growth of each of our students. It is a joy to teach these young artists! If you or someone you know is interested in taking ballet classes, you can schedule a trial class or register for our Spring Semester. Spots are still open so sign up today!
I hope you all enjoy today’s performance and create lasting memories with family and friends. By attending live performances like this, you are supporting your local performing arts organization. If you love the art of dance as much as I do and want to support bringing more beautiful and inspiring performances to our community, I invite you to make a tax deductible donation in the lobby or through our website.
Thank you again for coming to today’s performance. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the magic of The Nutcracker!
Sincerely,
Brooke Wertwijn | Academy Director of San Jose Dance Theatre
Enjoy the show? You can be in it! SJDT holds open auditions every year in September. We have many roles for youth and adults, beginner to advanced. Contact godance@sjdt.org for more information.
MUSIC DIRECTOR & CONDUCTOR
SCOTT KRIJNEN
Music Director & Conductor, Dec. 13-15
Born in Antwerp, Belgium, Scott Krijnen was raised in an environment of music, conducting and education. A recipient of a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, cello has been his connection to education, conducting and performance and the voice he uses most to share his love of music. As a conductor, he is sought after throughout the Bay Area, most recently, being appointed the new Music Director of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, As an educator, Scott currently teaches over 250 students through 6 orchestras at Castillero Middle School and is in his 19th year of teaching. He has won many accolades including the 2020 Teacher of the Year Award at Castillero, Grammy Educator of the Year Quarter-Finalist for 2020 and 2021, and a 2020 Belle Foundation Grant, as well as the 2017 Bay Section Orchestra Director of the Year Award, 2016 CMEA Richard L. Levin Orchestra Educator Award and the 2016 CSN Bay Area All-Star Teacher Award, earning $20,000 to support the music program at Castillero. Mr. Krijnen has strong connections throughout California including presenting for state-wide conventions, coaching and guest conducting, leading sectionals and presenting at the university level, adjudicating regional and state-wide festivals, and has coached and presented with PACO for the last 19 years. Scott is happily married to his wife of 20 years, Aryn, and is the father of two beautiful children who get to grow up in the same wonderful world of music as their father. Scott will lead Cambrian Symphony for The Nutcracker performances on December 13-15!
THOMAS ALEXANDER
Music Director & Conductor, Dec. 6-8
Thomas Alexander started the violin at the age of four after he was captivated by the magic and splendor of The Nutcracker. He studied violin performance at UCSD, then moved to San Francisco, and played with many community and professional orchestras near and around San Francisco. He spent 15 years working with the San Francisco Civic Symphony Association, serving on the board, playing concertmaster in multiple groups, and starting numerous ensembles including “Mozart to Mendelssohn,” “Civic Strings,” and “Civic Pops.” It was through this organization that he started conducting in earnest, leading Civic Strings, Mozart to Mendelssohn, and guest conducting the San Francisco Civic Symphony. Thomas also founded impromptuSF as Music Director. It was The Nutcracker, again, that brought him to Cambrian Symphony. Thomas will lead Cambrian Symphony for The Nutcracker performances on December 6-8!
THE CAMBRIAN SYMPHONY
VIOLIN I
Thomas Alexander**
Gregory Wohlleb**
Frederick Chin
Wei Gao
Cameron Onodera
Courtney Onodera#
Karen Paik
Brianna Wagener
Lauren Wagener
Vita Yee
VIOLIN II
Malin Huffman*
Caila Bigelman
Jun-Ren Chen
Matthew Coelho
Michael Deng
Aryn Krijnen
Lindsay Onodera
Gideon Tan
Claire Tsai
VIOLA
Goetz Leonhardt*
Judy Beck
Ashley Dauenhauer
Diana Jeon
Sophie Lynch
Shelley Macallister
Jason Martel
Kenneth McKnight
Olivia Park
Silvio Rocha
Ben Shiverdaker^
CELLO
Sung Choi*^
Jill Hirsch*
Will Kittinger*
Yu-Ting Wang*
Louis Gendzel
Isla Grant
Jonathan Hieu-Reed
Meilani Huynh
Audrey Macdonald
Eric Penunuri
Rishi Shah
Ray Wang
Dylan Wojsiat
BASS
Jelani Canser*
Christy Crews*
Isabel McPherson*
Rob Woodcock*
Rafael Zepeda*
Brynn Bottorff
Derrick Dewree
Michael Konopka
Jacob Solis
Scarlett Rocha
FLUTE
Brian Bensing*
Natalie Haworth-Liu*
Amy Streeper^
PICCOLO
Lindsay Driemeyer
Patricia Harrell
OBOE
Claudia Engel*
Peter Stahl*
Jin Cho
Kate Stuckman
ENGLISH HORN
David Allen^
Lorna Kohler
CLARINET
Marcelo Meira*^
Robert Smith*
Sue Biskeborn
Nancy Farmer
BASS CLARINET
Kathy Switky
BASSOON
Lettie Smith*^
Juliet Hamak
Matthew Thornton
Christian Wimmer
FRENCH HORN
Joseph Kelly*^
Kelli Reynolds*
Chandler Beck
Rayna Davis
David Dufour
Chris Nalls
Fleurette Sevin
Andrew Thomas
TRUMPET
Guy Clark*
Paulo Avila*
Laura Shea-Clark
Jeffrey Thompson
TROMBONE
John Fitzhugh*
BASS TROMBONE
Jackson Baker
TUBA
Jay Perry^
PERCUSSION
Christine Lovejoy*^
Niles Flynn
Wendy Tran
CELESTE
Eiko Mitani
HARP
Dana Wallace
Stiernberg
** Concertmaster
* Principal
^ Personnel Manager
# Orchestra Manager
GUEST ARTISTS
MICHAEL HAZINSKI
Michael’s unlikely dance journey began at age 21 by studying Modern, Jazz, and Classical techniques as a dance major at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He trained with the Milwaukee Ballet school and, during the summer months, with various classical dance teachers in New York City. Within three-years of doing his frst plie, Michael began dancing professionally with the Milwaukee Ballet Company (Jean Paul Comelin, Artistic Director). After several years, Michael joined the San Francisco Ballet (Michael Smuin, Artistic Director) where he danced from 1980 thru 1984. After his SFB years, Michael stepped away from dance and earned a B.A. degree from San Francisco State University which led to a decades-long career in the water utility industry. In his retirement, Michael returned to dance and currently takes classes with instructors from the Smuin Contemporary Ballet in San Francisco and practices contemporary dance with David Popalisky at Santa Clara University.
ELISE HOLMES
Elise Holmes is a professional ballet dancer who has experience working in the techniques of jazz, modern, contemporary, and ballet. She began her training at Pasadena Dance Theatre under Cynthia Young and Laurence Blake. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Pasadena Arts Council Young Artist Award for dance. Holmes then went on to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) where she received her B.F.A in Dance Performance with a minor in Biological Sciences and was the recipient of the merit-based William J. Gillespie Scholarship. Holmes has performed nationally and internationally, including Shanghai, China. In the fall of 2020, Elise joined San Jose Dance Theatre as a trainee and was promoted to the company the following year. There she performed various leading roles such as, Mina in Dracula, Flower Festival in Genzano Grand Pas De Deux, one of the Stepsisters in Cinderella, as well as roles in original works by distinguished choreographers such as Michael Pappalardo and Mark Foehringer. She has also been a guest artist in various productions including Opera San Jose’s West Side Story, where she was the Dance Captain, as well as their production of Dido and Aeneas and Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets. Elise Holmes is currently a professional freelance dancer in the Southern California area.
AUGUSTO SILVA
Augusto started his dance training at seven years of age in Sao Paolo, Brazil. During his eight years as a student at Conservatorio Carlos Gomes and Especial Academia de Ballet, Augusto had the opportunity to perform notable works like Basilio in Don Quixote and James in La Sylphide, where he placed frst in the biggest ballet competition in South America. In 2010 he was selected to represent his Country at the USA International Ballet Competition, where he won a contract to Nashville Ballet. Augusto worked as a Soloist with the Nashville Ballet, under Artistic Director, Paul Vasterling from 2011 – 2017, performing key roles like the Jester in Cinderella, Blue Bird in Sleeping Beauty, the clever Bonvolio, in Romeo & Juliet and the title role in Vasterling’s world premiere of Peter Pan. Mr. Silva was also featured in Dominic Walsh’s The Whistling.
BROOKE WERTWIJN
Originally from Minnesota, Brooke Wertwijn trained at Ashley Ballet Arts Academy and graduated from the University of Utah School of Dance with a B.F.A. in Ballet, Ballet Studio Teaching Certifcate, and Business Minor. While a Trainee at Ballet Idaho, she performed in Peter Anastos’ The Nutcracker, George Balanchine’s Serenade and Valse Fantasie, Bruce Wells’ Beauty and the Beast, Anne Mueller’s Peter and the Wolf, and other new works. Brooke was also a member of SALT Contemporary Dance’s Pre-Professional Training Company and has taught at schools in Minnesota, Utah, Idaho, and California.
JACOB DAL PORTO
Jacob has trained with Alexi Zubiria, Nina Novak, and Gregory Amato. He has danced in numerous full length ballets, including principal roles in the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Coppelia. Other principal roles include Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, La Bayadere, Paquita, Coppelia. Other Contemporary and Neo-classical works include La Luna, Percussion for Six Men, Passage, Ballet Fantastique, Doble Corchea. Jacob also won best potential award at the Miami Ballet Competition, and went to Tulsa Ballet summer intensive on full scholarship, and Bolshoi summer intensive on a full scholarship.
NOELLE CYBART
Noelle Cybart’s passion for dance began at the age of 6, and she has since dedicated herself to mastering various forms of dance, with a particular fondness for classical ballet technique. Noelle’s dedication has been recognized through numerous accolades, including achieving Top 12 in the classical category at YAGP in both 2021 and 2022, and clinching 1st place in the neo-classical category in 2022. She is thrilled to contribute her skills and enthusiasm to this production!
NICOLE KHOO
Nicole moved to the Bay area in April 2022 and since then has performed professionally with Peninsula Ballet Theatre, New Century Dance, Western Ballet, San Jose Dance Theatre, Oceanica Ballet and New Ballet. Growing up in Singapore, she trained in Chinese Dance, and went on to complete vocational levels of the RAD and CSTD under Mr. Donato C. Ferrer and Mr. Antony Tay. She joined Singapore Ballet’s pre-professional scholarship program under Mr. Janek Schergen before joining Tampa Ballet Theatre and The Georgia Ballet where she had the opportunity to perform a variety of classical and contemporary works including Paquita, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Carmen, Giselle, La Fille mal Gardee, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coppelia, Les Sylphides, Una Danza Para Ti, Pentimento, and Haydn. She is excited to be a part of the Original San Jose Nutcracker for the second season.
JAMES SANTIAGO
James Santiago has a BA in Dance as well as an AA in Theatre Arts. James has been performing since he was in middle school musical theater which led him to branch out to dance. He has trained in jazz, modern, contemporary, ballet, tap and hip hop. James is extensively trained in modern techniques, such as Horton, Limon, and gaga. James has also trained with Joffrey Ballet and Cirque du Soleil. He now performs professionally around the Bay Area performing in musicals, opera, and guesting in different Ballet companies. James is also certifed in fexibility coaching, breath work, soft tissue, deep tissue, and bodywork.
NO ONE
No One (she/her) is an acclaimed San Jose drag artist who began her drag career in 2019. Graduating from UC Irvine with a Fine Arts degree in 2017, No One has combined her backgrounds in fne art, makeup artistry, and performance art to develop her drag queen persona. Known as the “Face of San Jose”, No One brings her witty humor and bombshell beauty to each of her shows. Since starting her career, No One has gone on to perform all across the state, host events for large corporations, and has become a community leader in the South Bay. She has also gone on to found her own production company, to produce queer entertainment events and provide a platform for queer entertainers in the region. No One has returned for her 2nd year to be Mother Cupcake, and she is excited to share her latest batch of Cookies with you this holiday season.
SJDT STUDIO COMPANY
The Studio Company will be attending The Ballet Alliance Festival in Spokane, Washington, April 2025. The Ballet Alliance member companies value rigorous training methods, and innovative choreography, which directly beneft the technical and artistic development of our dancers.
Help us reach the Ballet Alliance Festival and consider supporting our young artists as they embark on this exciting journey. Support Our
THE NUTCRACKER STORY
PROLOGUE
On a cold Christmas Eve in 1830 New England, Herr Drosselmeyer, a magician, clockmaker, and godfather to Clara Stahlbaum, heads to the Stahlbaum house for a holiday party. Along the way, he enacts a puppet show that foreshadows a battle between a Nutcracker and a mouse.
ACT 1 THE HOLIDAY PARTY
Clara Stahlbaum and her brother Freddy greet guests as they arrive at the Stahlbaum family’s festive holiday party. Drosselmeyer entertains the guests by bringing magical dolls to life and surprises Clara with a Nutcracker doll. After Freddy breaks it, Drosselmeyer repairs it with an enchanted scarf. The party continues with dancing, and after the guests leave, Clara places her Nutcracker by the Christmas tree.
SCENE 2: THE BATTLE
Later that night, Clara sneaks downstairs to fnd her Nutcracker. Falling asleep, she dreams of mice scurrying around. Drosselmeyer appears and brings the
Nutcracker to life. The Nutcracker Prince summons his soldiers and, with Clara’s help, defeats the Mouse King.
SCENE 3: WINTER WONDERLAND
The Snow Cavalier welcomes Clara and the Nutcracker Prince to Winter Wonderland, where they are greeted by magical reindeer. The Snow Queen and Snowfakes perform a beautiful dance for them.
INTERMISSION (15 MINUTES)
ACT 2: CANDY KINGDOM & FINALE
Clara and the Nutcracker Prince arrive at Candy Kingdom, where the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier celebrate their arrival. They are treated to performances from Spanish Chocolate, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, Russian Ribbon Candy, and more. Clara is crowned princess, and the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Grand Pas de Deux concludes the celebration.
In the fnal scene, Clara wakes at home, her Nutcracker doll by her side, as Drosselmeyer casts one last magical spell.
CAST LIST
Cast 1*:
12/6, 1:00pm show
12/7, 6:00pm show
12/14, 1:00pm show
12/15, 1:00pm show
PROLOGUE/ACT ONE
Flower Vendor
Chestnut Vendor
Scarf Vendor Puppeteer Urchins
Drosselmeyer
His Apprentice/ Nutcracker
Mr. Stahlbaum
Mrs. Stahlbaum Maid Butler Freddy Clara
1st Family Father
1st Family Mother
1st Family Children
Grandmother
Grandmother’s Wards
2nd Family Father
2nd Family Mother
2nd Family Children
3rd Family Father
3rd Family Mother
3rd Family Children
Ballerina Doll
Columbine Doll
Harlequine Doll
Mouse King
Mouse Captain Mice
Angelina Dao
Varnoor Cheena
Isabel Pettitt
Zlata Kolchanova
Sloan Arora (2nd weekend only), Caterina Boscan, Lucie Lau, Soleil
Khanna
Michael Hazinski, Jeremy Pettitt^
Josiah Markum*, Andrew Heilman**
Jeremy Pettitt
Dianne Gibb
Beth Avon
Scott Lacy
Kaji Cheng
Ellie Wong*, Ava Forde**
Peter Lundgren
Trinity Lundgren
Octavia Harrington, Adrian Hsieh, Benjamin Hsieh, Ke Wei
Ow Yong
Ellen Lopes (Weekend 1),
Adrianne Velasco (Weekend 2)
Arabella Do, Mila Kadah
Michael Forde
Rachel Deng
Tatiana Campbell, Lydia Gahrahmat, Nina O’Brien
Alvaro Viloria
Joyce Song
Benjamin Figueroa, Shelby Luu, Joanne Tu, Valeria Viloria
Anika Sison*, Sabrina Bannai**
Ranya Farooque*, Sof Figueroa**
James Santiago
James Santiago
Joanne Tu, Tatiana Campbell^
Aliana Acosta, Tatiana Campbell, Kaji Cheng, Angelina Dao, Arabella Do, Lucie Lau, Mila
Kadah, Daria Kolchanova, Zlata
Kolchanova
12/7, 1:00pm show 12/8, 1:00pm show 12/13, 6:00pm show 12/14, 6:00pm show Cast 2**:
Baby Mouse Soldier Captain
Soldiers
Lydia Gahrahmat
Mari Torosyan*, Sofa Cumbo**
Zoe Brasil, Sofa Cumbo*, Soleil Khanna, Elizabeth Lindberg, Arabel Perez, Emily Sanchez, Mari Torosyan**, Rori Valentine, Victoria Viloria, Jacqueline Vo, Tesla Vulovic
Snow Cavalier Snow Queen Snowfakes
Jacob Dal Porto
Brooke Wertwijn, Elise Holmes^
Sabrina Bannai, Aliyah Benedek, Nanami Cheng*, Ashley Cook (Weekend 2), Ranya Farooque, Sof Figueroa, Jocelyn Garcia, Jocelyn Hsieh (Weekend 1), Nicole Khoo**, Niina Kobayashi, Katie Meece, Anika Sison, Sydney Strong, Ashley Xu, Penelope, Barnett^
Reindeer
Penelope Barnett, Ava Forde*, Jocelyn Hsieh (Weekend 2), Elyse Huynh, Tanya Mark (Weekend 1, Lorelei Vienne, Ellie Wong**, Elizabeth Yu
15 MINUTE INTERMISSION
ACT TWO
Angels Cherubs Beth Avon, Varnoor Cheena, Angelina Dao, Zlata Kolchanova, Ellen Lopes
Joyce Song
Rehanshi Agarwal, Evelyn Choi, Violet Elam, Elizaveta Kolchanova, Leonie Lau, Diya Prabhakaran, Ava Renee
Adan Rivera, Jacqueline Vo
Chocolate
Aliyah Benedek**, Nanami
Cheng*, Jocelyn Garcia*, Ashley Xu**, Ranya Farooque^
Marzipan Shepherd
Marzipan Shepherdess
Lambs
Jacob Dal Porto
Niina Kobayashi*, Jocelyn Garcia**, Ashley Xu^
Tatiana Campbell, Kaji
Cheng, Arabella Do, Lydia Gahrahmat, Mila Kadah, Ke
Wei Ow Yong
Lead Ribbon Candy
Ribbon Candy Attendants
Coffee Princess
Coffee Attendants
Sabrina Bannai*, Niina Kobayashi**, Jocelyn Garcia^
Sof Figueroa*, Ranya Farooque**
Noelle Cybart (Weekend 1), Nicole Khoo (Weekend 2)
Penelope Barnett, Elyse
Huynh (Weekend 2), Tanya
Mark (Weekend 1), Joanne Tu, Elizabeth Yu
Tea Lead
Tea Attendant
Tea Lion
Mother Cupcake Cookies
Ashley Xu*, Anika Sison**, Sof Figueroa^
Jocelyn Hsieh, Elyse Huynh
Isabel Pettitt, Jeremy Pettitt
No One
Aliana Acosta, Sloan Arora (Weekend 2), Caterina
Lost Cookie
Dew Drop Fairy
Flowers Demi Soloist Waltz of the Sugar Flowers
Boscan, Zoe Brasil, Tatiana Campbell*, Sofa Cumbo, Lydia Gahrahmat**, Octavia Harrington, Soleil Khanna**, Daria Kolchanova, Lucie Lau, Elizabeth Lindberg, Shelby Luu, Nina O’Brien, Arabel Perez, Emily Sanchez*, Mari Torosyan, Rori Valentine, Valeria Viloria, Victoria Viloria, Tesla Vulovic
Soleil Khanna*, Emily Sanchez**
Aliyah Benedek*, Nanami Cheng**, Niina Kobayashi^ Sof Figueroa, Ranya Farooque
Sabrina Bannai**, Penelope Barnett, Rachel Deng, Ranya Farooque, Jocelyn Garcia*, Jocelyn Hsieh, Katie Meece, Anika Sison, Sydney Strong, Lorelei Vienne
Sugar Plum Fairy
Sugar Plum Cavalier
Elise Holmes, Brooke Wertwijn^
Augusto Silva, Jacob Dal Porto^
Cast 1*, Cast 2**, Understudy^
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Technical Director: John Draginoff
Lighting Design: Anthony Sutton
Scenic Design: Stephen Wathen
Stage Manager: Kathryn Peytak
Costume Director: Kay Pettitt
Production Committee: CJ Cheng, Julie Tran, Michael Ramoneda
Program & Poster Design: Jacqui Culler
Photography: Diane Rose SunSprite Studio, Bo Xu
Videography: Joe Bandy Videography
Program Photos: Diane Rose of SunSprite
Studio
Accounting/Budgeting: Alison Otewalt
Executive Director: Elizabeth Sweeney
Front Desk Receptionist: Jacob Nissen, Madeline Heilman
Boutique: Alison Otewalt and Mindy Harrington
Celebrate the joy of holidays
HOLIDAY PAINTING FOR EVERYONE @ COLOR ME MINE
Backstage Managers: Barbi Hamilton and Jennifer Joyce
Website and Digital Marketing: Robbie Zylstra, Elizabeth Sweeney, John Torrey
Physical Therapy: Katrina Lee and Kim Gardner-Align Pilates
Girl Scout of Northern California Liaisons: Jen Manson and Siury Pulgar
Dressing Room Chairpersons: Laura Gahrahmat and Aimee Forde
Flowers: Ani Cumbo
Security: Cathe Huynh-Sison
Makeup Application: Trang Le and Rachel Wang
Volunteer Coordinator: Charlotte Cattivera
Snow Scene Choir: Bytes and Notes
Lobby Carolers: Continental Harmony Choir
NUTCRACKER 2024 VOLUNTEERS
A BIG thank you to our dancers, parents, and our wonderful volunteers for making this production possible!
Anthony Acosta
Melanie Acosta
Puja Agarwal
Vikas Agarwal
Sahin Akhtar
Jordan Arora
Carrie Bannai
Shanti Bannai
Vinay Bannai
Marissa Barnett
Nestor Boscan
Ryan Brasil
Olivia Brasil
Melissa Brown
Andrew Campbell
Crystal Campbell
Charlotte Cattivera
Chiali Chiang
Ellie Chou
CJ Cheng
Natsumi Cheng
Hengxin Cui
Tamiris Da Cruz
ien Do
Jonelle Elam
Faustino Figueora
Monique Figueroa
Kayvan Gahrahmat
Laura Gahrahmat
Amandine Gagniere
Carlos Garcia
Gabriela Gonzalez-Do
Mindy Harrington
Ryan Harrington
omas Hsieh
David Huynh
Lia Huynh
Alia Kadah
Suchreet Kaur
Sameer Khanna
Maki Kobayashi
Inna Kolchanova
Joseria Kolchanova
Yessika Labrador
Shiauyeng Lai
Lucie Lau
Trang Le-Benedek
Amanda Lindenberg
Peter Lundgren
Trinity Lundgren
Shane Luu
Joseira Malledo
Cryshanthi Mark
Valerie Nguyen Tu
Siury Pulgar
Grace Qiu
Mabel Rada
Dan O’Brien
Gilbert Sanchez
Ella Sciamma-O’Brien
Raimond Sinivee
Flora Soghoyan
Joyce Song
Radha Subramany
Julie Tran
Mike Tsang
Valerie Tu
Emma Valentine
Adrianne Velasco
Alvaro Viloria
Boris Vulovic
Natasa Vulovic
Rachel Wang
Alfred Wu
Bo Xu
Kim Yu
DONORS & SPONSORS
Gold Sponsors:
Ann & Howard Timoney
Pinky Harlan
Benefactors:
Sean Tyan
Marilyn Sefchovich
Michael Howerton
Lee & Renee Forbes
Gahrahmat Family
Judy Guo
Chaochih Chiang
Yahya Cahyadi
Joan Lamica
Elizabeth Sweeney
Matt Taylor
James Fulton
Courtney O’Hagan
Geri Zerbini
Bronwen Carson
Megan Hutaff
Cyndy Edwards
Carol Uyeda
Odette Limosnero
Devin Wikke
Brandon Lewke
Shin Chen
Marji & Rich Karlgaard
Patrons:
Alexandar Sutic
Jennifer Joyce
Jason Molenda
Richard Surprenant
Erin Sweeney
Steve Kaplowitz
Laura Becker-Lewke
Friends:
Katherine Bui
Barbara Orth
Ella Sciamma-O’Brien
Vi Tran
Richard & Kristin DelSoldato
Mario Barron
Caroline Alexander
Cary Wei
Andrea Szilagyi
Sponsor for The Nutcracker Open Golf Tournament:
Sarah Clish
Thien Do & Gabriela Gonzalez-Do
Kay & Tim Pettitt
Carmen Brammer
Alison Otewalt
Melinda Harrington
Barbi Hamilton
Jennifer Hsu
Jean Yi
Nisha Garimalla
Claudio Atencio
Conor Heneghan
Katherine Fitzgerald
Kim Bailey
Zihan Liu
Susan Moore
Ben Wilson
Vanessa Wallace
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNER
GIRL SCOUTS
We welcome the Girl Scouts to The Nutcracker! This partnership is the longest continuous fundraiser for Girl Scouts of Northern California and was created by Girl Scout, Courtney Chin, who danced in this production in elementary school. Her love of dance and theater lead to a collaboration between what was Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County and San Jose Dance Theatre. Girl Scouts from all over the Bay Area attend performances and receive a badge from San Jose Dance Theatre.
EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
As part of our community outreach and theatre arts education, San Jose Dance Theatre performs a shortened version of the show, Once Upon A Nutcracker. This special presentation is ideal for younger children, as well as local schools and educators who would like to attend with their students. We provide this opportunity to spread the love of ballet and perform this professionally produced production for Bay Area schools. Interested in attending next year? Visit www.sjdt.org for more information.
