Cover Image: Cincinnati Ballet Principal Dancers Melissa Gelfin and Rafael Quenedit, Photography by Hiromi Platt
Cincinnati Ballet would like to recognize and thank The Margaret and Michael Valentine Foundation for the Future Touring.
THANK
Fred Eychaner Fund C. Michael Kojaian Suzanne L. Niedland
William J. Caldwell and Michele Toth
Patrons are requested to turn off cell phones and other electronic devices during the performance. Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
Performers
Principal Dancers
Melissa Gelfin Sirui Liu Alejandro Olivera Rafael Quenedit
First Soloist
Philip Fedulov Rachele Pizzillo
Soloist
Marcus Romeo Corps de Ballet
Kana Arai Nikita Boris Nutsa Chekurashvili Llonnis del Toro Cintra
Thomas Dilley Joseph Dlearo Joshua Fisk Kirsten Hunsberger
Tatiana Melendez Simone Muhammad Amanda Pérez Duarte Simon Plant
Hibiki Tsukamoto Bella Ureta
New Dancers
Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman Annie Fitzpatrick Mia Schlosser Salomé Tregre
Apprentice
Soren Campagna Angelina de la Nuez Nicholas Motley Jenna Potvin
Second Company – CB2
Charlie Baldwin Ciarán Barlow Lev Cornwall Ethan Guthrie
Camilla Howard Miharu Kikuchi Isabelle Lapierre Zander Magolnick
Adrianna Weir Mila Weir Evelyn White Cataleya Wright Katharine Zoellner
Young Performer Covers
Mozhden Hickson Elizabeth Skripkin
Gingerbread Supernumeraries
Amarilis Aviles Tanisha Burdick Philip Davis
Alexander Rennick Francis Scott Daniel Shimer Erika Sun
Stephen Tchou Angela Walker
Synopsis
Act I
Scene I • Blanche’s Kitchen
Our story begins on Christmas Eve. There is a flurry of activity as the maids, butlers and chef prepare for a party where friends and family of the Stahlbaums will gather to open presents and celebrate the holiday. The Stahlbaums’ son, Fritz, and their daughter, Clara, try their best to be helpful, but that is not without its complications.
Scene II • The Party
The Stahlbaum living room is bright and festive with the most beautiful Christmas tree imaginable. All the guests and children are having a marvelous time dancing, laughing and opening gifts when suddenly, Herr Drosselmeyer bursts into the room. He is a mysterious doll maker who surprises everyone with his acts of magic. With the swipe of his cloak, dresses change color and dancing dolls appear. One doll is so beautiful Clara bravely asks if she could have it for Christmas, but mother Stahlbaum says no. Clara is sad until Drosselmeyer places the most colorful Nutcracker in her hands. She joyfully dances around the room showing off her splendid gift. Fritz wishes that Drosselmeyer had given him the Nutcracker and in his frustration, grabs it from Clara, and breaks it. Immediately, the precocious Fritz is scolded by his father and sent off to bed. Herr Drosselmeyer comes to the rescue and mends the Nutcracker. The festivities continue into the night, highlighted with a stately dance initiated by Clara’s grandparents. As the evening comes to an end, Drosselmeyer is the last to bid the family farewell. Just before heading up to bed, Herr Stahlbaum brings out one last gift. He fastens an elegant necklace around his wife’s neck and there is one last embrace before the parlor grows quiet.
Scene III • The Battle
Clara, candle in hand, sneaks downstairs to check on her beloved Nutcracker. She finds herself in the drawing room and is startled by the sound of scampering feet and flickering eyes. Clara hears the chimes of the big grandfather clock striking midnight as a band of mischievous mice tries to steal away with her precious Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer appears out of the darkness and, with the wave of his arms, the tree, parlor furniture and toys begin to grow. A terrible battle ensues between the mice and the toy soldiers. The Nutcracker, having escaped the clutches of the mice, has grown to life-size and challenges the Mouse King to a dual. It is a fierce fight but the Mouse King is distracted by Clara’s imaginary friend, Minnie the Poodle, allowing the brave Nutcracker to wound his foe. As the mice scamper away and the parlor grows quiet, Clara watches as her Nutcracker magically transform into a handsome prince. He takes her hand and they soon find themselves in a magical snow forest. There, they meet the noble Snow Queen and King, who dance with a storm of Snowflakes. As the storm subsides, a beautiful flying balloon descends to take Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the Land of Sweets.
Synopsis
Act II
The Land of Sweets
As the curtain opens on Act II, we see a delightful assortment of filigree frosted cakes. It is the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Kingdom, a place so sweet it attracts characters from all over the world. All of the characters from the Land of Sweets are frolicking and playing together when suddenly their illustrious Queen, The Sugar Plum fairy arrives. All bow to honor her and her Cupcake and Gingerbread Attendants. The Sugar Plum graces them with a special dance when unexpectedly an enormous flying balloon appears carrying Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. The Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes them and they are treated to the kingdom’s most sumptuous delights. Clara is reunited with Minnie, her poodle, and together they recount the fierce ballet between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The entire kingdom cheers as the Nutcracker reenacts his victory. Each character honors them with a special dance. As the celebration continues, The Land of Sweets transforms into a beautiful garden full of Flowers with flowing petals and one brilliant pink rose. Finally, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cotton Candy Cavalier do a grand dance as a special treat for Clara. All the characters join together for a rousing finale. As the dancing concludes, the flying balloon descends to take Clara and her Prince high over the mountains, further and further way from The Land of Sweets. When Clara opens her eyes, she finds herself at home in the parlor room with her imaginary friend Minnie by her side and her beloved Nutcracker watching over her, always.
History of The Nutcracker
The story is an adaptation of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A Hoffman, published in 1819. When Marius Petipa commissioned Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky to compose the score for his new ballet, Petipa used a revised version of the story by Alexandre Dumas. This is The Nutcracker that is known by children and families all over the world.
The very first Nutcracker, choreographed by Marius Petipa, was performed at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 17, 1892. The United States premiere was on December 24, 1944, by the San Francisco Ballet at the War Memorial Opera House, with choreography by Willam Christensen, the founder of San Francisco Ballet.
Cincinnati Ballet premiered its first version of The Nutcracker in December 1974 at Music Hall, sponsored by Frisch’s. Over more than 40 years, Cincinnati Ballet has performed six diverse versions of this beloved holiday production, with choreography by Roman Jasinski, Moscelyne Larkin & Frederic Franklin, Ben Stevenson, Peter Anastos, and Val Canaparoli. Victoria Morgan’s “New Nutcracker” premiered on December 15, 2011, at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, with all new sets, costumes, dazzling special effects, and fresh choreography.
Meet the Artists
Victoria Morgan
Artistic Director Emerita of Cincinnati Ballet and Choreographer
Victoria Morgan is an accomplished choreographer whose works include the world premieres of King Arthur’s Camelot (2014), The Nutcracker (2011), and a reimagined Cinderella (2016). In addition to Artistic Director, she also served as CEO from 2008–2016. By the end of that recessionary period, Cincinnati Ballet had regained financial stability and built one of the largest endowments among mid-sized U.S. ballet companies. During her tenure, the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance was completed—a 62,000-square-foot, ninestudio, state-of-the-art facility that will serve the Cincinnati dance community for decades.
Morgan retired after 25 years as Artistic Director at the close of the 2021–2022 season. Since then, she has championed exercise and physicality through her work with the Cincinnati Osher Center for Integrative Health, where she serves on the Advisory Board, and the Cincinnati Parks Association, supporting outdoor activity initiatives.
Before her Cincinnati Ballet leadership, Morgan was resident choreographer for the San Francisco Opera, a principal dancer with Ballet West and San Francisco Ballet, and performed lead roles for television and film. Her choreography was featured in the PBS documentary The Creation of O.M.O. She also served on the boards of Dance/USA and Dance Magazine, as an NEA evaluation panelist, and as an adjudicator for international ballet competitions. Her honors include YWCA’s Career Woman of Achievement, Cincinnati Business Courier’s Women Who Mean Business, and ArtsWave’s 2022 Rose F. &
Samuel B. Sachs Fund Prize. She holds an M.F.A., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Utah.
John Ezell Scenic Designer
John Ezell is an internationally recognized scenic designer, having designed for such prestigious institutions as the Royal Danish Ballet, the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Cullberg Ballet, the Swedish Riksteater, and the Royal Theatre Olympics in Istanbul. His credits also include designs for Broadway, the New York Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theatre, the York Theatre, and the Roundabout. He was artistic associate of the Tony Award–winning Crossroads Theatre and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park as well as the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.; Olde Globe in San Diego; Asolo Theatre, Lyric Opera, Blackstone Theatre, Second City in Chicago; the historic Market Theatre in Johannesburg; and the Hong Kong Repertory, and many others. He was a designer and art director for CBS, PBS-TV, and Swedish State Television, and a consultant to the design collection at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale. His drawings have been exhibited in galleries internationally. His work has received the award for Experimental Television Art in Milan, two Corporation for Public Broadcasting Awards for Excellence in Prime-Time Drama, and 12 Critic’s Circle Awards for best professional sets. Ezell was recognized for contributions to the American Theatre on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Yale Drama School. He is the recipient of Washington University in St. Louis’s 2001 Distinguished Alumni Award, and a fellow of the American College Theater Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Meet the Artists
Carrie Robbins Costume Designer
Carrie Robbins’s costume design credits include over 30 Broadway shows, among them Grease (Travolta), Agnes of God (Page/ Plummer), Yentl (Feldshuh), Octette Bridgeclub (Marchand), Sweet Bird of Youth (Bacall), Frankenstein (Wiest), Happy End (Streep), Boys of Winter (Dillon), Cyrano (Langella), White Christmas (D’Arcy James). Her awards and nominations include two Tony Award nominations, five Drama Desk Awards, Maharam, USITT/PragueInternational, L.A. Dramalogue, Henry Hughes, F.I.T/Surface Design, Audelco, and others. Robbins’s regional work includes M. Butterfly and On the Verge for Arena Stage in D.C. (dir. By Tazewell Thompson); American in Paris for the Alley Theatre, Houston; The Tempest (starring Sir Anthony Hopkins), and Flea in Her Ear for Mark Taper Forum. Opera design includes Death in Venice (Glimmerglass), Samson et Delila (San Francisco Opera and Houston Grand Opera), many for Opera Company of Boston (Sarah Calldlwell), and West Side Story for Hamburg Staatsoper. In New York City, Robbins has designed many productions for Lincoln Center Rep, Chelsea Theatre/ BAM, Acting Company/ Juilliard, and NY Shakespeare Festival. Her film/ television credits include In the Spirit (Marlo Thomas/Elaine May), Saturday Night Live, and PBS Arts in America. Known for her drawing ability, Robbins’s work was featured in the TimeLife Series “Collectibles,” between Telephones & Trivets. Recently, The Designs of Carrie Robbins was released by U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology. In 2008/2009 Robbins was co-curator of a groundbreaking exhibit, Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designing for Live Performance at the NY Public Library for the Performing
Arts. In 2012, she received the Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award. Robbins was Master Teacher of Costume Design at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts for many years, producing a stream of award-winning young costume designers across the country. Since 2014, Robbins has been writing. She’s on her 21st play, and has received seven nominations to date from the NY Innovative Theatre Awards, most recently for her play “The Dragon Griswynd” for Outstanding Original Short Script.
Trad A Burns Lighting Designer
Since 1989, Trad has been professionally designing scenery and lighting for theatre, dance, and amusement parks. Recent credits include ballets for Kansas City Ballet, Ballet Idaho, Grand Rapids Ballet, Oklahoma City Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Richmond Ballet, including world premieres by Val Caniparoli, Penny Saunders, Caili Quan, and Caroline Dahm. Recent theatre projects include Sunday in the Park with George, Dial M for Murder for Great Lakes Theatre & Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Waitress, and The Robber Bridegroom for Beck Center for the Arts.
Over the years, Trad has premiered works for notable choreographers such as Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, James Kudelka, Edwaard Liang, Annabelle Lopez Ocha, Kenneth Tindall, Matthew Neenan, Adam Hougland, Garrett Smith, Jessica Lang, Alejandro Cerrudo, Kirk Peterson, Nicola Fonte, Donald Byrd, Jodie Gates, Gina Patterson, Amy Seiwert, Ma Cong, Andrea Schermoly, Jennifer Archibald, Penny Saunders, Stephanie Martinez, Septime Webre, Devon Carney, Victoria Morgan,
Robert Curran, James Sofranko, and Darrell Grand Moultrie.
Trad’s theatre designs have been seen at New York Theatre Workshop (NYC), The Public Theatre (NYC), La Mama ETC (NYC), HERE (NYC), Classic Stage Company (NYC), North Shore Music Theatre, Great Lakes Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cedar Point, Valleyfair, Knott’s Berry Farm, Kings Island, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Japan, Disney Sea, Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Universal Studios Florida and Japan, Woodstock Ice Productions and The Family of Charles M. Schulz.
Cincinnati Ballet Leadership
Cervilio Miguel Amador
The Katherine and Richard Rosenthal
Artistic Director
Born in Cuba, Cervilio Miguel Amador trained at the National Ballet School before joining the National Ballet of Cuba. He joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2004, was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2006, and performed leading roles for 16 seasons. Cervi was featured in world premieres by choreographers including Victoria Morgan, Adam Hougland, Jessica Lang, Travis Wall, and Jennifer Archibald.
After retiring in 2020, he became Rehearsal Director, mentoring dancers and staging works. He co-founded Moving Arts, collaborated with Cincinnati Opera, judged international competitions, and was featured in an Emmy-winning PBS documentary. Appointed Artistic Director in 2024, Cervi has since shaped repertoire, commissioned new works, and expanded community partnerships. He was a finalist for the 2024 CreativeOhio Champion Advocacy Award in the Artist Champion category.
Deborah S. Brant
President and CEO
Deborah S. Brant was appointed President and CEO of Cincinnati Ballet in March 2024. A longtime supporter and former Board Chair of both Cincinnati Ballet and The Cincinnati Ballet Foundation, she led the capital campaign that funded the Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance.
Debbie began ballet at age nine in Akron, Ohio, and later studied American Studies and Art History at Brandeis University. She built a successful fundraising career in Washington, D.C. and New York City, working with The Kennedy Center | National Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Jacob’s Pillow.
She has supported numerous nonprofits and served as Board Chair for the Mayerson JCC, Jewish Federation, and MVK. Her volunteerism has earned multiple honors, including The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Women of the Year and the 2021 AFP Volunteer of the Year Award.
Alyssa Wang Music Director
Alyssa Wang is a versatile conductor, violinist, and composer, and a recipient of the 2024 New Music USA Creator Fund and the 2023 Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award.
She is the Co-Founder and Conductor of the Boston Festival Orchestra and a member violinist with the Boston Chamber Music Society. She has guest conducted ensembles across the U.S. and has soloed in numerous contemporary recording projects, such as Carlos Simon’s Grammy-nominated album, Requiem for the Enslaved and Nancy Galbraith’s Violin Concerto. As a composer, she premiered her own violin concerto, Swept Away, in 2023 and is currently looking forward to premiering a String Octet in 2026. Alyssa holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and New England Conservatory, where she studied with Andrés Cárdenes and Malcolm Lowe.
She joins Cincinnati Ballet as only the second Music Director in the company’s history.
Dale Shields Rehearsal Director
Dale Shields trained at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Butler University before joining Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, where she rose to principal dancer under George Verdak. She performed leading roles in Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker, and many others.
Shields later served as Principal Ballet Mistress at Ballet Internationale, assisting Artistic Director Eldar Aliev on original full-length ballets and working closely with Irina Kolpakova on classical stagings. She joined Atlanta Ballet as Ballet Mistress at the invitation of Artistic Director John McFall, helping mount numerous fulllength works.
She has assisted on pieces by renowned choreographers including Alexander Ekman, Twyla Tharp, Helen Pickett, Liam Scarlett, David Bintley, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Amy Seiwert.
Shields is currently in her seventh season with Cincinnati Ballet.
Erina Noda Rehearsal Director
George Balanchine. She later performed as a leading soloist throughout the 6.5year Las Vegas run of The Phantom of the Opera, working closely with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Harold Prince, and Gillian Lynne.
Erina has served on faculty at the Academy of Cincinnati Ballet, the School of Nevada Ballet Theatre, and other organizations nationwide. From 2008 to 2016, she was artistic director and principal dancer for Las Vegas’ annual benefit gala Hope.
She was assistant choreographer to Peter Chu on CONSTRUCTive SOUND, which premiered with Cincinnati Ballet in 2024, and is a stager for Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz. Her collaborative credits include Nevada Ballet Theatre, Hong Kong Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Cincinnati Ballet.
Yoshihisa Arai Rehearsal Director and Director Second Company - CB2
Erina Noda dedicated most of her performing career to Cincinnati Ballet, dancing in works by Septime Webre, Val Caniparoli, Victoria Morgan, and
Yoshihisa Arai began his ballet training in Japan and was accepted to The Royal Ballet School in London in 2005.
While a student, he performed works by Ashton, MacMillan, and Bintley at Covent Garden and was a Prix de Lausanne finalist in 2007. After graduating with honors in 2008, he joined Northern Ballet in the UK, later dancing with Tulsa Ballet and Joffrey Ballet.
At Joffrey, Arai performed numerous principal and ensemble roles in works by choreographers including Balanchine, Kylián, Peck, Wheeldon, and Forsythe. As a choreographer, he created works such as Boléro, Élégie, Afternoon Watch, and a new Appalachian Spring.
Cincinnati Ballet Leadership
Arai joined Cincinnati Ballet in 2023 as Rehearsal Director and Director of Second Company – CB2. He has since staged Prelude with CSYO, Poetry In Motion, and choreographed Don Giovanni and La Traviata for Cincinnati Opera in 2024.
About Cincinnati Ballet
Since 1963, Cincinnati Ballet has been the cornerstone professional ballet company of the region, presenting a bold and adventurous array of classical, full-length ballets and contemporary works, regularly with live orchestral accompaniment. Cincinnati Ballet is a creative force within the larger dance community, commissioning world-premiere works and exploring unique collaborations. With a mission to enrich, expand, and excel in the art of dance through performance, a highcaliber academy, and impactful education and community engagement in local to global communities, Cincinnati Ballet reaches beyond the stage in programs that allow every person in the region to be part of the continued evolution of dance. To that end, Cincinnati Ballet presents exhilarating performances, provides extensive education and community engagement programs, and offers top-level professional ballet training at Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy.
Company
Principal Dancers
First Soloist
Soloist
Melissa Gelfin
Philip Fedulov
Marcus Romeo
Sirui Liu
Rachele Pizzillo
Rafael Quenedit
Alejandro Olivera
Corps de Ballet
Kana Arai
Thomas Dilley
Nikita Boris
Joseph Dlearo
Llonnis del Toro Cintra
Kirsten Hunsberger
Nutsa Chekurashvili
Joshua Fisk
The Artists of Cincinnati Ballet are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO
Tatiana Melendez
Simon Plant Simone Muhammad
Hibiki Tsukamoto
Amanda Pérez Duarte
Bella Ureta
Nasrullah Abdur-Rahman
New Dancers
Apprentice
Annie Fitzpatrick
Salomé Tregre
Angelina de la Nuez
Mia Schlosser
Soren Campagna
Nicholas Motley
Jenna Potvin
Second Company – CB2
Lev Cornwall Ethan Guthrie
Ciarán Barlow
Miharu Kikuchi
Charlie Baldwin
Camilla Howard
Isabelle Lapierre Zander Magolnick
Roxy Slavin
Stella Stulik
Piper Panek
Ronna Willis
Character Actor
Ezra McPhie
Antonio Villegas
Eli Petraccia Professional Training Division
Cincinnati Ballet Staff
Deborah S. Brant, President and CEO
Cervilio Miguel Amador, The Katherine and Richard Rosenthal Artistic Director
Administrative and Finance
Vice President of Finance and CFO
Controller
Joe Carolin
Melissa Santomo
Vice President of Human Resources ����������������������������������������������������������Tiffany Whitcomb, SHRM-SCP
Senior Executive Assistant and Board Liaison
Associate Director of Data Services
CCI, CHI™ Interpreter
Artistic
Music Director
Tyler Parker
Mary French
Thomas E. Johnston
Alyssa Wang
Rehearsal Director and Director Second Company - CB2 Yoshihisa Arai
Kelly Jo Rodrigo, MS, LAT, ATC Liz Ebbeler, MPA, ATC, Courtesy of TriHealth and Beacon Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Artistic Emeriti
Artistic Director Emerita
Music Director Emeritus
Victoria Morgan
Carmon DeLeone
Children’s Chorus of Washington
Artistic Director
Executive Director
Chief Program Officer and Associate
General Manager
Production Manager
Margaret Nomura Clark
Robbie Jacobs
Hernandez
Michelle Ravitsky
Brian Seemann
Development Coordinator Kirsten Ferlazzo
Program Coordinator Ava Traum
Senior Advisor Maxine Pagliano
Assistant Director and Principal Pianist
SW Program Lead and
YME Director and Associate Artistic
Dr. Lester Green
Para Perry
Don Cotton
Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra
ROBERT SPANO, MUSIC DIRECTOR
VIOLIN I
Oleg Rylatko, Concertmaster
Eric Lee, Associate Concertmaster
Ko Sugiyama, Assistant Concertmaster
Zino Bogachek+
Michelle Kim
Karen Lowry-Tucker
Susan Midkiff
Anne Donaldson*
Hanbing Jia*
Sara Matayoshi*
VIOLIN II
Kayla Moffett, Principal
Najin Kim, Assistant Principal
Richard Chang+
Xi Chen
Jessica Dan Fan
Martha Kaufman
Timothy Macek
Victoria Noyes
VIOLA
Allyson Goodman, Principal
Johanna Nowik, Assistant Principal
Philippe Chao+
Leon Neal
Elizabeth Pulju-Owen
Uri Wassertzug
CELLO
Amy Frost Baumgarten, Principal
Danielle Cho, Assistant Principal
Ignacio Alcover+
Alastair Eng
Kristen Wojcik
Igor Zubkovsky
BASS
Robert D’Imperio, Principal
Frank Carnovale, Assistant Principal
Edgardo Malaga*
FLUTE
Adria Sternstein Foster, Principal
Stephani Stang-Ferry, Assistant Principal
Sandra del Cid-Davies
PICCOLO
Sandra del Cid-Davies
OBOE
Igor Leschishin, Principal
Emily Tsai, Assistant Principal^
Daniel Bates*
ENGLISH HORN
Vacant
CLARINET
David Jones, Principal
Sara Han, Assistant Principal
Ashley Booher^
BASS CLARINET
Ashley Booher^
BASSOON
Joseph Grimmer, Principal
Christopher Jewell, Assistant Principal
Samuel Blair
CONTRABASSOON
Samuel Blair
HORN
Geoffrey Pilkington, Principal^
Christy Klenke, Assistant Principal
Wei-Ping Chou^
Peter de Boor
Evan Geiger
Patrick Furlo*
TRUMPET
Tim White, Principal
Christopher Tranchitella, Assistant Principal^
Michael Rossi
TROMBONE
Lee Rogers, Principal
Andrew Zaharis, Assistant Principal
Taylor Fong*
BASS TROMBONE
Vacant
TUBA
Seth Cook, Principal
TIMPANI
Jonathan Rance, Principal
Gregory Akagi, Assistant Principal
PERCUSSION
John Spirtas, Principal
Greg Akagi
Robert Jenkins*
HARP
Susan Robinson, Principal
LIBRARIAN
Susan Kelly
ADMINISTRATION
Molly Jackson, Orchestra Personnel Manager
+Begins the alphabetical listing of musicians who participate in a system of revolving seating within the string section
*Guest Musician
^Denotes Leave of Absence
Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan DC Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.
Kennedy Center Staff
KENNEDY CENTER EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
President, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Ambassador Richard Grenell Chief Financial Officer
General Counsel
Senior Vice President,
Senior Vice President,
Senior Vice President, Special Events
Vice President, Human
Vice President,
Vice President,
Vice
Chief Information
Executive Director, National Symphony
General
DANCE PROGRAMMING STAFF
Director, Dance Programming
Berke
Donlon
Stephen Nakagawa Marketing Manager, Dance Programming Chenay Newton
Concert Hall Staff
Theater Manager
Opera House Staff
Box Office Treasurer
Allen V. McCallum Jr.
Deborah Glover
Head Usher Cathy Crocker
Theater Manager Guy Jordin Heard*
Stage Crew
Box Office Treasurer
Head Usher
Assistant Carpenter
Head Electrician
Holly Longstreth
Zach Boutilier, Michael Buchman, Paul Johannes, April King, John Ottaviano, and Arielle Qorb
Head Carpenter Shane Angus Flyman Richard Page
Robert Palmer
Mark Cohee
Assistant Electrician Annemarie Mountjoy
Assistant Electrician Ian Lewis-Millholland
Head Audio
Head Props
Assistant Props
Dave Crook
Dave Mairs
Ben Large
Head Wardrobe Megan Quarles
*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.
Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.
*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.
The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E. AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.
The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.
Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.
The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union of professional singers, dancers and production personnel in opera, ballet and concert, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents the Artists and Staging Staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.
The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.
The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E., AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.
National Symphony Orchestra musicians are represented by the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians, AFM Local 161-710.
Thank You to Kennedy Center Supporters
The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees
National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors
Washington National Opera Board of Trustees
The Kennedy Center President’s Council
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National Committee for the Performing Arts
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Corporate Donors
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Endowment Gifts, Bequests, and Legacy Donors
Building the Future Campaign Donors
Visit tkc.co/Support for a full listing of donors and to learn how you can join us by becoming a Member.
Andrew Geraci
More Ballet This Season!
American Ballet Theatre The Winter’s Tale
Love crumbles but still blossoms in American Ballet Theatre’s The Winter’s Tale. Tony Award®–winning director and choreographer (MJ, An American in Paris) Christopher Wheeldon brings his visionary eye to William Shakespeare’s romantic play of jealousy, redemption, and the passage of time.
February 11–15, 2026
Opera House
San Francisco Ballet Mere Mortals
Inspired by the Greek myth of Pandora’s Jar, Mere Mortals explores our relationship with artificial intelligence and its boundless potential, as well as the unforeseen consequences of progress. San Francisco Ballet brings this thrilling fusion of electronic music, festival culture, and contemporary ballet.
May 27–31, 2026
Opera House
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet’s powerhouse dancers bring two exciting mixed repertory programs: Maria Tallchief Centennial Program, a celebration of trailblazing Native American dancer Maria Tallchief and Dove, Tanowitz, Ratmansky & Peck, a showcase of contemporary works by Ulysses Dove, Pam Tanowitz, Alexei Ratmansky, and Justin Peck.
June 2–7, 2026
Opera House
Marty Sohl
Chris Hardy
Paul Kolnik
More Dance This Season!
Le Patin Libre: Murmuration
Experience a winter wonderland with this outdoor production that blends dance and skating. In Murmuration, 15 dancers take inspiration from the mysterious phenomenon of bird flocks in undulating flight patterns to craft an exhilarating mix of speed, precision, and fluid choreography.
February 17–22, 2026
Outdoor Plaza
Hiroaki Umeda
In partnership with Japan Society, the Kennedy Center presents the two latest projects of Hiroaki Umeda, one of the leading figures of the Japanese avant-garde scene: Moving State 1, performed by dancers from his Somatic Field Project, and assimilating, Umeda’s own solo performance.
March 17 & 18, 2026
Terrace Theater
Martha Graham Dance Company
Celebrating the phenomenal milestone of its 100th year, Martha Graham Dance Company returns to showcase Graham masterpieces beside stunning new dances inspired by her legacy.
April 2–4, 2026
Eisenhower Theater
Bazemore
Support your CULTURAL CENTER
Since 1971, the Kennedy Center has served as President Kennedy’s living memorial, working to fulfill his vision to connect more Americans to the arts—and we need your support. Any federal appropriations we receive can only be used for the maintenance and operation of the building. This means each year we must raise more than $80 million to support the performances, programming, and educational opportunities that bring the arts to millions of people here in DC and around the world. The Kennedy Center is committed to ensuring everyone has a community rich in the performing arts. The support of our donors makes it happen!
Give your support by becoming a Member, joining the Circles, or pledging a Legacy Gift. Visit tkc.co/Support or scan the QR code.
Unique gifts that are always on pointe.
Gestural Movement Hooded Sweatshirt
This exclusive piece pays homage to the universal language of movement, offering warmth and comfort for those who appreciate dance.
Gestural Movement Journal
Inspired by the fluidity of motion and thought, this embossed leather journal offers a unique space for recording your artistic journey.
Art Disciplines
Water Bottle
This ergonomically designed stainless steel bottle is adorned with creative disciplines of music, dance, theater, and visual arts, celebrating arts on the go!
Kennedy Center Puff Tote
This stylish tribute to creativity and culture is perfect for attending a performance or strolling the city, both functional and fashionable.
Visit our two gift shops on Level A and in the Hall of States. Shop online 24/7 at tkc.co/shop
Create an experience... that will last a lifetime.
WEDDINGS AT THE REACH
REACH wedding rentals offer a variety of indoor and outdoor venues to create an unforgettable celebration of love. Situated on the south end of the Kennedy Center Campus, the REACH is a premier Washington, D.C. event venue. With stunning views of the Potomac River, the largest green roof in D.C., and multifunctional event spaces, the REACH provides new elegance with a modern aesthetic.
Visit tkc.co/weddings or scan the QR code for more information.
SHARE THE JOY of the ARTS
A toast before the show. A meal with a view. A selfie in the foyer. At the Kennedy Center, it’s not just about the performance, it’s the moments you share before and after the curtain rises.
Here, you’ll find joy and awe, surprise and wonder. When you come for a performance, you’ll leave with something more. Because what you feel—and who you feel it with— becomes the memory you both carry.
