Cinderella, Op. 87 Ballet Composed by Sergei Prokofiev Libretto by Nikolai Volkov Presented under license by G. Schirmer, Inc., copyright owners
Choreography: Ben Stevenson O.B.E.
Répétiteurs: Dawn Scannell and Dominic Walsh
Scenic Design: Thomas Boyd and Starbird Productions
Costume Design: Patty McGarity
Lighting Design: Peter Jakubowski
Stage Manager: Madison Ellis
Scenery and Costumes Courtesy of Texas Ballet Theater
Turn off all cell phones. The use of any photographic or recording equipment in this theater is strictly forbidden. Please refrain from opening candy wrappers or eating during the performance. See insert for casting. Program subject to change.
NEVADA BALLET THEATRE
CO-FOUNDER
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS
Vassili Sulich
PRESIDENT & CEO
Beth Barbre
CO-FOUNDER BOARD CHAIR EMERITUS Nancy Houssels
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Roy Kaiser
COMPANY ARTISTS
Sergio Alvarez Leo Ameika Mirella Costa Neto Jaime DeRocker Robert Fulton
Christina Ghiardi Jack Grohmann Rebecca Haftl Camille Kellems Cameron Kesten
Selena Knowlton Zachary Kushubar Paityn Lauzon Betsy Lucas Brooke Lyness
Emma McGirr Leo McGrath Julia Pasquale Mackenna Pieper Shelby Rambo Niko Yaroslaski
APPRENTICES
Zachary Brickson Madeline Diehl Wyatt Dodd Benjamin Strassman
REHEARSAL DIRECTOR
Krista Baker
ABOUT NEVADA BALLET THEATRE
Now in its 53rd Season, Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) is one of the state’s largest and most iconic arts institutions.
A 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts organizations and Resident Ballet Company of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, the mission of NBT is to educate and inspire statewide, regional, and national audiences and impact community life through professional company productions, dance training, and Community Education. As a leader in Nevada’s artistic landscape, NBT believes in the ability to inspire positive change in the community as it remains committed to bringing the joy of dance to children who may not have the opportunity to experience it otherwise.
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CARMINA BURANA NEVADA BALLET THEATRE
PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA
Bischoff
Jack Grohmann
Camille Kellems
Cameron Kesten Hometown: Bossier City,
PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA TRUDEAU
Madeline Diehl Hometown: State College,
Selena Knowlton
Julia Pasquale Hometown: North Reading, MA
Laura Rask Hometown: Westminster,
Shelby Rambo Hometown:
Gabriel Ramirez Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Arianna Conti Hometown: Tampa, FL
NBT in 2022
Mirella Costa Neto Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil
Betsy Lucas Hometown: Hillsboro, OR
Brooke Lyness Hometown: Moraga, CA Joined NBT in 2016
Emma McGirr Hometown: Little Hocking, OH
Mackenna Pieper
Niko Yaroslaski Hometown: Morro Bay, CA
CARMINA BURANA NEVADA BALLET
Jack Grohmann
Camille Kellems
Selena Knowlton
Mirella Costa Neto
Emma McGirr
Mackenna Pieper
Niko Yaroslaski Hometown: Morro Bay, CA
Lyness
Mackenna Pieper
Shelby Rambo Hometown:
Niko Yaroslaski Hometown: Morro Bay,
PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA TRUDEAU
SYNOPSIS
ACT I — Cinderella’s stepmother, father, and stepsisters are busy planning for the palace ball. Cinderella enters and is ordered to clean the room. She picks up the broom, starts to sweep, then takes a portrait of her mother from its hiding place and gazes at it longingly. Her father returns and is overcome with remorse when he sees the resemblance between Cinderella and his first wife. His daughter lovingly tries to reassure him, but they are dragged apart by the stepsisters, who also snatch away the picture.
Suddenly, the door opens, and an old beggar woman enters. The stepmother gives her the picture of Cinderella’s mother to get rid of it, but the beggar hands it back to her. Cinderella offers the old woman some bread, which she accepts and then departs. A dress maker and wigmaker arrive to dress the stepsisters for the ball. Then, a master attempts to teach the stepsisters to dance. The family departs for the ball without Cinderella, who must remain behind. She tries to console her loneliness by pretending that the kitchen broom is her partner at the ball, but she bursts into tears. The beggar woman returns and changes into a fairy godmother. She transforms the kitchen into a forest, complete with dragonflies swooping in the trees.
Ben Stevenson, O.B.E.
Choreographer
Ben Stevenson, a native of Portsmouth, England, received his dance training at the Arts and Educational School in London. He appeared with the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet where, as a principal dancer, he performed lead roles in all the classics.
The fairy godmother gives Cinderella a pair of glass slippers. The fairies of spring, summer, autumn, and winter perform for her, changing the seasons as they dance. Cinderella’s rags become a beautiful gown.
The fairy godmother warns her that at midnight the magic gown will change back into her rags. She then magically transforms a pumpkin and four lizards into a coach and horses, and Cinderella is driven to the ball like a princess.
ACT II — At the palace, a jester welcomes the arriving guests. The prince enters and greets them, then invites each of the stepsisters to dance with him. The ball is interrupted by the arrival of Cinderella in her coach, and the prince immediately falls in love with her. The guests are offered oranges, the rarest fruit in the land. When one of the stepsisters is left without one, Cinderella gives up her own while concealing her identity. The prince and Cinderella are dancing together when the clock strike midnight. Cinderella’s clothes turn to rags, and she rushes from the ballroom. The prince finds one of her glass slippers behind.
ACT III — Back in the kitchen, Cinderella remembers the ball as a beautiful dream and finds the remaining glass slipper in one of her pockets. She quickly hides it as the stepsisters return, proudly displaying the oranges from the prince. The stepmother announces the arrival of the prince in search of the owner of the glass slipper. Each of the stepsisters try to squeeze their oversized feet into the tiny slipper. When the prince notices Cinderella, he asks her father if she may try it on. As she moves to do so, the second slipper falls from her pocket. The prince is overjoyed and asks her to marry him. Cinderella forgives her stepmother and stepsisters.
As the prince returns the glass slipper to the fairy godmother, the kitchen is transformed into a magical field where Cinderella and her prince dance a romantic pas de deux. The guests return to celebrate their new princess.
He has received numerous awards for his choreography, including three gold medals at the International Ballet Competitions. For his contributions to international dance, Mr. Stevenson was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth II in December 1999. In April 2000, he was presented with the Dance Magazine Award. In 2018, Mr. Stevenson was acknowledged by the Chinese government as one of the most influential Foreign Experts in the past 40
years since China initiated its policy on Reform and Opening Up. Mr. Stevenson assumed the artistic directorship of Texas Ballet Theater in July 2003. In 2022, Mr. Stevenson was named Artistic Director Laureate in recognition of his lengthy tenure. Previously he served as artistic director of Houston Ballet (1976-2003), elevating the company from a regional troupe to an internationally acclaimed ensemble.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT) gratefully acknowledges the generosity of our patrons who invest in and strengthen NBT’s vision of artistic excellence, education and community building.
AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
Bill & Judy Boyd
Canarelli Family Foundation
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John C. Kish Foundation
Todd-Avery Lenahan & John Gorsuch
Signature Homes/Richard Plaster
Stella Roy
Tito and Sandra Tiberti Foundation
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Madeleine & Don Andress
Debra Hood-Smith & Jack Smith
Jordan Schnitzer/Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation
Lied Foundation Trust
Jerry Nadal & Gene Lubas
Justice Miriam Shearing
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Bennett Family Foundation & Diana L. Bennett
Caesars Enertainment
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Marita & Walt Babula
Balmain
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Mark Davis
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PLAYSTUDIOS
Shulman Family Foundation
Lauri Thompson, Allen, Nik & Alex Bracken
Randi J. Topham
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REHEARSAL DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
Traci Arnold
Becker Enterprises
Robert T. Bigelow
Michael Brown
Brown & Brown Insurance of Nevada
Lauren Carter
Staci Chessa
Jon Cobain
Frank & Lynn Cremen
Dance/USA
Cindy Doumani
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Sheryl & Robert Goldstein
Eric Grilly
Harris & Selina Hansen
Libby Hoover
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Michael Lin
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Sarah O. Moore
Morris A. Hazan Family Foundation
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Karen Myung
Palm Mortuaries & Cemeteries
Vanguard Charitable - The Ruisanchez Family Charitable Fund
Hunter Pennington, Production Coordinator/ Asst. Stage Manager
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Jenn Kratochwill, Director of Communications & Community Development
Cindy Fox, Director of Sales & Patrons Services
Dane Kronick, Director of Annual Giving
Jordan Serrano, Social Media Coordinator
ADMINISTRATION
Marilee Caffrey, Payroll & H.R. Specialist
Sonya Valdez, Staff Accountant
Felicia Lee, Executive Assistant
Tim Kane, Facilities Coordinator
Brianne Lee, School Assistant & Front Desk Coordinator
Jillian Debevec, Mayra Muñoz, Receptionists
SCHOOL OF NEVADA BALLET THEATRE/ COMMUNITY EDUCATION
Terané Comito, Director of Education
Don Bellamy, Director of NBT II
Melissa Ridley, School Administrator
Dodie Askegard, School Coordinator
Jamie Grover, Community Education Programs Manager
Vicenta Mendoza-Gutierrez, Community Education Administrative Assistant
SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS
Dodie Askegard, Shara Bergal, Kelly Cabrera, Joanna Crawford, Kennedy Frazier, Steven Goforth, Jack Grohmann, Jamie Grover, Erica Kirby, Lori Marshburn, Maria Mesheryakova, Mayra Muñoz, Delaney Otjes, Melissa Ridley, Stelly Rodriguez, Monika Rostomian, Payton Schultz, Skylar Joy Schultz, Evette Swinson, Alan Waldron, Grace Werkema, Donald Williams
