 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cinderella - Full Review By CWB OFFICE
A Tale of Two Sisters
The coveted role of the Stepsisters was also well represented, with Wally Layne returning to the stage in the role which audiences loved in 2008. Layne gave the dancing/acting role his typical thoughtful performing and added nice touches to his character. In the first act, Layne was definitely the ring leader in the action scenes, keeping the story alive and flowing through each appearance. The role of the taller sister went to newcomer Aaron Gulevich, who dived into the role with passion and imagination. Gulevich's fun and younger energy was a good match to Layne's stage experience, giving the duo a clear synergy. In Act 2, their dance numbers were jovial and very amusing, giving the audiences the specialty act which they have come to expect. The pairing of Gulevich and Layne was a sound casting decision. On Saturday's performance, it was up to Louis Jones to fill in Wally Layne's shoes. Jones took the Stepsister role into new avenues, making CWB's character role tradition more solid than ever. As the show progressed, Jones truly put his own hilarious stamp to his performance, with a sense of humor that was effective and appropriate for the style.
A performance worthy of high commendation goes to Bethany Phelps as the Stepmother, who was very credible as the tormenting figure. Phelps maintained a command of the house and all the characters on stage and was essential to the Cinderella's home story. With a stern attitude, Phelps nonetheless kept enough of an attractive appeal to make the Stepmother convincing in the story. John Fowler returned to the stage in taking on the role of Cinderella's loving Father. Fowler, who can be seen in the yearly Nutcracker Party Scene, did a wonderful job in a fatherly manner and good partnering ability in his scenes. Newcomer Nathan Champion came through with a brilliant performance as the Dancing Master, complete with a hilarious wig and mustache. But the comedic appeal of Champion resided in his capacity to give perfect timing in his physical comedy and his flair for the absurd. Champion is rapidly climbing the headlining roster and decidedly a great addition to Central West. He is technically sound and an artist with attention and care to detail. Saturday's Dancing Master character fell on the shoulders of Brian Leonard, who managed excellent technique and funny material in his interpretation.
Happily Ever After
Central West brings back Cinderella
With a terrific musical score by Prokofiev and the magic of theatre, Central West brought back Cinderella on May 13 at the Gallo Center for the Arts. "We were so delighted to bring back this beautiful ballet to the Mary Stuart Rogers stage, says Artistic Director René Daveluy, "the sets and costumes are top notch and there is something for everyone in this production".
Daveluy's version of the ballet returned with much revised choreography and some adapted staging. The result was far more effective than the 2008 performances, which at the time was mainly successful for the protagonists and supporting characters. This time around, Daveluy enhanced the Corps de Ballet with better choreography and formations, building on his first intent. The original idea of "Midnight Fairies" was much more believable, adding a great sense of mystery and fantasy to Cinderella's journey, along with the other traditional Season Fairy roles. This made the production colorful and intelligent when dealing with a Company that still has only around seven male dancers to handle most classics. Daveluy's ingenuity worked well and the show remained seamless with this adaptation. The second act Ballroom Waltz was handled in an innovative way in that respect, giving the audience a satisfying showpiece to enjoy. Returning as Cinderella and the Prince were Nicole Firpo, Alyssa Milano, Brandon Phelps and Joseph Adkins. Firpo and Milano reprised their roles with much more depth and layered their scenes with emotional content as the 'Girl by the Cinders'. Firpo was in perfect shape, displaying vivacious energy and adding a touch of mischievousness to her character which was a welcomed departure from her earlier approach. Firpo was definitely the star of her show, making the most of every scene she was involved in. Milano kept a more poetic stand in her interpretation. She however managed to also bring the character to life by adding heartfelt moments during her performance, especially in her Act 2 Pas de Deux where she convincingly related to her Prince Charming, danced by Brandon Phelps. Milano also added details in her staging, showing a care that went beyond her own character's action, which made her portrayal that much more believable.
The newest Cinderella on the block, Sarah Weaver, was a vision of youth and charm in her second character driven role (Weaver previously portrayed Wendy in CWB's 2009 production of Peter Pan). This time around, Weaver showed more acting weight as a Principal Dancer, giving her role a beautiful impersonation, while maintaining a technical level in her dancing. It was a welcomed addition to see a different dancer as Cinderella. Artistic Director René Daveluy's casting seemed to reflect the evolution of the Company and it will interesting to see what the 2011-2012 Season brings to the stage as Central West moves forward.
Both Brandon Phelps and Joseph Adkins returned in force to deliver powerful performances as the Prince. Their second take on the role was impressive, filling the stage with presence and expert partnering with their respective Cinderellas. Phelps, who had two partners, Nicole Firpo and Alyssa Milano, showed off his partners in the best of lights, adapting well to each Cinderella's point of balance and interpretive nuance. With many difficult lifts and intricate partnering, Phelps established himself as a top Company leading male dancer. Joseph Adkins was paired with Sarah Weaver, handling the new coming Cinderella with experienced hands and making each partnering move meaningful in detail and emotional depth. Adkins' superb skills as a partner gave his one show with Weaver something special to remember. Adkins also displayed technical refinement in his dancing which was a pleasure to watch.
Although much of the success of the production went to the main figures of the story, the showstopping performance of the year went to Principal Dancer Elease Stice, who as the Fairy Godmother, enabled a precious link through the story line. Stice was in her best technical form, successfully nailing multiple pirouettes and superb jumps with top of the line interpretation. Her beauty, charisma and energy were never more appealing, crossing the footlights effortlessly as she transported the audience through the story. Stice has positioned herself strongly within CWB's headliners and her dancing is flourishing. On Saturday, Erikka Reenstierna-Cates took the stage as the Fairy Godmother. Reenstierna-Cates showed great artistry in her movement. Her depth of feeling, one of the strongest among the up and comers, gave the Godmother a believable presence, and although Reenstierna-Cates technical abilities are developing, her performance had all the appeal of a first rate ballerina.
Central West Ballet News
