Helene Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 From the press release: PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET PRESENTS Her Story Featuring works by JESSICA LANG – CRYSTAL PITE – TWYLA THARP November 3 – 12, 2017 Marion Oliver McCaw Hall 321 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Seattle, WA 98109 Performances: November 3 and 4 at 7:30 pm November 4 at 2:00 pm November 9 – 11 at 7:30 pm November 12 at 1:00 pm Seattle, WA – Three renowned female choreographers get the well-deserved spotlight in HER STORY, the second program of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 45th season. The program features the return of Twyla Tharp’s dramatic Afternoon Ball, her raw view of a lost generation; and Jessica Lang’s sumptuously painted Her Door to the Sky, inspired by the work of Georgia O’Keeffe. Both works were commissioned and premiered by PNB. Two worlds alternate and escalate to collision in the award-winning Plot Point, a much-anticipated PNB premiere by Crystal Pite (Emergence) that rounds out the line-up. HER STORY runs for seven performances only, November 3 through 12 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at $30. For more information, contact the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, in person at 301 Mercer Street, or online at PNB.org. The line-up for HER STORY will include: Her Door to the Sky Music: Benjamin Britten (Simple Symphony, Op. 4, 1933-1934) Choreography: Jessica Lang Assistant to the Choreographer: Clifton Brown Scenic Design: Jessica Lang Costume Design: Bradon McDonald Lighting Design: Nicole Pearce Running Time: 21 minutes Premiere: August 24, 2016, Pacific Northwest Ballet at Jacob’s Pillow, Becket, Massachusetts Afternoon Ball™ Music: Vladimir Martynov (Autumn Ball of the Elves, 1994) Choreography: Twyla Tharp Staging: John Selya Scenic and Lighting Design: Randall G. Chiarelli Costume Design: Mark Zappone Running Time: 19 minutes Premiere: September 25, 2008, Pacific Northwest Ballet Plot Point (PNB Premiere) Music: Bernard Herrmann (from Psycho, 1960), with additional soundtrack by Owen Belton Choreography: Crystal Pite Scenic Design: Jay Gower Taylor Costume Design: Nancy Bryant Lighting Design: Alan Brodie Running Time: 30 minutes Premiere: April 4, 2010, Nederlands Dans Theater Link to comment
Helene Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 More from the press release: SPECIAL EVENTS FRIDAY PREVIEW Friday, October 27, 5:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle PNB’s popular Friday Previews are hour-long studio rehearsals hosted by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring Company dancers rehearsing excerpts from upcoming ballets. Tickets are $15. (Note: These events usually sell out in advance.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. BALLET 101: Ballet Basics, Part One – Terminology and Solo Coaching Saturday, October 28, 3:00 pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer St., Seattle Learn basic ballet terminology by observing a demonstration of steps, followed by a member of the artistic staff coaching a Company dancer in a solo role from the current season. This is the second of a four-part series exploring a range of topics, from ballet terminology, steps, and partnering, to casting, contemporary works, and the business of ballet. Tickets are $25 per two-hour session, or $75 subscription (four sessions for the price of three.) For more information, visit PNB.org. PNB CONVERSATIONS & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, November 2 Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal in conversation with choreographer Crystal Pite during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal. The conversation begins at 6:00 pm, followed by the dress rehearsal at 7:00 pm. Tickets ($30) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. BALLET TALK Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Audience Education Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. MEET THE ARTIST Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers, immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders. (No Q&A on Friday, September 22.) YOUNG PATRONS CIRCLE NIGHT Friday, November 10 Join members of PNB’s Young Patrons Circle (YPC) in an exclusive lounge for complimentary wine and coffee before the show and at intermission. YPC is PNB’s social and educational group for ballet patrons ages 21 through 39. YPC members save up to 40% off their tickets. For more info, visit PNB.org/YPC. # # # HER STORY is made possible by major sponsor Deidra Wager. The 2008 world premiere of Twyla Tharp’s Afternoon Ball was generously underwritten by Peter and Peggy Horvitz. Jessica Lang’s Her Door to the Sky was commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Pacific Northwest Ballet; major support was provided by Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, with additional support from Aya Stark Hamilton, Deidra Wager, and Leslie & Tachi Yamada. The 2017 Pacific Northwest Ballet premiere of Crystal Pite’s Plot Point is generously underwritten by Jeffrey and Susan Brotman. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2017-2018 season is proudly sponsored by ArtsFund and Microsoft. Special thanks also to 4Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, The Shubert Foundation, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and The Wallace Foundation. PNB media sponsorship provided by The Seattle Times and KOMO 4. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 9, 2017 Author Share Posted October 9, 2017 Crystal Pite is in da house (to workshop, then cast, then teach): Link to comment
sandik Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Hoping to see some rehearsal later in the month! Link to comment
Helene Posted October 25, 2017 Author Share Posted October 25, 2017 There will be a live stream of the "Plot Point" rehearsal with Crystal Pite on Monday, October 30 at 2pm PDT. And the photo has Leah Merchant and Karel Cruz, hurray! Link to comment
Helene Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 Casting for the first weekend is up: https://www.pnb.org/season/17-18/her-story/ There are two casts listed for "Her Door to the Sky" and no debuts marked. The Pite is a company premiere, with a single cast all first weekend. I'm really looking forward to "Afternoon Ball," with Rachel Foster in a debut in the Nakamura role, and debuts in the street kid trio on Saturday night -- Thomson, Cardea, and Biasucci. I love the music, and I remember really liking this work when it was first performed. I had a sense then that it was a snapshot in time kind of work in its specifics, and I'm so glad to be able to see it again. Here is the link to the downloadable spreadsheet: Her Story 17_10_30.xlsx Link to comment
sandik Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I'm missing the Saturday night performance, and so won't see the second cast in the Tharp. Hoping they might get next Thursday, since I could get to that one. But glad to see Laura Tisserand back post-baby. Link to comment
Helene Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 Second weekend casting should be out by tomorrow. It's unusual not to have the different cast be at the matinee, but, unfortunately, that is happening for this rep. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Did anyone watch the livestream today? I couldn't because of work. I did attend the Friday preview. It was pretty much a run through of Plot Point except one section Crystal said they hadn't worked on yet. It's very intriguing, I can't wait to see the final product. I wish I could have seen Crystal work with the dancers more. She knows how to tweak one small thing that makes a huge difference. I'll be out of town the first weekend, so look forward to reading your posts. Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Quote "Afternoon Ball," with Rachel Foster in a debut in the Nakamura role WOW......I'm going to love seeing that! Foster can "twist" better than anyone Quote Did anyone watch the livestream today? I couldn't because of work. You can see it now on Youtube (starts for real about 1:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKIGa1Yvu2o Link to comment
sandik Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 59 minutes ago, SandyMcKean said: You can see it now on Youtube (starts for real about 1:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKIGa1Yvu2o Many thanks -- I had to miss the program yesterday. Link to comment
Helene Posted November 1, 2017 Author Share Posted November 1, 2017 I just went in to see if second weekend casting was posted only to find that Rachel Foster is out of all three ballets, at least first weekend In Foster's place, Angeli Mamon makes her debut in "Her Door to the Sky" on Saturday night. Angelica Generosa makes her debut in "Afternoon Ball" on Friday night and Saturday afternoon Noelani Pantastico makes her debut in "Plot Point" and dances all three performances. Here's the link to the updated spreadsheet: HerStory17_10_31.xlsx Link to comment
sandik Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 Very sorry for Foster -- I hope that whatever is keeping her out of the opening weekend is healed by the second weekend. Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 Quote Rachel Foster is out of all three ballets, at least first weekend.... I am devastated Link to comment
Helene Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 A general description and a short video with Elizabeth Murphy (purple) and Leah Terada in "Plot Point": Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 Cool.... I noticed in the rehearsal video that Crystal Pite referred to Leah Terada as "LeahT"......to distinguish her from Leah Merchant I presume (who would then I suppose be "LeahM"). I wonder if that is a set of names that is used company wide? Link to comment
Helene Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 There's also Lia Biasucci, and her name sounds the same. Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Are you saying that Leta Biasucci uses the nickname of Lia?? Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Sorry -- I meant to say that Leta Biasucci's name often sounds like "Lia"/"Leah" when spoken in noisy rehearsal studios and demos (at least to these deaf ears). I shouldn't try to multi-task. . Casting for second weekend is up, and Rachel Foster is scheduled to be back on Friday (through Sunday) in "Plot Point" -- over half of the cast changes in those performances -- and Saturday and Sunday in "Afternoon Ball". Guillaume Basso makes his debut in "One Door to the Sky" on Thursday night, and the street kid trio in "Afternoon Ball" on Friday night is Angelica Generosa, Christian Poppe, and Steven Loch, with the latter two making their debuts. https://www.pnb.org/season/17-18/her-story/ Here is the link to the downloadable spreadsheet: Her Story 17 11 03.xlsx Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) Helene, there's some sort of problem with the 2nd week spreadsheet for the last 3 performances of Plot Point. I can't quite figure it out, but it looks like some cells were scrambled. P.S. Your sheets are always so helpful....especially this time for me since I'm considering coming down during the 2nd weekend to catch Foster. Edited November 3, 2017 by SandyMcKean Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Hmm, I just downloaded it -- I use Excel for Mac to create them -- and viewed on my Mac Mini, and it looks fine. Here's a screenshot of the spreadsheet: Link to comment
SandyMcKean Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Well, it's probably correct then. It confused me because for Plot Point for the last 3 performances, starting with the 3rd dancer down, the order of the characters changes (at least I guess that's what happens). So for example, Cruz's character changes to Foster.....not likely . From that point down none of the characters line up with previous performances as they usually do. Assuming the list of dancers is correct, no big deal, except it makes it harder for me to scan across to see which dancers in which cast I've already seen (I do that often in order to determine which night has the most cast changes, and therefore the night I most likley want to see on the 2nd weekend). Link to comment
Helene Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 It's in alphabetical order by last name, except where Pantastico replaced Foster. Link to comment
sandik Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Hmmm -- have to think about next week -- would love to see the second cast of Plot Point! Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Any impressions/thoughts from opening night? Link to comment
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