Helene Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Not that this is a surprise, and it's all for our collective safety, but PNB sent out email to announce the cancellation of Giselle in April, along with all of the activities. Ticket holders are offered a credit towards next season or the option to donate the value to the Company. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 I sure hope PNB finds a way to insert Giselle into next season, however it works best for them. We’ve waited soooo long. I still think it makes a great season opener!!! Link to comment
Helene Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 Here is the letter that was sent by Peter Boal and Ellen Walker: Dear Friends – Like you, we’ve spent the last weeks glued to the headlines and press conferences, searching for answers to our many, many questions. There is no road map for how to proceed in this unprecedented situation. Our dancers and staff have been hunkering down at home, hoping for a positive turn of events that will allow us to welcome you back to McCaw Hall. At this time, we must necessarily push that dream back a little further: Due to the mandate prohibiting groups of ten or more from assembling, and the continued need for social distancing, the following PNB events and activities for April are cancelled: Giselle at McCaw Hall: The production that was to take place April 10-19 is cancelled. (Our box office staff are in the process of communicating with all subscribers and ticket-buyers.) All attendant events around the production – including the Immersion Experience, PNB Conversations and Dress Rehearsal, Ballet Talk and Meet the Artist, Backstage Bash, and the Giselle Symposium, are also cancelled. PNB School: Pacific Northwest Ballet School’s Seattle and Bellevue schools are closed through April. This includes all Open and PNBConditioning, essential barre, and mat group classes. Not being able to share these events with our community, when we all need it most, is heartbreaking. This is a time of deep trouble for PNB, as it is for all performing arts organizations in this country. The longer we remain closed, the more dire our situation becomes. But we take solace in what we know about our devoted PNB audience: We know you are thinking of us from wherever you’ve taken shelter during this difficult time, and we, in turn, are thinking of you. Please don’t lose hope, dear friends. The ballet is here for you, and we’re doing everything we can to bring everyone back to McCaw Hall soon. For now, that means staying apart for a while longer. Be well, Ellen Walker PNB Executive Director Peter Boal PNB Artistic Director Link to comment
sandik Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 The symposium is cancelled as well -- I am so sad about this. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 I am holding out for hope the symposium will be rescheduled and that they can perform Giselle sooner than later. 🙏 Link to comment
sandik Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 Your lips to the gods' ears. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Mark your calendars, we have an opportunity to see Giselle in entirety May 8th! On PNB's FB they announced donors to the Relief Fund will receive an invitation to the next house party. Excerpt below: "Pacific Northwest Ballet April 25 at 10:15 AM · Make a date with PNB! Friday, May 8 we're premiering House Party 2.0 - everything you need for an evening from home with PNB, including a full performance of Giselle from 2014 with Kaori Nakamura and Jerome Tisserand. We've got the Wilis we're so excited to share this with you. Care to join us? Donate your cancelled performance tickets (details here:https://bit.ly/PNBTixOptions) or make a gift of any size to our Relief Fund: http://bit.ly/PNBReliefFund" Link to comment
abatt Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dance/pacific-northwest-ballet-receives-3-million-in-federal-coronavirus-aid-funds-to-cover-8-weeks-of-pay/ Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but PNB got $3 million from the federal govt. to pay for 8 weeks of pay. Does anyone know if other ballet companies applied for this type of federal aid or, if so whether the application were granted? Link to comment
California Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 3 minutes ago, abatt said: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dance/pacific-northwest-ballet-receives-3-million-in-federal-coronavirus-aid-funds-to-cover-8-weeks-of-pay/ Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, but PNB got $3 million from the federal govt. to pay for 8 weeks of pay. Does anyone know if other ballet companies applied for this type of federal aid or, if so whether the application were granted? A quick google for "ballet" and "paycheck protection": San Francisco Ballet, Smuin Ballet, and Lines got these grants. Oakland Ballet did not. I wonder if large companies with administrative, fiscal, and legal staffs that could move very quickly benefitted most. https://www.kqed.org/arts/13879630/in-the-dance-world-a-struggle-for-relief-funding-forces-new-approaches Link to comment
abatt Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 I wonder why ABT did not attempt to get this aid. ABT certainly had no trouble lining up legal assistance to investigate Marcelo Gomes. I have to imagine that they could have easily lined up the legal help to apply for this loan in a hurry. Link to comment
California Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 32 minutes ago, abatt said: I wonder why ABT did not attempt to get this aid. ABT certainly had no trouble lining up legal assistance to investigate Marcelo Gomes. I have to imagine that they could have easily lined up the legal help to apply for this loan in a hurry. I don't think there is a public list (yet) of everybody who has gotten one. (If I'm wrong, please post the link.) It's possible they did and it's possible they applied for the more recent offering. Ditto for NYCB. More cynically, if people know you got PP, they might be less likely to donate to your emergency fund-raising. Link to comment
seattle_dancer Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 3 hours ago, California said: I don't think there is a public list (yet) of everybody who has gotten one. (If I'm wrong, please post the link.) It's possible they did and it's possible they applied for the more recent offering. Ditto for NYCB. More cynically, if people know you got PP, they might be less likely to donate to your emergency fund-raising. In regard to the last comment about hesitation in donating after a PPP loan has been received, hopefully people understand there are other costs besides payroll for dancers, musicians, etc. There is overhead like rent, usage of performance venue, and sunk costs for programs that aren't going to be performed like music rights, choreographer/stager time, costumes. This pandemic also hit during subscriber renewal time. Renewals are 30% below normal levels, negatively affecting cashflow (https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dance/pacific-northwest-ballet-furloughs-all-dancers-musicians-and-many-on-staff-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic/). My reason for posting about the May 8th virtual Giselle performance is to let people know there is an opportunity to see this production after all, as I know some were planning to fly in and there were questions about it after the Bolshoi in Cinema presentation of Ratmansky's new production. And PNB is offering it for a donation of ANY size, unlike SFB who set a $200 threshold to see Midsummers. Link to comment
California Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 3 minutes ago, seattle_dancer said: In regard to the last comment about hesitation in donating after a PPP loan has been received, hopefully people understand there are other costs besides payroll for dancers, musicians, etc. There is overhead like rent, usage of performance venue, and sunk costs for programs that aren't going to be performed like music rights, choreographer/stager time, costumes. This pandemic also hit during subscriber renewal time. Renewals are 30% below normal levels, negatively affecting cashflow (https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/dance/pacific-northwest-ballet-furloughs-all-dancers-musicians-and-many-on-staff-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic/). My reason for posting about the May 8th virtual Giselle performance is to let people know there is an opportunity to see this production after all, as I know some were planning to fly in and there were questions about it after the Bolshoi in Cinema presentation of Ratmansky's new production. And PNB is offering it for a donation of ANY size, unlike SFB who set a $200 threshold to see Midsummers. Oh, I know, but more casual ballet audience members might think there are other more worthy causes that didn't get PPP. We're all being bombarded with pleas for $$ from every performing arts group, museum, college, restaurant, etc. that has our e-mail address. I just sent in my donation so I can see the Giselle May 8! Can't wait, but I'm still hoping I can see it in person someday, along with all the extras! Link to comment
Helene Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 A press release from PNB -- some freely available, two (Giselle, Waiting for the Station) for subscribers and donors, including ticket donors (emphasis in blue, mine): Pacific Northwest Ballet Announces Video Releases of Ballets during Shelter-at-Home May 1, 2020, SEATTLE, WA – While Pacific Northwest Ballet waits for the green light to get back to doing what we do best – live performances for live audiences – Artistic Director Peter Boal and Executive Director Ellen Walker are pleased to announce a bit of good news during these trying times: A series of videos of PNB dress rehearsals and performances will soon be available for limited-time viewing online. The series kicks off tonight at 7:00 (Pacific) with an encore of Alejandro Cerrudo’s One Thousand Pieces, which had previously been released exclusively to donors, subscribers, and ticket-buyers. Subsequent offerings include the recently-cancelled revival of Giselle, Kent Stowell’s Swan Lake, Twyla Tharp’s Waiting at the Station, and George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. "It's hard to imagine a ballet company that doesn't offer live performances, but in this new world we live in, we adapt as best we can,” said Mr. Boal in the announcement. “At PNB, we keep dancing, making music, creating choreography and lifting spirits. We see ballet as an essential art form and we know our audiences do too. How proud we are to share these inspired rehearsals and performances with you." (PLEASE NOTE: The Giselle and Waiting at the Station videos are being released exclusively as a benefit to PNB donors, subscribers, and ticket purchasers for the respective ballets, and will be packaged as part of the PNB House Party thank-yous sent to these supporters. The performance cancellations of the latter half of PNB’s 2019-2020 season, coupled with the concurrent PNB School closure has had a substantial impact on the organization: PNB earns over 75% of its funding through ticket sales and PNB School tuition. To offset these losses, PNB has established an ambitious Relief Fund with the hopes of keeping employee benefits intact and funding our return to the stage and studios when it is safe to do so. For more information or to become a donor to PNB’s Relief Fund, visit PNB.org/Relief.) All works are accompanied by the world famous Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra under the direction of Music Director/Principal Conductor Emil de Cou. PNB would like to thank the choreographers, designers, music rights holders, and our dancer (AGMA), musician (PNBOPO) stage (IATSE Local #15) and wardrobe (TWU #887) unions for allowing the company to share these special videos. Videos will be released via Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Facebook (facebook.com/PNBallet) and YouTube (youtube.com/pacificnwballet) pages. One Thousand Pieces Music: Philip Glass Choreography: Alejandro Cerrudo Recorded at the final dress rehearsal, March 12, 2020. Approximate running time: 72 minutes Release date: Friday, May 1, 7pm PDT* (Viewable until 7pm Wednesday, May 6) *This video is viewable by anyone in the universe. Giselle Music: Adolphe Adam Choreography: Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, & Marius Petipa, with additional choreography by Peter Boal Archival video from opening night, May 30, 2014, featuring Kaori Nakamura and Jerome Tisserand. Approximate running time: One hour and 50 minutes Video release date: Friday, May 8, 7pm PDT* (Viewable through Wednesday, May 13) *PNB House Party: This video is available exclusively to donors, subscribers, and Giselle ticket buyers. Swan Lake Music: P.I. Tchaikovsky Choreography: Kent Stowell Staging: Francia Russell (after Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov) Recorded at the final dress rehearsal, February 1, 2018, featuring Noelani Pantastico and Seth Orza. Approximate running time: Two hours and 10 minutes Video release date: Friday, May 22, 7pm PDT* (Viewable through Wednesday, May 27) *This video will be viewable by anyone in the universe. Waiting at the Station Music: Allen Toussaint Choreography: Twyla Tharp Recorded at the final dress rehearsal, September 27, 2013. This video release will also include tributes to departing dancers Benjamin Griffiths and Margaret Mullin. Approximate running time: 50 minutes Video release date: Friday, June 5, 7pm PDT* (Viewable through Wednesday, June 10) *PNB House Party: This video is available exclusively to donors, subscribers, and Pite-Tharp-Liang ticket buyers. A Midsummer Night’s Dream Music: Felix Mendelssohn Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Recorded at the final dress rehearsal, April 11, 2019, featuring Laura Tisserand and Kyle Davis. Approximate running time: One hour and 45 minutes Video release date: Wednesday, June 24, 7pm PDT* (Viewable through Monday, June 29) *This video will be viewable by anyone in the universe. June 24 is the actual midsummer. Everything is subject to change. To donate to PNB’s relief fund, visit PNB.org/Relief. To see what else PNB is up to when we’re not on stage, visit PNB.org/Social. Link to comment
Grace8 Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Has anyone received the e-mail for the Waiting at the Station video, scheduled for 6/5? Or was the date changed? I really appreciate PNB doing this. I enjoyed watching the 2014 Giselle premiere with Kaori Nakamura and Carrie Imler. Link to comment
Helene Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 I didn't receive an email, but PNB posted about the postponement to their Facebook Page on June 4. (Which I missed.): Link to comment
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