Performance History: N I G H T M A R E
Premiere ............................................. 1996, Minnesota Dance Festival, O'Shaughnessy, St Paul
2nd Performance ................................ 2002, 14th MDF / Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
3rd Performance ................................ 2007, 19th MInnesota Dance Festival / Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
4th Performance ................................ 2010, May 14-16, 22nd Minnesota Dance Festival / Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
Photography: Dave Trayers 2007 & 2010
|
|
|
NIGHTMARE
Book: Andrew Rist
Choreography: Andrew Rist
Original Score: Robert E Hindel
Costumes: Cheryl Rist
Sets: Jeff Annis, JIm Arnold
Photographs: Dave Trayers
The following excerpt is from the book.
The first book chronicling the adventures of the ballerina girls is titled, ‘At The Museum’. It tells the story of the thirteen ballerina girls and their visit to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. If you read it you will find out what happens when one girl, Chloe, gets left behind. You will find out what happens when the Degas statue, Picasso’s ‘Seated Woman’, Van Gogh’s ‘Starry, Starry Night’ and Degas’ ‘The Dancing Class’ come to life. It was first produced as a ballet in 1994.
‘Nightmare’ the second book chronicling the adventures of the ballerina girls was also first a ballet. The original story took place at a ballet boarding school, Classical Ballet Academy of Minnesota, in the evening just before bed. The girls played a while, got into their pajamas, danced the Charleston, caught a boy trying to recover his baseball and then fell asleep. The rest of the ballet was about Chloe’s nightmare.
The ballet has been performed four times since 1996 (its premiere) and each time bits and pieces were added to the story. For instance the Fitzgerald ghost did not appear until the last production in 2010. During a rehearsal break in 2007 I was sitting in the theater talking with Tom Campbell (production manager for the Fitzgerald Theater). He told me about Ben, the Fitzgerald ghost. Ben was a stagehand during the roaring twenties and died mysteriously near the theater. Ever since there have been several reported sightings of him.
|
|
Many other additions have evolved over the years. The Emerald-Green Granite Arch and the land of Jippity-Jack were added in the book. The Golden-Beaked One was originally a shadow but became the creature from the land of Jippity-Jack. The ballerina girls performing in Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony was added in the book. The scarlet (originally green) blob was added during the 2007 production. Also, the names of the girls did not happen until the writing of the book. It has been an adventure watching the story evolve over the years.
Nightmare, the ballet, was created and produced on the 8th Minnesota Dance Festival April 5, 1996 at the O’Shaughnessy Theater in St Paul, Minnesota. Since then the ballet has been restaged four times. The last restaging was at the 22nd Minnesota Dance Festival (2010) held at the Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul, Minnesota. Choreography was by Andrew Rist. Robert E Hindel composed the music. Cheryl Rist designed the costumes. Jim Arnold & Jeff Annis designed the sets. And, it was during the 2010 production that the photos for this book were taken by Dave Trayers. - Andrew Rist -
|
|
|
choreography: Andrew Rist
music:Robert E Hindel
costumes: Cheryl Rist
set: Jeff Annis, Jim Arnold
22nd MiN Dance Festival
May 14-16, 2010
Fitzgerald Theater, St Paul
2010 CAST
Chloe: Olivia Verdick
Boy: Aaron Davies
Juliana: Erin Warn
Ballerina Girls:
Lily Gray, Solana Reyes, Mary Shrake, Olivia Rose Awsumb, Maddie Costello, Molly Roche, Samantha Meryhew, Katya Klosner, Shivani Nookala, Kayla Assimacopoulos, Grace Kubes, Erin Chase, Maggie Selner, Marie Finley, Katlyn Newman, Savanna Beaurline, Sarah Lauwagie, Haley Boyer, Anna Shortridge, Karly Lunda.
Fitzgerald Ghost: JIm Arnold
Golden-Beaked One: Margaret Ulland
Wraiths: Anna Reimann, Berea Ames, Morgan West, Sophia Pellegrom, Janelle Amacher, Christina Gustafson, AmyTrayers, Maggie Sullivan, Rachel Busse, Theodosia Barteshevitch, Lillian Lee.
Apparition (Ullana):
Harper Skulley, Celesta Brainard
Floating Apparition (Briana):
Julia Heggerness, Antone Gregory, Bashawn Williams
|
|
