Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ opens today at the Woodlawn Theatre. Photo: google
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ is the new Broadway adaptation of the classic musical. It opens today at the Woodlawn Theatre and will run until Sunday September 19, 2021. Performance times are Friday and Saturdays at 7:30p.m. and Sundays at 3p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $30 and are available online. Due to COVID seating restrictions, all tickets are general admission and must be purchased in advance, online only. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. The Woodlawn Theatre Box Office is not currently conducting in-person or phone purchases. For assistance, please email Woodlawn Theatre. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2021)
‘Cinderella’ is a contemporary take on the classic tale and features Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most beloved songs including “In My Own Little Corner,” “Impossible/It’s Possible,” and “Ten Minutes Ago,” alongside a hilarious and romantic libretto by Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane as well as some new characters, and surprising twists. Cinderella is sponsored by the Jefferson Woodlawn Lake Community Development Corporation.
Director: Chris Rodriguez Choreographer: Kahlee Moore Music Director: Jane Haas Cast includes Ella-Jimmi Nelson-Reid, Topher-Joshua Cook, Madame-Beth Erwin, Sebastian-Christopher Steinmetz, Marie-Amanda Golden, Gabrielle-Rebekah Williams, Jean-Michel-Lorenzo Mireles, Charlotte-Morgan Clyde, and Lord Pinkelton-Myles Harris.
During the ‘Cinderella’ run, the Woodlawn Theatre is partnering with Special Olympics Texas and will be collecting in-kind donations on their behalf.
There is a special 2p.m performance on Saturday September 11 and a 7p.m. performance on Thursday September 16.
‘Cinderella’ community appreciation nights: Pride Appreciation Night: August 28 with the San Antonio AIDS Foundation ASL Night: September 10
‘The Panza Monologues’ is playing through Sunday August 22, 2021. Photo: google
This weekend is your last chance to catch Teatro Audaz’ production of ‘The Panza Monologues.’ Upcoming showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 2p.m. at the Cellar Theatre and livestream online. Written by Virginia Grise and Irma Mayorga, ‘The Panza Monologues’ is based on women’s stories about their panzas—tú sabes—that roll of belly we all try to hide. ‘The Panza Monologues’ features the words of Chicanas speaking with humor and candor. Their stories boldly place the panza front and center as a symbol that reveals the lurking truths about women’s thoughts, lives, loves, abuses, and living conditions. Directed by Paula Rodriguez and featuring the ensemble cast of Brizzo Torres, Jojanie Moreno, Isabel DeLaCerda, and Laura T. Garza, it runs an hour and ten minutes with no intermission.
‘The Panza Monologues’ has played across the nation and now it has come home to where it all began. Right from the start, it gives off an unmistakable ‘San Anto’ vibe and is a bilingual narrative of everything having to do with curves. It begins with an introduction by the four ladies onstage stating that women have no problem talking about vaginas, and then give various synonyms for it, yet are hesitant, even shy, to talk about their ‘panzas.’ Their battle cry is “Panza Power!” The production includes the sections ‘Historia’ (an ode to shoes – ‘tacones’ and female empowerment), ‘Hunger for Justice,’ ‘Noticias’ (sobering facts about how people have gotten fatter and San Antonio is seen as one of the fattest cities), ‘Praying,’ ‘Panza Power,’ and ‘Political Panza.’ It ends with a party-like atmosphere and all four ladies return onstage to urge women to be proud of their curves, or ‘panza proud.’ As they proclaim: “When all else fails, power to the panza.”
Overall, ‘The Panza Monologues’ celebrates women and urges them to love their curves. One of the funniest and most relatable moments is when one of the ladies uses a pair of pliers to try to adjust her jeans – definite grade A performance. The show does an excellent job of balancing humor, history, and more serious topics such as ‘the diabetic mom’ – how she developed diabetes and how it affected the family. The real conversation starter must be the debate between Cubans and Mexicans where the question that hangs is “If obesity is synonymous with capitalism, then why is San Antonio one of the poorest and fattest cities around?” It also uses poetry to convey the frustrating and challenging ways that women feel about their bodies. While the main topic is how women should accept and love themselves, it also touches on obesity, diabetes, and income inequality and hopefully it will spark a conversation to bring about much needed changes in our society. There is moderate cursing, but it does not distract from the message. ‘The Panza Monologues’ is a must-see production filled with humor and relevant social issues with excellent performances by everyone involved.
Notes on the livestream: sometimes it is hard to hear the dialogue when there is music in the background.
‘The Panza Monologues’ opens Friday with in person and live stream performances. Photo: google
Teatro Audaz is excited to announce their return to live theatre and the final show of their 2020/21 season with ‘The Panza Monologues’ directed by Paula Rodriguez. ‘The Panza Monologues’ returns home to where it all began. It opens Friday August 13 and will run until Sunday August 22, 2021, with performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 2p.m. at the Cellar Theatre.All performances will be live and streamed live online. Ticket prices range from $15 to $25 and will only be available online. All live shows are at 50% capacity and all guests who attend a live performance must wear a mask. (Teatro Audaz, 2021)
Written by Virginia Grise and Irma Mayorga, ‘The Panza Monologues’ is based on women’s stories about their panzas—tú sabes—that roll of belly we all try to hide. ‘The Panza Monologues’ features the words of Chicanas speaking with humor and candor. Their stories boldly place the panza front and center as a symbol that reveals the lurking truths about women’s thoughts, lives, loves, abuses, and living conditions.
Since its inception in San Antonio, Panza has played across the nation (East, West, North, South) but now it is coming home to where it all began. Teatro Audaz is putting it back into the bodies and lives of San Antonio women and onto San Antonio land to revisit and reconnect with the lives of women in San Antonio who first inspired this project/play. They bring it back to San Antonio to explore the issues of obesity, diabetes, food deserts…income inequality, all STILL prevalent in San Antonio…ten years on, what remains the same? What do we still need to change?
Cellar Theatre 800 W. Ashby Pl. San Antonio, TX 78212
Gerald Ramsey as Mufasa in Disney’s ‘The Lion King.’ Photo: Matthew Murphy, used with permission.
Disney Theatrical Productions and North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio announced yesterday that tickets for the long-awaited return engagement of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ will go on sale to the public at 10a.m., Friday, July 30. San Antonio’s most eagerly awaited return will once again leap onto the Majestic Theatre stage Wednesday, October 20 for a limited engagement of three weeks through Sunday, November 7. The show’s four-week engagement in 2015 played a sold-out run at the Majestic Theatre. Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ will play Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30p.m., Fridays at 8p.m., Saturdays at 2p.m. and 8p.m. and Sundays at 1p.m. and 6:30p.m. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2021)
Tickets for Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ start at $30 and are available by calling Ticketmaster at (866) 870.2717, online, or at all Ticketmaster outlets including the Majestic Box Office. The Majestic Box Office does not accept single ticket orders over the phone; all ticket sales must be made in person. Premium Ticket Packages, which include a prime seat location, a souvenir program and an exclusive cinch bag, are also available. Majestic Box Office hours are noon to 5p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10a.m. to 5p.m., Friday. Saturday hours vary weekly, call (210) 226.3333 to verify. Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling (210) 226-5967.
Ticket buyers are reminded that Ticketmaster and the Majestic Box Office are the only official retail ticket outlets for all performances at the Majestic Theatre. Ticket buyers who purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party should be aware that the Majestic Theatre is unable to reprint or replace lost or stolen tickets and is unable to contact patrons with information regarding time changes or other pertinent updates regarding the performance.
Welcoming audiences, artists, staff, cast and crew back to the Majestic Theatre at full capacity safely and responsibly remains Broadway in San Antonio’s top priority. Masks will be required while in the theatre for this performance. Health and safety protocols are subject to change and will be clearly communicated to ticket holders in advance of each performance. Current protocols are available online.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ is a musical based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios’ animated feature film of the same name with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, and Hans Zimmer. The musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets.
After 24 landmark years on Broadway, Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ continues ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. Since its premiere on November 13, 1997, nearly 110 million people have seen 25 global productions. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ has made theatrical history with six productions running 15 or more years and four others running 20 or more years.
Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ won six 1998 Tony Awards® : Best Musical, Best Scenic Design (Richard Hudson), Best Costume Design (Julie Taymor), Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder), Best Choreography (Garth Fagan) and Best Direction of a Musical.
The Classic Theatre’s production of ‘As You Like It’ opens September 9, 2021. Photo: The Classic Theatre of San Antonio.
The Classic Theatre of San Antonio is opening the second season of Theatre in the Rough with ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare. Opening on Thursday, September 9, it will run until Sunday, September 26, 2021. Performed at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, it will be directed by Nick Lawson with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 7:30p.m. with the exception of a performance on Monday, September 20 and no performance on Thursday, September 23. Tickets are available online. (The Classic Theatre of San Antonio, 2021)
‘As You Like It’ – Rosalind’s uncle rises to the throne and she is immediately banished from court. With her best friend and uncle’s daughter Celia by her side, she runs into the forest of Arden for refuge, only to catch the lovesick eye of another banished youth named Orlando. The result is a hilarious conglomeration of cross-dressing, foolery, melodic songs, questionable poetry, and laughs aplenty. Will love always win or are we merely mad? ‘As You Like It’ is an entertaining and touching exploration of life, death, love, family, and the bonds that tie us together.
Cast includes Kacey Roye, Josey Porras, Eddie Morfin Jr., Hunter Wulff, Randee Nelson, Adam Ochoa, Natalie Blackman, and Emit Quintero.
The Camille Playhouse announced its 58th season this week. Photo: google
This week, the Camille Playhouse in Brownsville announced its 58th season. The season consists of ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ in September, ‘Our Lady of the Tortilla’ in October, ‘Humbug’ in December, ‘Sweet Charity’ in February, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ in April, and “Lucky Stiff’ in May. Ticket information is available online. (Camille Playhouse, 2021)
‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ September 10-19 This happy-go-lucky view of small-town vice and statewide political side-stepping recounts the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1850s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas. Governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious college football teams frequent Miss Mona’s cozy bordello, until that Puritan nemesis Watchdog focuses his television cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution. Music and lyrics by Carol Hall; book by Larry L. King.
‘Our Lady of the Tortilla’ October 15-24 The Cruz family is volatile even in the best of times. On this particular day, Nelson, the youngest son, enters the house in a panic to hide the more obvious religious relics from the sight of his “gringo” girlfriend, who is visiting for the weekend. Nelson’s mother, Dahlia, is obsessed with retrieving her husband from his new girlfriend; Eddie, her elder son, shows up in a van with his failed life and pregnant girlfriend. But the “real” pandemonium is caused by sweet, long-suffering Dolores, Dahlia’s old-maid sister, when she sees the face of the Holy Virgin in a tortilla. This miracle brings hordes of believers and reporters to camp out on the Cruz’s lawn to await further miracles. As the family struggles with beliefs and conflicts, old and new, the endurance of family love is revealed to be the real miracle. Book by Luis Santeiro.
‘Humbug’ December 10-19 As ‘A Christmas Carol’ with a modern-day twist, Humbug follows the story of Eleanor Scrooge, a ruthlessly ambitious Wall Street executive who has an aversion to Christmas and an insatiable appetite for power. Locked in her office on a snowy Christmas Eve, Eleanor is determined to finish a corporate takeover proposal until three “advisors” provide her with an eye opening new appreciation for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. An upbeat and moving adaptation of Dickens’ holiday classic, Humbug is one for the ages. With a contemporary flair, it is a tale the whole family will enjoy. Book by John Wooten
‘Sweet Charity’ February 11-20 Inspired by Federico Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria, ‘Sweet Charity’ explores the turbulent love life of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City. With a tuneful, groovy, mid 1960s score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and a hilarious book by Neil Simon, ‘Sweet Charity’ captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist.
‘Jekyll & Hyde’ April 01-10 Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic thriller, ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ is the gripping tale of a brilliant mind gone horrifically awry, set to a powerful pop rock score by Frank Wildhorn with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. In an attempt to cure his ailing father’s mental illness by separating “good” from “evil” in the human personality, talented physician Dr. Jekyll inadvertently creates an alternate personality of pure evil, dubbed Mr. Hyde, who wrecks murderous havoc on the city of London. As his fiancée Emma grows increasingly fearful for her betrothed, a prostitute, Lucy, finds herself dangerously involved with both the doctor and his alter ego. Struggling to control Hyde before he takes over for good, Jekyll must race to find a cure for the demon he has created in his own mind.
‘Lucky Stiff’ May 13-22 Based on the novel “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” by Michael Butterworth, Lucky Stiff is an offbeat, hilarious murder mystery farce, complete with mistaken identities, six million bucks in diamonds, and a corpse in a wheelchair. The story revolves around an unassuming English shoe salesman who is forced to take the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he succeed in passing his uncle off as alive, Harry Witherspoon stands to inherit $6,000,000.00. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn, or else his uncle’s gun-toting ex. Music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, book by Lynn Ahrens.
The Camille Playhouse opened its doors in January 1964 after the City of Brownsville provided the land in Dean Porter Park and the Sams Foundation provided a grant to fund the construction of the facility. With a drive to stimulate interest in theatre through production of stage performances and the development and application of the arts necessary to such productions, utilizing the talents and abilities of those in the Brownsville community and neighboring communities with a passion for the art, thereby engaging audiences in the artistic process, sparking the imaginations of young children and developing the next generation of stage actors, the theater is proud to be carrying on Camille’s dream and legacy of having community theatre in Brownsville. Camille’s legacy remains the primary mission.
Leslie Alexander as Mrs. Higgins, Shereen Ahmed as Eliza Doolittle and Kevin Pariseau as Colonel Pickering in The Lincoln Center Theater Production of Lerner & Loewe’s ‘My Fair Lady.’ Photo: Joan Marcus, used with permission.
North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio is pleased to announce that the North American tour of Lincoln Center Theater’s critically acclaimed production of Lerner & Loewe’s ‘My Fair Lady’ relaunches the Majestic Theatre 2021-2022 Broadway in San Antonio season. Directed by Bartlett Sher, the North American tour will play eight performances September 21-26 at the Majestic Theatre. Tickets start at $45 and are available online, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 982.ARTS (2787), or by visiting the Majestic Box Office. The Majestic Box Office does not accept single ticket orders over the phone; all ticket sales must be made in person. Majestic Box Office hours are noon to 5p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10a.m. to 5p.m. Friday. Weekend hours vary, call (210) 226.3333 to verify. Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling (210) 226-5967. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2021)
Tickets go on sale this Friday July 9 at 10a.m. Performance times are 7:30p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; 8p.m. on Friday; 2p.m. and 8p.m., Saturday and at 2p.m. and 7:30p.m. on Sunday. Welcoming audiences, artists, staff, cast, and crew back to the Majestic Theatre at full capacity safely and responsibly remains Broadway in San Antonio’s top priority. Masks will be required while in the theatre for this performance. Health and safety protocols are subject to change and will be clearly communicated to ticket holders in advance of each performance. Current protocols are available online.
Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Lerner & Loewe’s ‘My Fair Lady’ is the winner of 5 Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best Revival of Musical and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, 5 Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical Revival and 3 Drama League Awards including Best Musical Revival. The production, which premiered in the spring of 2018, ended its long run at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater on July 7, 2019 after playing 548 performances.
Adapted from George Bernard Shaw’s play and Gabriel Pascal’s motion picture Pygmalion, ‘My Fair Lady,’ with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, premiered on Broadway on March 15, 1956. The legendary original production won 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical and ran for 2,717 performances making it, at the time, the longest-running musical in Broadway history. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from professor Henry Higgins so that she may pass as a lady.
Boasting a score that contains such now-classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “Get Me to the Church on Time,” “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” “On the Street Where You Live,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” Lincoln Center Theater’s production of ‘My Fair Lady’ was hailed by The New York Times as “Thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was. A marvelous and transformative revival.” New York Magazine described it as ‘Enthralling,” adding that “Bartlett Sher’s glowing revival proves that a beloved musical from another era can keep on kicking.” Entertainment Weekly raved “A sumptuous new revival of the most perfect musical of all time. A masterful piece of entertainment.”
‘On Your Feet!’ will run from June 25 – July 18 at the Woodlawn Theatre. Photo: Woodlawn Theatre
Opening this Friday June 25 is the Woodlawn Theatre’s performance of ‘On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan.’ This production will run until Sunday July 18, 2021. Tickets to the musical production that was on hold for over a year are now selling fast. Do not miss this opportunity to return to live theater with a show that will have you dancing in the aisles. Performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3p.m. There will be no show on July 4. There will be a special 7p.m. performance on Thursday, July 15. Due to COVID-19 seating restrictions, all tickets are general admission and must be purchased in advance, online only. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. The Woodlawn Theatre Box Office is currently not conducting in-person or phone purchases. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2021)
‘On Your Feet!’ is the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, two people who believed in their talent, their music and each other, and became an international sensation. Universally crowd-pleasing and uplifting, ‘On Your Feet!’ is a celebration of greatest hits that will have audiences dancing in the aisles. Featuring the songs “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “1-2-3,” “Live For Loving You,” “Conga,” and many more, ‘On Your Feet’ is a portrait of a legendary artist that reveals fierce determination and visionary creativity matched with the exhilarating energy of the Miami Sound Machine. Sponsored by KONO 101.1.
Director: Christopher Rodriguez Choreographer: Carla Sankey Music Director: Jaime Ramirez Assistant Choreographer: Jimmi Nelson-Reid
Cast: Gloria Estefan: Jillian Sainz Emilio Estefan: Miguel Ochoa Gloria Fajardo: Melissa Gonzalez Consuelo: Rita Duggan Jose Fajardo/Ensemble: Michael Rodriguez Rebecca Fajardo/Ensemble: Madeline Gutierrez Young Gloria: Ella Sofia Gonzalez Young Emilio/Nayib: Gavino Garcia/Ricardo Martinez
Special Community Nights: ASL Appreciation Night – Friday July 9 Pride Appreciation Night – Saturday July 3
During the run of ‘On Your Feet!’, Woodlawn Theatre is partnering with Girls Inc. SA and will be collecting in-kind donations on their behalf. Donation list includes crayons, pencil colors, washable markers (thick/thin), blunt scissors, construction paper, paint brushes, acrylic paint, glue sticks, white glue, watercolor paper, watercolor paints, glitter, pom poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and construction paper.
Everyone over the age of two should wear a mask and practice social distancing while at the theater, including skipping a seat in between parties. Full COVID-19 policies available HERE.
Performances of ‘Our Town’ will be at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Photo: Siggi Ragnar, used with permission.
The Classic Theatre of San Antonio’s production of ‘Our Town’ opens at the San Antonio Botanical Garden this Thursday, May 13, 2021. It will run until Sunday May 30 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30p.m. The San Antonio Botanical Garden is the perfect place to physically distance, get some fresh air, and connect with nature, all while enjoying some Theatre in the Rough. (The Classic Theatre of San Antonio, 2021)
Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners between 1901 and 1913 through the everyday lives of its citizens. How do the characters find meaning and contentment with their choices as their dreams, relationships, and futures unfold? It is directed by Mark Stringham and cast includes John Boyd, Brian Eanes, Christi Eanes, Sam Egger, Alyx Irene Gonzales, Vincent Hardy, Jonathan McDonald, Michael McCaslin, Adam Ochoa, Magda Porter, Keli Rosa Cabunoc Romero, Ian Rossmeier, Mark Stringham, Cheryl Tanner, Chad Thompson, and Bella Villarreal.
Tickets are available online and range from $24.00 to $39.00. Guests are asked to bring their own chairs and/or blankets to each performance and there will be masks and chairs available for purchase, if need be. There is no intermission for this production. COVID-19 Safety Policies and visitor information can be found online.
Ticket Policies • Ticket sales are final. There are no refunds. Plays, dates, and artists are subject to change without notice. • The Classic Theatre of San Antonio reserves the right to refuse admission to anyone. • No refunds will be issued to latecomers. • Cell phones and/or recording devices are not permitted to be used in the theatre during a performance. Use of such devices may result in ejection without refund. • Please do not text during the performance – it is distracting to actors and audience members alike. • The Classic Theatre of San Antonio reserves the right to make schedule and production changes. When possible, we will call all ticket holders regarding the cancellation of a specific performance. • Children under the age of four will not be admitted to performances at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio. • There is no dress code. Many patrons dress in business casual for regular performances.
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio presents Swan Lake. Photo: The Children’s Theatre of San Antonio, used with permission.
The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is set to make a splash with the production of the iconic classic ‘Swan Lake’ brought to life by the award-winning Artistic Director and Founder Vanessa Bessler. With nationally and internationally acclaimed dancers ranging in age from 3 to 21, viewers can see the future of ballet spinning into shape right before their eyes at the Tobin Center this May. Performances will be Friday, May 21 at 7p.m. and Saturday May 22 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. Tickets are available online. (Children’s Ballet of San Antonio, 2021)
‘Swan Lake’ tells the love story of Prince Siegfried and Odette, a beautiful swan princess. The fairytale comes to life with a full-length production featuring dazzling costumes custom made in Moscow, integrated multimedia scenery, and a talented array of over 140 award-winning classical dancers, gifted special needs artists, and many other exceptional young children rounding out the talented ensemble cast.
Critically acclaimed Hungarian-born principal dancer Mate Szentes will accompany the young dancers as Prince Siegfried. Known for his “bold attacks” and “glittering technique” by art critics, Szentes receives invitations to perform worldwide from Vienna to Japan. He works with world-renowned choreographers such as Ma Cong, Val Caniparoli, Mariana Oliveira, Melissa Barak, Katarzyna Skarpetowska, Annabelle Lopez-Ochoa, among many others, and danced as a company artist around the world, as well as a principal dancer for the Richmond Ballet. He is a permanent guest principal dancer with the American Contemporary Ballet and Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet. He was invited to participate in the very prestigious National Choreographers Initiative in 2016 and 2018. Since 2016 he has choreographed original works showcased in Richmond, San Diego and New Mexico.
The dancers will perform the ballet using choreography based on the revival of the production created by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov that was first staged for the Imperial Ballet in 1895 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. To add to the majesty of the production, they will be wearing beautiful, elaborate costumes created by a leading costume maker in Russia whose work can be seen at the top theatres around the world.
“Swan Lake is the most celebrated ballet in the world and one of the most challenging and beautiful to perform,” says six-time Youth America Grand Prix Outstanding Teacher Award Winner and Children’s Ballet Director Vanessa Bessler. “Many of our dancers have received scholarships and acceptance to attend the best academies in the world and gained international acclaim from the most elite competitions in ballet since they last performed Swan Lake several years ago. We can’t wait to return to the theatre and celebrate Tchaikovsky’s largest and most acclaimed masterpiece. They are ready and excited to take to the stage once again.”
The Children’s Ballet continues to enforce extensive safety protocols to include both virtual and limited capacity in-person rehearsals, screenings, masks, gloves, long sleeves, social distancing, and much more. As a result, the organization has been Covid free since reopening its doors on May 23, 2020. The Tobin Center leads the charge on safety precautions that have allowed the arts and entertainment to continue by enforcing strict safety initiatives, limited capacity, and mask mandates that exceed both federal and state requirements.
Ballet and performing arts lovers, parents, grandparents and children of all ages will not want to miss this breathtaking performance by some of San Antonio’s most prestigious rising artists.
The award-winning Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) is an authentic, professional-level ballet company that produces professionally staged productions showcasing San Antonio’s most talented children. Dancers are selected by invitation or audition. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is a nonprofit organization 501(c)3. The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio (CBSA) seeks to inspire the pursuit of excellence and prepare children for productive and creative lives through dance by offering extensive training and performance opportunities for talented children from all backgrounds.
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