22-23 Season
Learn How Our Artists Get Their Beauty Sleep in Preparation for The Sleeping Beauty This Weekend
The Sleeping Beauty is a classical ballet that has been beloved worldwide for more than 130 years. It features the traditional fairy tale story of a princess cursed to eternal sleep who is awoken by true love’s kiss. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) will present The Sleeping Beauty May 19-21, 2023 at the Benedum Center.
While Princess Aurora never got the opportunity to prepare for her deep sleep, we asked some of the PBT artists what their favorite bedtime ritual is before they go to sleep each night.
Tickets and show information for The Sleeping Beauty can be found at pbt.org.
Hannah Carter
Principal Dancer at PBT
Roles in The Sleeping Beauty: Princess Aurora, Lilac Fairy
“I love my bed! I love my bed so much! If it was up to me I would get into bed every night as soon as my son is down, I’ve had dinner and showered! But my husband is the complete opposite, so we meet in the middle and I’m usually in bed about 10 pm. As someone that sits at a desk all day, he is very ready to be active and busy in the evenings while I am exhausted and just want to relax. If my body is feeling achy and I’ve had a hard day I usually have an Epsom salt bath (which I love as much as my bed) before I shower and usually take that time to do some extra skin care as well like a face mask or ice rolling, eye patches etc. After I’ve picked up the toys and cleaned the kitchen from dinner we like to sit down and watch an episode or two of whatever tv series we have going at the time, I usually last about 15 minutes before I fall asleep… and then wake up to my husband telling me I should go upstairs to bed, which I’ll happily oblige!”
Tommie Lin O’Hanlon
Soloist at PBT
Roles in The Sleeping Beauty: Princess Aurora, Princess Florine, Energy Fairy
“My favorite routine before I go to sleep includes lots of self-care! After getting in the door and playing with my puppies, I enjoy taking an Epsom salt bath to relax and soothe my sore muscles from the long rehearsal day I just had. Next, I shower and remove my makeup, starting my skincare routine. I double cleanse to make sure I’ve got all the sweat from the day off. When I get out of the shower, I actually sit with my feet in an ice bucket as I put all my “lotions and potions” on (such a great hack if you wanna multitask!).
After all that, I have dinner and relax on the couch for a while. Usually, I’m sewing pointe shoes during this step! Finally, I crawl into bed with my adorable little Frenchies, Pork and Beans, and we get our BEAUTY SLEEP! In true Aurora fashion!!”
JoAnna Schmidt
Soloist at PBT
Roles in The Sleeping Beauty: Princess Aurora, Abundance Fairy, Diamond Jewel
“Lately, I’ve been falling asleep on the couch for a bit with my dog, Tiger. That’s after we’ve been listening to NPR on the radio or watching a silly TV show, like Broad City or Fresh Prince. Then, one of us decides it’s time to migrate to the bed. So I’ll wash my face, brush my teeth, and I’ve been putting some magnesium spray on my ankle, as of late. After that, I’m usually asleep pretty quickly, but if not, I might do a guided meditation or some light reading.”
Take a Look at the New Sleeping Beauty Costumes
The Sleeping Beauty ballet, originally choreographed in 1890 by Marius Petipa, is a masterpiece of choreography and music that has become beloved worldwide. In the 130 years since it premiered, it has become the epitome of the classical ballet art form. The idea for the ballet came from Ivan Vsevolozhsky, director of the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1888. He envisioned a ballet that would not only tell the story of an enchanted princess but would also pay tribute to the opulent, 17th-century court of Louis XIV, a French king who loved ballet and who profoundly influenced the progression of ballet as an art form.
Because of this vision, the costumes for The Sleeping Beauty are also traditionally quite lavish. For the 2023 version of The Sleeping Beauty, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) has changed the costumes that it had used for the past 40 years. According to PBT Costume Director Kristin McLaiin, the costumes from the 2019 production were very regal, with intricate trims and fabric and more texture. The overall appearance of the stage was very compositional and painterly. McClain says the costumes for the 2023 production are much brighter and more defined. The costumes stand out as individual pieces, which allows for more storytelling, as the audience can visually identify characters more easily.
Below are some visual representations from PBT’s last version of The Sleeping Beauty in 2019 to this year’s updated version in 2023. The costumes from 2019 were rented from Boston Ballet and this year’s costumes will be rented from Charlotte Ballet, with a few exceptions that are noted.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will present The Sleeping Beauty with the PBT Orchestra May 19-21, 2023. Tickets and show information can be found at pbt.org.
Princess Aurora
Both costumes are youthful, pink and feminine. The 2023 costume features stronger colors and more defined decorative elements, while the 2019 costume is more ornate and intricate.
The Fairies
Each fairy has a color to represent her character. In past versions, the colors were pastel with ornate and intricate trim. This year, each fairy still has a signature color, but they are brighter colors and feature leaf motifs.
Carabosse
Carabosse at PBT has traditionally worn a dress made up of a bodice and full skirt with a petticoat that was dark, earthy colors and had shredded and torn fabric as well as layers of fabric for texture.
Our new 2023 version of Carabosse consists of an androgynous unitard with barnacle/algae growing up the body. It is nature inspired– and reflects dark, mucky places. It has been created by the PBT Costume Department.
Puss-n-Boots and the White Cat
These storybook characters are cute, playful, fun in both the 2019 and 2023 versions. In 2019, the White Cat was detailed with ears and makeup, but in 2023, the cat details come from a half-mask. Our 2019 Puss was more princely with a jacket and tights. Today he looks more like his storybook counterpart with a cape and fur pants.
Lilac Fairy
As with Princess Aurora and the fairies, the Lilac Fairy costume features bolder colors and more defined decorative elements compared to the pastel version from PBT’s 2019 production.
The Sleeping Beauty Casting is Announced!
Sleeping Beauty casting is announced! Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform the majestic, family-friendly ballet The Sleeping Beauty with the PBT Orchestra as its 2022-23 season finale May 19-21st.
The Sleeping Beauty is one of the greatest of the classical story ballets, a tour de force of classical choreography and fairytale charm. The ballet comes to life with storybook scenery, glittering costumes and pristine choreography. Audiences of all ages will revel in the delightful dances by Princess Aurora and Prince Désiré, six fairies, the evil Carabosse and storybook characters including Puss ‘n Boots, the White Cat and the Bluebirds.
PBT will have four performances of The Sleeping Beauty all accompanied by the PBT Orchestra! All of the roles are performed by the talented artists of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School.
Casting as of May 9, 2023. Additional casting changes may occur.
Experience the last show in the 22-23 season
Learn About Michele Gifford and the Staging of Polyphonia
One of the pieces in PBT’s The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond is Christopher Wheeldon’s Polyphonia. This is considered the breakthrough work of the Tony Award-winning choreographer. To stage the ballet, former New York City Ballet dancer and frequent Wheeldon repetiteur, Michele Gifford has traveled to Pittsburgh. We sat down with Michele to find out more about Polyphonia, her career and Wheeldon’s choreography.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your career.
I was at New York City Ballet from 1988 to 2000. I was just in the corps de ballet, but I had the opportunity to do many soloist and principal roles, which was amazing. Then I left New York and had a son. I’m from Texas originally and my husband and I wanted to be closer to our parents. I ended up joining Texas Ballet Theatre, which at the time was called Fort Worth / Dallas Ballet. It became Texas Ballet Theater when Ben Stevenson took over. I danced for Ben for several years and had my daughter and then went back to dancing for another year at Texas Ballet Theatre. Then I decided to freelance, and I freelanced for 10 years. So I retired from performing when I was 46. I had a really nice long career, I’m very lucky. Now I have a Gyrotonic studio and I stage Balanchine and I stage Wheeldon.
You have been staging works by renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon for some time. When did you two first meet?
I met Chris when he was a dancer with The Royal Ballet and he came in to take a company class at New York City Ballet.
What is Mr. Wheeldon’s creation process like?
He is very fun in the studio and always wants the best for the dancers as well as the piece. He is also extremely musical.
How does Mr. Wheeldon approach his ballet works?
Chris’s vocabulary is based on classical ballet so you’re using classical vocabulary. The interesting thing that comes from it is how you get from Point A to Point B. And then it just builds on that depending on who’s in the room or who he’s inspired by.
Tell us a bit about Polyphonia
It’s 4 couples and is about 28 minutes long. Christopher Wheeldon choreographed this in 2001 as a trilogy using the same composer. He did Polyphonia and then a ballet called Morphoses with New York City Ballet and then he did a ballet called Continuum with San Francisco Ballet.
How would you describe this ballet in one sentence?
Wheeldon describes it as a collection of moods in a sketchbook of movement. I can completely see that because it doesn’t really tie together, but yet it does. It’s like you’re looking through somebody’s diary – or you’re looking through a sketchbook, where each page is a different mood. How he chose to arrange the music is great too.
Why did Wheeldon choose this complex music?
He said he found a CD at a listening station at Tower Records in New York. He said he was terrified of its complexity but needed to push himself away from instantly accessible melodic music there was something about the discordance, spikiness, the knottiness of the music that attracted him – a dark romance
A fun fact is that he also played a section of the ballet called “the wedding” and it’s one of the duets he said he played at school and he remembered finding it difficult but haunting.
Does the music change throughout the piece?
Yes, it goes from crazy music to a romantic story. The music from the first movement is called Disorder. It’s a very hard piece to play and challenging to dance as well.
Each section is very different from the next. It’s interesting on the ear, it’s interesting on the eye, visually, so it’s an all-encompassing work. The last duet has become one of Wheeldon’s signature duets.
What are some of the challenges for the dancers in this piece?
I think the only movement that’s hard because of the rhythm is the first movement. The rest of it is singable. The finale, the last movement, has counts as well but I think when you really start listening to it and stop counting, you get into the groove of the music. I think the dancers are doing great.
Why is this ballet one of your favorite Mr. Wheeldon pieces?
These kinds of ballets are actually my wheelhouse. This is how my brain works, it’s how my body worked as a dancer. I would feel more comfortable in something like this. It’s how I moved, the athleticism behind it.
Christopher Wheeldon also created and choreographed MJ the Musical on Broadway, correct?
Yes, he did. Chris said when he was young at Royal Ballet School all of his friends had ballet posters of all the famous dancers- Nureyev, Baryshnikov, Godunov. He had a poster of Michael Jackson. Isn’t that amazing – like it was always meant to be.
About Michele Gifford
Michele began her training at Dallas Metropolitan Ballet. At 16 she attended New York City Ballet’s School of American Ballet on full scholarship and at 18 became a member of the company. In her 12-year career at NYCB Michele performed soloist and principal roles in Balanchine’s Apollo, Rubies, Agon, and Stars and Stripes, among others. She originated many roles, including in Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story Suite and Christopher Wheeldon’s Slavonic Dances. In 2000, Michele joined Texas Ballet Theater, where she performed principal roles in Ben Stevenson’s Coppelia and Dracula along with many Balanchine works. Michele was in demand as a guest artist and joined Bruce Wood Dance Company where she was also Company Manager.
Michele has taught throughout the country including at Ballet West, Boston Ballet, and Indiana University. She is a répétiteur for the Balanchine Trust and Christopher Wheeldon. She owns a Gyrotonic studio and is passionate about passing on her knowledge of movement to people from all walks of life.
About Christopher Wheeldon
Christopher Wheeldon is Artistic Associate of The Royal Ballet and a choreographer who has created and staged productions for many of the world’s major ballet companies. He is a lauded dancer who trained at The Royal Ballet School and joined the company in 1991; in 1993 he joined New York City Ballet and was promoted to Soloist in 1998. He retired from dancing in 2000 to focus on choreography and was named NYCB’s first Resident Choreographer in 2001, choreographing Polyphonia that same year.
Mr. Wheeldon’s choreographic range is remarkable, encompassing contemporary works, full-length ballets, Broadway musicals and more. A short list includes Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Winter’s Tale, and most recently, Like Water for Chocolate (2022) for The Royal Ballet; Cinderella for Het Nationale Ballet (restaged for English National Ballet and performed extensively by other companies); “Dance of the Hours” for La Gioconda and Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera; and ballet and dance sequences for the London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremonies and the feature film Center Stage. Broadway credits include the musicals Sweet Smell of Success, An American in Paris and MJ the Musical (2022) the latter two garnering him Tony Awards for Best Choreography.
Additional awards include the Outer Critics Award for Best Choreography and Direction for An American in Paris, the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center, the American Choreography Award, the Dance Magazine Award, South Bank Show Award, multiple London Critics’ Circle Awards and the Léonide Massine Prize for new choreography. Mr. Wheeldon is an Olivier Award winner twice over and was named an Order of the British Empire. He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, residing in New York City.
Announcing Casting for The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has announced casting for The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond with the PBT Orchestra. This mixed repertory program features three works from internationally acclaimed, award-winning ballet choreographers. The pieces showcase classical dancing with contemporary twists, heightened by live music from the PBT Orchestra.
The program includes Jorma Elo’s intricate 1st Flash, Tony Award-winner Christopher Wheeldon’s moody and romantic Polyphonia, and the exquisite Theme and Variations from George Balanchine, the father of 20th-century American ballet.
The Masters Program: Balanchine and Beyond runs April 14-16 at the Benedeum Center.
Browse our photo gallery and go behind the scenes of studio rehearsals for this performance.
Artists of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre | Photos: Aviana Adams
Learn more about our artists
Balanchine | 15 Facts & Beyond
As part of The Master Program: Balanchine and Beyond, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will perform George Balanchine’s opulent Theme and Variations from April 14 through 16 at the Benedum Center.
Balanchine, a Russian-born dancer/choreographer, is regarded as the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States. He is often called the “Father of American Ballet” due to his influence in paving the way for ballet to flourish in America. He is credited with developing the neo-classical style distinct to the 20th century and is well-known for his modern-yet-classical, clean aesthetic. His trademarks include lighter costumes, minimal decor, faster movements, challenging choreography and plotless ballets.
His 1954 staging of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker is probably his most famous work. It is the version best known for making the ballet an annual holiday tradition throughout the United States. It has been performed in New York City annually since 1954 and still continues its run there, as well as in nearly every city across America and throughout the World.
15 Fun Facts About George Balanchine:
- Balanchine is credited with creating 465 ballets, which have been performed by nearly every ballet company across the world.
- He choreographed his first ballet La Nuit in 1920 at the age of 16.
- In addition to attending the Imperial Theater Ballet School in Russia to study dance and choreography, Balanchine also enrolled at the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music and studied piano, musical theory and composition.
- During the Russian Revolution, he played the piano in cabarets and silent movie houses for food and drink (when money was worthless).
- He co-founded both the School of American Ballet (1934) and American Ballet (1935), later re-christened the New York City Ballet (1948).
- He served as the artistic director of the New York City Ballet from 1935 until his death, on April 30, 1983.
- In total, he married and divorced four times – all to ballet dancers. His first marriage began when he was 18 years old and his bride, Tamara Geva, was just 15 years old.
- Known as a bit of a ladies’ man, Balanchine would give his various girlfriends different perfumes so he could distinguish who was coming down the hall.
- Balanchine loved to cook and in 1966 participated in a cookbook called The Ballet Cook Book with other ballet dancers and choreographers. Some of his recipes include blinis, beet borschok, “fish dinner for two” and “banana sweet.”
- He discovered a love for America that extended to all aspects of the culture. He wore western shirts and string ties and delighted in American TV commercials, often weaving phrases plucked from those commercials into rehearsals.
- Balanchine was proud to become an American citizen and made sure to vote at each and every election. He took jury duty so seriously that he refused to discuss any details of the cases he sat on, with even his closest friends.
- He worked with Claude Debussy, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Coco Chanel at various times.
- In addition to ballet, Balanchine choreographed Hollywood movies and Broadway musicals.
- A crater on Mercury was named in his honor.
- George Balanchine Way is a segment of West 63rd Street (located between Columbus Avenue and Broadway) in New York City that was renamed in his honor in June 1990.
Meet Michael Pink: Dracula Choreographer and Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director
PBT’s Pittsburgh premiere of Michael Pink’s world-renowned Dracula, will open on Friday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Benedum Center. There are only 4 performances – Feb. 10 through 12 – of this internationally famous and wildly popular dance drama. Tickets can be purchased here.
Pink’s vision of Dracula is truly unlike any other ballet as it combines intense drama, exquisite storytelling, theatrical choreography and seductive sensuality into an enticing and riveting performance. Pink, artistic director of the Milwaukee Ballet and choreographer of Dracula, shares some insights into the production.
Q: When did you first create/choreograph this Dracula ballet?
Originally I created it for Northern Ballet in the UK in 1996 to coincide with the centenary publication of Bram Stoker’s novel.
Q: What inspired you to create this version of Dracula?
The novel was the source of inspiration. The creative team: Myself and Christopher Gable, Designer Lez Brotherston and composer Philip Feeney all wanted to stay as true to the book as possible.
Q: How is it different from other versions?
The original score, Gothic setting and theatricality separate it from all other dance versions. The attention to detail and storytelling make it compelling from the first moment to the last.
Q: Why do you think the character of Dracula has such universal appeal?
Dracula has become more of a romantic figure than Bram Stoker created. He has sex-appeal despite his disregard for human life.
Q: How do audiences react to it?
Audiences react with great enthusiasm. Dracula is a bit of a Rock Star!
Q: If you were a character in Dracula, who would you be and why?
I guess it would be big D himself. In creating the production, I felt an instant affinity with the character. His stillness and effortless movement are powerful, perfect for dance.
Watch an Interview with Michael
About Michael Pink
Michael Pink is the longest serving artistic director in Milwaukee Ballet history. Since joining the Company in December of 2002, he established himself as a prominent member of the Milwaukee arts community, demonstrating his commitment to the future of dance through new work, education and collaboration.
His artistic vision for Milwaukee Ballet continues to be exciting and challenging. His long-awaited production of Peter Pan signified a major landmark in the Company’s history and was broadcast nationally by PBS in spring of 2014. His production of Romeo & Juliet has also been broadcast by MPBS. In 2008, the Wisconsin Dance Council presented Pink with the Choreography/Performance Award. In 2014, the Milwaukee Press Club honored him with the Headliner Award for service to the arts. He received the Civic Music Association’s award for Distinguished Citizen – Professional in the Arts in 2015. In 2019 he received the Educational Excellence Award from the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, which recognizes organizational achievement of a nonprofit that exemplifies collaboration in the arts.
Pink is an international choreographer whose theatrical productions of Dracula, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Swan Lake, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Romeo & Juliet, La Bohème, Don Quixote, Mirror Mirror, Dorian Gray and Beauty and the Beast have been hailed as ‘Classical Ballet for the 21st Century.’ His first professional work, 1914, was nominated for a West End Theatre Award, London.
His early choreographic work won him first place in the Frederick Ashton and the Royal Society of Arts Choreographic Competitions. He has worked as répétiteur for Rudolf Nureyev at the Paris Opera and La Scala Milan. He trained as a classical dancer at The Royal Ballet School and danced with English National Ballet 1975 to 1985.
Pink was the founding director of Ballet Central in London; he also served as associate artistic director of Northern Ballet.
He continues to build strong working relationships with other Milwaukee Arts groups, where his credits include A Christmas Carol, Assassins, Cabaret and Next to Normal for Milwaukee Repertory Theater, as well as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Matilda for First Stage.
About Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has been Pittsburgh’s premier professional ballet company since 1969. Today, PBT is a nationally recognized ballet company of 30 professional dancers, a training institution for over 1,200 students of all ages, and an incubator for education and accessibility programs in classrooms, libraries and community centers throughout the region. The company performs a wide-ranging repertoire of classical ballets, contemporary masterworks and new commissions in more than 50 performances annually at home and on tour.
Casting for Dracula Has Arrived!
PBT will be staging Michael Pink’s world-renowned Dracula for the first time ever in Pittsburgh. The ballet has been viewed and lauded by millions of people worldwide. The powerful choreography and edge-of-your-seat drama in this entrancing production create a provocative and riveting performance. You’ll be enthralled by the exquisite costumes, gothic scenery and dramatic score in this provocative tale of bloodlust and suspense. All of the roles are performed by the talented artists of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School.
Dracula will be at the Benedum Center February 10-12, 2023
View Dracula enrichment experiences and the performance schedule here.
Check out interviews with Michael Pink and Soloists Tommie Lin O’Hanlon and Corey Bourbonniere.
It’s Opening Night for The Nutcracker
The magic of The Nutcracker returns to the Benedum Center stage! Beneath the Stahlbaum’s growing Christmas tree, a battle between the chivalrous Nutcracker prince and the unrelenting Rat King unfolds, captivating the young Marie and sending her on an adventure through the Land of Enchantment. Stunning scenes, glittering snowflakes and Tchaikovsky’s positively charming score make The Nutcracker a classic Pittsburgh holiday tradition.
Choreography & Concept: Terrence S. Orr
Music: P.I. Tchaikovsky
Photo Gallery
Photos by: Aviana Adams
Theater Programs
Nutcracker Family Workshop | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 12:45 p.m.
Join us for a Nutcracker story time, meet the Sheep characters, and do a themed craft with us! Register here!
Artis Q&A | Saturday, Dec. 10 | after the performance
PBT Artists Ariana Chernyshev, Gabrielle Thurlow, William Moore and Jacob Patrick Miller take your questions after the show! No registration needed.
Curtain Up! | Sunday, Dec. 11 | 11 a.m.
Watch the last few minutes of company class on stage, and preview the show with PBT Company Artist Jonathan Breight. No registration needed.
Audio-described Performance | Friday, Dec. 16 and 27 at 2 p.m. (Sensory-friendly Performances), Dec. 18 at 12 p.m.
Live narration of the performance for those with blindness or vision impairment, or for anyone who’d like to listen! No registration necessary.
The Nutcracker Casting Is Announced!
Casting for The Nutcracker has arrived!
It’s the most magical time of the year as Marie and her Nutcracker prince journey to the Land of Enchantment. Along the way, they encounter the Snow Queen and King, The Rat King, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, and a whole cast of memorable characters! All of the roles are performed by the talented artists of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School.
The Nutcracker returns to the Benedum Center December 9-28, 2022
EXPLORE THE NUTCRACKER
Programs and performance dates: View Nutcracker enrichment experiences and the performance schedule here.
Sensory-friendly: Information on sensory-friendly performances and workshops can be found here.
Guidance for young attendees: Learn about The Nutcracker story and its characters in the Children’s Activity Guide.
Behind the Scenes of The Nutcracker: Costumes Galore!
With five scenes, over 150 unique costumes, more than 1,500 accessories and 21 performances, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s (PBT) production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker is no small feat. One unique aspect of The Nutcracker is its amazing costumes, which were designed specifically for the beloved holiday tale.
Janet Groom Campbell, who was PBT’s Costumier for more than 48 years, says that organization is key for the myriad of costumes used in The Nutcracker, and much of that preparation occurs even before performances begin.
“I always said that The Nutcracker is our best friend because we can work on it any time during the season because it is always there,” Campbell remarked.
“We pull all the costumes for each performance from storage, organize everything in the costume shop and make sure everything is performance ready. Then, one Saturday in November, we do all the student fittings and have Kathie Sullivan (PBT’s Wardrobe Supervisor) come in to pack and count everything to be transported to the Benedum Center.”
Kristin McLain, current Costume Director at PBT who has been working with the organization since 2016, noted that, “Pretty much all of November is a scramble to get Nutcracker ready.”
McLain described the annual preparation routine for The Nutcracker as very methodical and precise. 
“Year after year, we follow the same plan as the year before,” said McLain. “During the summer, we pull each group of costumes from the back storage and carefully look through for repairs.”
According to McLain, typically in early November, they’ll have a costume fitting day for the nearly 150 students who are dancing in The Nutcracker. This is usually a fast-paced, fun day because they get to see all of the kids who will be performing and can make sure that their costumes fit and that they know how to put them on. At the end of November, company casting is released and the costume department can begin fitting the company dancers and graduate students.
“Many of the dancers have worn these costumes in years past; however, we find that we can usually make a few minor adjustments to perfect the fit,” said McLain. “While we don’t usually have difficult alterations, with so many dancers it can add up.”
Campbell explained that, “When building a show like The Nutcracker, you build the costumes in a way that is easy to fit on many different bodies because during the lifespan of a Nutcracker costume, it will be worn by many different body types.”
After alterations are complete, the costumes must be transported to and organized at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts.
“When packing, Kathie Sullivan organizes how the crates are packed and where they will go in the theater. Most costumes have at least four accessories,” Campbell explains.
According to McLain, The Nutcracker has the most costumes and dancers that she’s ever worked with and due to the number of people and activity backstage, it MUST stay organized.
“At the theater, Kathie Sullivan and her dressers keep everything in order”, said McLain. “The costumes and dressing areas are located over four floors of the Benedum: the basement dressing rooms, stage level dressing rooms, entry level dressing rooms and rehearsal studios. For a full week before performances, Kathie and her team place costumes, tights, shoes/boots and headpieces into the areas of the corresponding dancers. Between shows, items will return to the wardrobe room for washing and repair and will then be placed back exactly where they belong.”
In addition to the company and graduate student dancers, there are also nearly 150 student dancers involved in the performances. The student costumes include everything from flowers and snowflakes to party children, soldiers, bumblebee, clowns and everything in between.
Although it certainly takes a village to alter, assign and distribute all of the costumes required of The Nutcracker, the effort certainly pays off — the over 150 dazzling, unique costumes bring the magical ballet to life on stage.
Get an up-close look at the details of The Sugar Plum Fairy, Cavaliere and The Nutcracker Prince costumes below.
Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of The Nutcracker this holiday season, running December 9-28 at the Benedum Center!
Thank you to our sponsors, Highmark, Giant Eagle, Clearview and Federal Credit Union for their support of The Nutcracker.
The Nutcracker Through the Years: Reflections with Ariana Chernyshev
At PBT School, students have the opportunity to perform onstage in PBT’s production of The Nutcracker every season, starting as young as age 8. Students who train in the School over the course of many years are therefore able to perform multiple different roles in the holiday production as they grow.
Ariana Chernyshev, current company apprentice who was trained from Pre-Ballet all the way through the Graduate program at PBT School, reflects on her own journey with PBT’s The Nutcracker that began nearly 14 years ago.
Can you remember your first Nutcracker experience? What role did you dance? Were you excited, nervous, etc.?
My first experience with The Nutcracker was in 2008, and it was absolutely unforgettable! I was the Little Party Girl, which was an honor since only two girls from the youngest age division are selected for this role. There is a good amount of acting and the rehearsal process was very exciting since the other party children were a few years older. My ballet bestie was the Little Party Girl for the other cast, and we would write notes back and forth to each other in the book we colored in onstage. I didn’t feel nervous until I was backstage – this was my first production on a big stage with a professional company and everything seemed larger than life. I was fully enraptured by the sets, costumes, lights and the older dancers having their final moments to practice before the show. After my first entrance, my nerves transformed into pure elation and that first show of The Nutcracker became the memory that I hold in my heart as the moment I knew I would do anything to become a ballerina.
What roles have you danced in The Nutcracker? Which ones have been your favorites and why?
In Terrence S. Orr’s The Nutcracker, I have danced the roles of Little Party Girl, Soldier, Bumblebee, Mouse, Black Sheep, Party Girl, Clown, Young McTavish, Clara Doll, Aviary, Flower, Snowflake and Spanish. Little Girl in the party scene will definitely be a role I always treasure since it was where I truly fell in love with performing, but I also loved getting to shake my stinger at the end of the show as a Bumblebee! Mouse was another one of my all-time favorite roles, as they are quite cheeky. As a young dancer performing child’s roles in The Nutcracker, I always wanted to be a Snowflake. I thought that the older dancers were so beautiful, graceful and powerful, especially with their gorgeous crowns and fluttery tutus. The magic of performing as a Snowflake now is something I don’t take for granted. Also, the camaraderie of the Snowflakes really adds to the enchantment of each performance.
What was your most recent Nutcracker role? How have you changed as a dancer since the first time you took the stage for The Nutcracker?
This past Nutcracker season, I danced as a Snowflake, Flower and understudied for Spanish. Last-minute casting adjustments allowed for me to perform in the Spanish, including an emergency during intermission! The ability to be ready to step in with just a moment’s notice is incredibly useful in the world of the performing arts and it was exciting for me to be able to challenge myself in that way. I’ve come a long way as a dancer from my first Nutcracker, and have gained a lot of crucial performance experience.
How has your experience dancing in The Nutcracker affected your growth as a dancer and performer? Has it prepared you for future performances?
Dancing in The Nutcracker over the past 14 years has led me to fall in love with ballet, expand my artistry and push my body physically. From my very first performance, I knew that ballet was going to be one of my greatest passions in life. The multiple children’s roles I began with were the introduction of my development as an onstage performer. As my roles became more physically strenuous, including the addition of pointe shoes, Nutcracker became a time for me to practice managing the stress on my body. This self-management has proven to be absolutely invaluable in my time as a dancer, especially during PBT’s most recent performances of Swan Lake with the PBT Orchestra. As both a dancer and a performer, The Nutcracker has become a benchmark of my growth and progress.
What is your favorite memory from all of the Nutcracker seasons you’ve taken part in?
Both of my little sisters have danced at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and have performed in the company’s production of The Nutcracker, and my mother (Toma Smith) works with the children for roles in the battle scene and Act II. One of my favorite memories is a performance that we were all a part of!
Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of The Nutcracker this holiday season, running December 9-28 at the Benedum Center!
[Buy Tickets button: https://pbt.culturaldistrict.org/production/78322/the-nutcracker]
Interested in enrolling your child at PBT School so they can enjoy performance opportunities like this? Click the link below to learn more!
[Learn More button: https://pbt.org/pbt-school/join-our-school/]
Thank you to our sponsors, Highmark, Giant Eagle, Clearview Federal Credit Union for their support of The Nutcracker.
Storytelling in Motion Sneak Peek: “Catharsis”
Written by Denise Mosley-Moore
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s (PBT) first production of the 2022-2023 season is Storytelling in Motion, a mixed repertoire showcase of contemporary ballet. Storytelling in Motion features PBT’s own Principal Dancer Yoshiaki Nakano’s Catharsis, a world premiere that celebrates the transformative power of human connection and community support.
“I’m so grateful to choreograph with dancers I know because I can connect with them. I can relate to them,” Nakano explained. “I know them. I know how they dance,” he continued. This is Nakano’s fifth commissioned mainstage work for the PBT Company.
When describing his choreographic process, Nakano expressed, “I always start with music. The music always inspires me.” Nakano’s initial inspiration for Catharsis was “Moonlight Sonata: Adagio,” a rearrangement and performance by Maya Beiser that is based upon Beethoven’s solo “Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2: Sonata quasi una fantasia.” Beiser’s rendition features a very prevalent heartbeat, which Nakano says he “fell in love with” when he heard it for the first time. “If you strip everything, we are bones, muscles, and organs. So, the heartbeat is the center of humans,” explains Nakano.
Catharsis consists of four movements that shed light on the human capacity to connect through shared values, authenticity, support and empathy. Viewers will be entranced by the progressively deeper connections the dancers make throughout the piece as dancers layer the tenderly expressive, yet demanding choreography with increasingly greater levels of human connection through touch, emotion and eye contact.
The first movement reveals a striking disconnection between a group of dancers who move in unison with crisp, hypnotizing choreography while three soloists discreetly separate from the group to demonstrate feelings of loneliness that we as humans often feel in the midst of others. In the second movement Masahiro Haneji and Josiah Kauffman command the stage with heart-wrenching solos emoting the feelings of intense isolation and frustration they feel for being unseen and unheard by the rest of the group. There is a glimmer of hope for reconnection when solo dancers Hannah Carter and JoAnna Schmidt gracefully depart from the group and seemingly glide across the stage to re-engage Masahiro and Josiah with a gentle touch to their faces.
In the third movement of Catharsis Hannah and JoAnna inspire a deeper connection among the rest of the group through touch as well. The women are joined by three other dancers who anchor them through what seems like an endless, yet seemingly effortless series of breathtaking and extremely demanding lifts. The piece crescendos with the fourth and final movement that Nakano describes as “much brighter, more contemporary and neoclassical” in contrast to the first three movements. For the first time in the piece, the dancers begin to exchange eye contact, which Nakano believes to be a critical and healing component of human connection. “Humans are social beings,” he says. “We all need support,” Nakano adds.
When asked what he’d like the audience to feel when they witness the world premiere of Catharsis, Nakano explains that he wants the audience to appreciate the beauty of this choreography while being reminded that although they may feel lonely at times, they are never truly alone. “You can find someone who relates to you and you can be yourself there.”
Make sure to see Catharsis, along with two other innovative, contemporary pieces — Nacho Duato’s Duende and Helen Pickett’s The Exiled — at Storytelling in Motion, running Oct. 7-9 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center! Check out the preview video here.
Photography: Aviana Adams
Casting for “Storytelling in Motion” is Announced!
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has announced casting for Storytelling in Motion. The 22 – 23 season kicks off with “a taste of the world in Pittsburgh,” highlighting innovative, thought-provoking and athletic works choreographed by Helen Pickett (The Exiled), Nacho Duato (Duende) and PBT’s own Principal Dancer, Yoshiaki Nakano (Catharsis). Storytelling in Motion runs Oct. 7 – 9 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center!
The Exiled
| Fri, Oct. 7 and Sat., Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. | Sat., Oct. 8 and Sun., Oct. 9 at 2:00 p.m. | |
| The Proprietors | Gabrielle Thurlow and William Moore | Amanda Morgan and Lucius Kirst |
| Thomas | Corey Bourbonniere | Kurtis Sprowls |
| Diana | Tommie Lin O’Hanlon | Jessica McCann |
| Margaret | Hannah Carter | Diana Yohe |
Catharsis
| Fri, Oct. 7 and Sat., Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. | Sat., Oct. 8 and Sun., Oct. 9 at 2:00 p.m. |
| Hannah Carter | JoAnna Schmidt |
| Marisa Grywalski | Grace Rookstool |
| Danielle Downey | Caitlyn Mendicino |
| Christian García Campos | Cecilia Hernandez |
| Erin Casale | Ariana Chernyshev |
| Madeline Gradle | Madeline Gradle |
| Masahiro Haneji | Josiah Kauffman |
| Colin McCaslin | Joseph Parr |
| David O’Matz | Jacob Patrick Miller |
| Jack Hawn | Jonathan Breight |
| Luke Mosher | Luke Mosher |
Duende
| Fri, Oct. 7 and Sat., Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. | Sat., Oct. 8 and Sun., Oct. 9 at 2:00 p.m. | ||
| Jessica McCann | Corey Bourbonniere | Erin Casale | Sam DerGregorian |
| Caitlyn Mendicino | Masahiro Haneji | Danielle Downey | Josiah Kauffman |
| Amanda Morgan | Jack Hawn | Christian García Campos | Lucius Kirst |
| Tommie Lin O’Hanlon | Jacob Patrick Miller | Marisa Grywalski | Colin McCaslin |
| Grace Rookstool | William Moore | Gabrielle Thurlow | David O’Matz |
| JoAnna Schmidt | Kurtis Sprowls | Diana Yohe | Joseph Parr |
Explore Storytelling in Motion
- On the Blog: Storytelling in Motion Sneak Peek: “Duende”
- On the Blog: Storytelling in Motion Sneak Peek: “The Exiled”
Photo Credits | Artists: JoAnna Schmidt and Gabrielle Thurlow | Photo: Duane Rieder
Storytelling in Motion Sneak Peek: “The Exiled”
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s first production of the 2022-2023 season is Storytelling in Motion, a mixed repertoire showcase of contemporary ballet. The production features Helen Pickett’s piece The Exiled, which diverges from traditional ballet in both content and set design.
The Exiled features a large plexiglass room, where three of the five characters are confined during the entirety of the piece. The three incompatible strangers are destined to spend eternity together in the room, while two characters called the Proprietors function as the story’s curators and instigators, creating a cat-and-mouse dynamic. The Proprietors also serve as narrators, diverging from ballet tradition with a spoken performance.
For choreographer Helen Pickett, the unusual set of The Exiled was created to “investigate the concepts of containment: limited space to move and negotiate and the physical responses to the forced confines, which included an actual wall to bump up against,” Pickett explained. “In addition, I wanted to combine the above ideas with the psychological wall/barriers between three strangers who are locked into a one-room space. How do three vastly different individuals cope with each other? How are alliances built, destroyed and accepted?”
Former Artistic Director Susan Jaffe is well acquainted with The Exiled, having seen it during its first ever performance and knew it would be a perfect fit for Storytelling in Motion as she planned the 22-23 season.
“I actually got to see The Exiled in Atlanta, where it premiered,” Jaffe recalled. “I drove eight hours from Winston Salem just to see that work. I was so impressed with it. We did Helen Pickett’s Petal last year during Season Premiere, and now we’re doing The Exiled.”
According to Jaffe, “My interpretation of that plexiglass box is a place where you can’t get out – you are captured in that space. But it’s also transparent, so to me, it’s like being a voyeur. It feels like looking into an apartment building or even looking at a television set. It’s one step removed, but in a way it magnifies what the dancers are doing and what they are saying and makes it unusual enough that you’re hyper focused on the work.”
Pickett echoed Jaffe’s interpretation, stating that, “With this ‘a-day-in-the-life’ story, I wished to set up an even more pronounced voyeuristic aspect for the audience. A transparent wall creates a greater sense that we might be watching something we shouldn’t and it forces questions about the fourth wall barrier as well. On this day of reckoning, we, the audience, are directly asked to participate as witnesses by The Proprietors. We learn that the three other characters, all strangers to each other, are in this space because of their life choices. The Proprietors see their job as a service, and have invited us to join ‘the fun.’ The antics ensue and eventually the three strangers face their realities.
I put enough people inside the space to make the movement puzzle more challenging. I knew The Proprietors could breach the confines, creating more tension for the confined three. ”
On the intended message of the piece, Pickett commented that, “There is no intended message. It is a study in human nature. These PBT dancers are exceptionally generous in their storytelling, both with their physical and emotional space.”
According to Jaffe, Pickett actually reworked and rewrote part of the script specifically for PBT dancers. Pickett will come to Pittsburgh to teach the piece in person to the company dancers.
“Helen is one of the top female choreographers in the world, and we’re really fortunate to be able to perform her work,” Jaffe remarked.
Pickett reflected that, “I want to thank the extraordinary Sarah Hillmer who contributed greatly to the development and furthering of The Exiled. And I wish to thank Susan Jaffe, who saw the premiere of The Exiled, and the entire PBT organization. We are better together!”
Make sure to see The Exiled, along with two other innovative contemporary pieces — Nacho Duato’s Duende and a new piece choreographed by PBT’s own principal dancer Yoshiaki Nakano — in Storytelling in Motion, running Oct. 7-9 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Check out the preview video here.