Highlights from
The Nutcracker
Sponsored in part by Retina Health Center
December 5 & 6
Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW
2020-2021 Season Sponsor: Gunterberg Charitable Foundation – Culliton Family
Conductor
Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz
guest artists
gulfshore ballet
Synopsis
As our story begins, it is Christmas Eve. The Godfather Drosselmeyer, a skilled toy maker and full of surprises, arrives with a toy for Marie, a wooden Nutcracker. Drosselmeyer’s arrival draws Marie’s attention as he presents a Columbine Doll and Toy Soldier.
During the night, Marie returns to the parlor to check on her beloved Nutcracker, suddenly, the Christmas tree begins to grow to dizzying heights. Marie’s Nutcracker also come to life. The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles him one by one, when the Nutcracker is in danger, Marie saves his life by hitting the Mouse King on its head. The Nutcracker stabs him and the Mouse King runs out of the room. The Nutcracker Prince becomes a human prince and he leads Marie on a journey to the land of snow, an enchanted forest wonderland where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes.
Marie and the Prince travel to the beautiful land of the sweets, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is produced: Chocolate from Spain, Tea from China, Candy Canes from Russia, Coffee from Arabia, Marzipan from Denmark, sweets from the bakers, and a string of beautiful waltzing Flowers led by the Dewdrop. To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Drosselmeyer perform a Pas de Deux.
GulfShore Ballet
Gulfshore Ballet is Southwest Florida’s premier not-for-profit school of Classical Ballet. The school has an internationally acclaimed teaching faculty and offers area students the unique opportunity to study with professional instructors of the highest caliber. The training at Gulfshore Ballet combines Cuban, American, and Russian technique and brings a quality of excellence not normally found outside major metropolitan cities.
ACT I
Franklin Gamero
Marie
Katie Shipp
Fritz
Parrish Danesh
Marie’s Friends
Nina Colls, Sarah Kate Feiock, Audrey Galloway, Isabela Pinto, Emarie Ramsay-Moroti
Fritz’s Friends
Michael Boutsan, Aiden Gonzalez, Alexander Redman
Columbine Doll
Alivia Ban
Soldier/Nutcracker
Zachary Yoshida
Mouse King
Alan Rudd
Snow Queen
Carly Anderson
Mini Snowflakes
Alana Almodovar, Melia Brockington, Skye Buchanan, Isabell Donato, Elizabeth Eaton, Elana Gorny, Ana Ortega, Kai Perkins, Kayla Rathur, Madelena Urban
Snowflakes
Alivia Ban, Annette Gorny, Courtney Laplatte, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak, Savannah Redman, Sabrina Ruff, Chloe Sierra
ACT II
The Sugar Plum Fairy
Annalisse Van Zanten
Lead Spanish
Annette Gorny
Spanish Dancers
Alana Almodovar, Melia Brockington, Elizabeth Eaton, Ana Ortega, Madelena Urban
Lead Chinese
Savannah Redman
Lead Candy Canes
Kai Perkins, Zachary Yoshida
Candy Canes
Skye Buchanan, Isabell Donato, Elana Gorny, Kayla Rathur
Lead Arabian
Sabrina Ruff
Arabians
Alivia Ban, Kate Karen, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak
Lead Marzipan
Chloe Sierra
Marzipans
Savannah Redman, Katie Shipp
Lead Chefs
Sarah Kate Feiock, Isabela Pinto, Emarie Ramsay-Moroti
Bakers
Michael Boutsan, Nina Colls, Parrish Danesh, Audrey Galloway
Cooks
Isabell Garvey, Aiden Gonzalez, Abigail Lagergren, Madelyn Roe, Mya Scerbo
Dewdrop
Courtney LaPlatte
Demi Flowers
Carly Anderson, Sabrina Ruff
Flowers
Alivia Ban, Elizabeth Eaton, Annette Gorny, Nicole Lezcano, Ella Litvak, Savannah Redman, Renee Rodriguez, Chloe Sierra
Pas de Deux
Franklin Gamero and Annalisse Van Zanten
Finale
All Cast
Andrew M. Kurtz
Music & Executive Director
Gulf Coast Symphony founder Dr. Andrew M. Kurtz enters his twenty-sixth season as the Symphony’s Music & Executive Director, and conductor. His deep rooted commitment to new work, community and education, combined with a vibrant artistic vision has led to creating and nurturing one of the most dynamic arts organizations in the region. His conducting has been called “passionate, expansive, expert, and musical.” He was named the 2007 Performing Artist of the Year at Lee County’s Angel of the Arts Awards. Kurtz’s repertoire encompasses a wide range of music styles from baroque to contemporary, and multiple genres including symphonic, opera, ballet, musical theater, jazz, cantorial, and symphonic pops.
An avid arts educator, Maestro Kurtz was Resident Music Director at the Luzerne Music Center. Kurtz is a past-president of the board of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. In 2001, he won First Prize in the Dell’Arte di Firenze International Conducting Competition, and made his European conducting debut in Florence. In 1995, Kurtz made his international operatic debut in Tel Aviv while working as a staff conductor at the Israel Vocal Arts Institute. In 1997, he conducted the Metropolitan Opera Guild’s educational tour production of The Best of Puccini. He was a scholarship conducting student at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, and boasts numerous other conducting credits, including the Pennsylvania Opera Theater, the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Charlotte Symphony, Gonzaga Symphony, and the Ocean City Pops.
Kurtz completed his doctoral studies in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Virginia where he received his master’s degree in music history and a bachelor of arts in music and drama. A native of Philadelphia, Kurtz has called Southwest Florida home for more than 28 years, where he currently resides with his wife, Julie, and their son, Benjamin.
Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra Members
Violin 1
Sean O’Neil~
Clive Owens
Carlann Evans~
Ariel Eliot~
Erica Griswold
Violin 2
Rachel Cox
Margaret Nichols
John DiPuccio
Brenda Cali
Jonathan Lawrence
Viola
Alfonso Giordano
Ron Erickson~
Michael McClelland
Cello
Antonio Innaimo~
Scott Crowley~
Andreas Werle
Double Bass
Scott Davis~
Arthur Mooradian
John Wadsworth
Flute
Deb Handley
Sherrie Mangan
Oboe
Jonathan Gentry~
Kareema Colson
Clarinet
John Giacco
Nicholas Contreras
Bassoon
Scott Radloff
Stacey Gossmann
Horn
Dana Williams
Susan Oliver~
Trumpet
Cindy Klispie
Alan Klispie
Trombone
Kevin Devitt~
Rick Wallace
Timpani
Scott Crawford~
Percussion
Isaac Hernandez
Harp
Richard Fleisher
Celeste
Janet Carter
~ Denotes Gulf Coast Symphony Chamber Orchestra Member
Upcoming Concerts
Celebrate the season with your favorite holiday medleys.
12/12
Intimate evening of Sinatra’s Christmas hits!
Outdoor concert at the new Music & Arts Community Center.
12/16-17
Brian Duprey performs Frank’s greatest holiday classics.
12/19