Oil Region Ballet’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Opens Friday

| February 13, 2017

Orb-20170128-0050VENANGO COUNTY, Pa. – Since 2009, the Oil Region Ballet has been producing brilliant and lively ballet productions.

Deborah Femovich, the ORB Executive and Artistic Director, takes beloved fairy tales and spins the storyline, merging traditional with new plot twists and adventures. Combined choreographic efforts with Taryn Frey Misner, Assistant Artistic Director (since 2011), the duo take on the challenge of bringing new life to classic themes. The 2017 season will be no different. The classic “Sleepy Beauty” leaps into a new era; one where Aurora isn’t fully asleep, but rather (through the mishap of twisting the words of a blessing) she finds herself cursed with dropping into naps at the sound of chiming bells.

The Ballet begins as a well-to-do merchant (Eli Skelton) and his wife (Abigail Adams) plan a christening to welcome their beautiful baby girl, with all townspeople invited, including the fairies (Sydney Davis, Lily Dunn, Yilin Zhu/Maya Alizzeo) of the seaside land. Each fairy carefully plans which gift to bless Aurora (Rachel Leech) with, but Fairy Bumble-in-training (Ryan Schiffer), just can’t decide. As the fairies all bestow their gifts, Fairy Malvaise (Kinsey Grant Waite) arrives, angry for her exclusion, to curse Aurora with 100 years of sleep. It’s up to Bumble to save the day! But nervousness overtakes him. He stumbles over his words, mixing “chime” and “time” and adding a “kiss of true love”. The result has Aurora napping suddenly at the sound of bells.

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To make life as normal as possible for Aurora, all the clocks are stopped and the chimes were silenced. Then the secret is found out! Through a series of accidental bell tolls, and near detrimental napping, Aurora sets out for an escape. While enjoying her time alone, a cat (Megan Davis) crosses her path. The two quickly become friends and walk along the wharf together, until a pesky mouse (Grace Morrell) antagonizes the cat, and the chase is on.

A visiting sailor named Juno (Hector Santos) is unloading cargo with his shipmates. The boys partake in their usual shenanigans, attempting to impress the ladies shopping; Juno catches a glimpse of Aurora and sets his sights on her. The fish begin to fly as the adventure unfolds. Juno senses there is something a little different about the girl of his dreams. When he catches on and reality sets in, it seems she will never be rid of the curse and they will forever be apart. Alas… Whatever shall they do?… You just have to see!

The spectacular costumes (Sheri Bastecki, Tina Borger, Jenna Ronchi and Deborah Femovich), bright lights (Gary Dittman with Kent Zacheral) and wonderful music are brought to life through the choreography displayed by many talented dancers. Local stage manager (Joyce Dittman) runs a tight ship backstage.

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At the heart of every show are the performers who bring the characters to life onstage. The returning Corps de Ballet includes Abigail Adams (Oil City), Maya Alizzeo (Meadville), Baylee Cutchall (Franklin), Megan Davis (Saegertown), Sydney Davis (Saegertown), Lily Dunn (Grove City), Rachel Howard (Clarion), Danielle Guth (Franklin), Kinsey Grant Waite (Meadville), Gabriella Keebler (Titusville), Rachel Leech (Meadville), Justus Lind (Franklin), Grace Morrell (Cochranton), Skylar Morrell (Cochranton), Erica Perry (Franklin), Maddi Phillips (Franklin), Noelle Raszman (Titusville), Makenna Reavis (Franklin), Hector Santos (Pittsburgh), Ryan Schiffer (Oil City), Alexandra Schwab (Oil City), Eli Skelton (Kansas/Meadville), Stephen Teig (Franklin), Taylor Thomas (Oil City), Grace Morrell (Meadville), Halle Plowman (Franklin), and Hannah Young (Franklin).

Joining the stage as first year dancers are Kelsey Anderson (Titusville), Gabby Didolce (Shippenville), Libbie McFall (Oil City), Kyran Miller (Cochranton), Kylie Moore (Meadville), Carleigh Murphy (Meadville), Marissa Powell (Meadville), Sophia Sobina (Oil City), and Yilin Zhu (China/ Meadville).

The Oil Region Ballet Board of Directors (Kinta Alizzeo, Justine Cashdollar, Mary Edwards, Deborah Femovich, Taryn Frey Misner, Michele Howard, Robyn Guth, Cheryl Leech, Geneva Maleski, Heather McCandless, Nicole Morrell, and Todd Plowman), invite you to join in the adventure of “Sleepy Beauty.” The show opens the weekend of Friday, February 17 at 7:30 PM; then again Saturday, February 18th at a 2PM matinee and an evening show at 7:30 PM in the historic Academy Theatre in Meadville. The show’s closing run will be located at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin, Friday, February 24 at 7:30 PM, followed by a Saturday, February 25th Matinee at 2PM and evening performance at 7:30 PM, 2017.


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