The Nutcrackeran online movie event

Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Performed by theWestmoreland Symphony Orchestra

Story adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s

“The Nutcracker & the Mouse King”

Concept, Stage Direction & ChoreographyJudy Rae Tubbs

Production CompanyHeadspace Media

Cinematography & EditingMatthew Fridg

Screen Direction Matthew Fridg

Costumes Jennifer Shultz Stacey Pydynkowski

Palace Theatre LightingMatt Starry

Contibuting ChoreographersChristy NaleNichole Waugaman-Slavin

Production ManagerWhitney Rusiewicz

B Camera OperatorCody Shuckart

Additional Camera OperatorTodd Downs

Costumers Maggie Black Dawn Dunlap Alyssa Wells Marianna Tripoli Jennifer Shultz

Pruduction AssistantGigi LauritaKim Keifer

Costumes courtesy of-West Point Ballet

Stage Right

The Nutcracker with the Westmoreland Symphony has been a part of our community for over 25 years.

Our film version is a way to preserve this beloved holiday tradition that has been such a proud part of

our history.This is also an opportunity to engage new audiences,

and to connect to our local businesses.

The Westmoreland Ballet Company’s version of The Nutcracker has flipped the script with its approach to the film. Choreographer Judy Tubbs created original

choreography to fit each of the18 locations used to film throughout Westmoreland County.

Filmmaker Matthew Fridg wove the dancers and locations together to create a dream- like immersion

into the classic tale.

As you follow Clara on her journey...

How many locations do you recognize?

Hint there are 18!

Answer on last page...

Daniel Meyer Conductor

Violin 1 Jason Neukom, Acting Concertmaster Quddus Khamooshi, Acting Asst. Concertmaster Melissa Hernandez Devin Arrington Sarah Breckenridge Jennifer Sternick

Violin 2 Ramona Coppage, Acting Principal Linda Feczko, Acting Asst. Principal Lindsey Hills Bethany Landby Deborah Mewherter

Viola Mary Persin, Acting Principal Ai Wen Thian, Acting Asst. Princ. Eriko Niiho Amber Rogers

Score for the Nutcracker Film is from a 2012 performance at the Palace Theatre

Trumpet Erin Yanacek, Acting Princ. Andy Augustine Trombone Gonzalo Fernandez, Principal Ted Sonnier Robert Tupper

Tuba Tyler Schwirian, Principal

Harp Julia Ann Scott, Principal

Celeste Corinne Adkins, Principal

Timpani Ron Horner, Principal

Percussion Mike Matteo, Principal Rob Beatty Tom Milchick

Cello Charles Akert, Principal Dennis Persin, Acting Asst. Principal Marlene Ballena Sarah Ferrell

Double Bass Gabe Katz, Principal Justin Bendel

Flute Tom Godfrey, Principal Julie McGough Melissa Lessure

Oboe Rise Kostilnik, Act. Principal Miriam Friedman

Clarinet Ryan Leonard, Principal Kira Bokalders

Bass Clarinet Lisa Thackrah, Principal

Bassoon Linda Morton Fisher, Principal Amy Baker

Horn Zach Koopmans, Principal Bryan Adkins David Lintz

Ms. Tubbs began her studies with Eleanor Tornblom then went on to study and perform with Pittsburgh Ballet as well as with the American Dance Ensemble and several regional ballet companies. She studied with world renowned masters including Asaf Messime, Richard Katon, and Edward Van Muden. By the age of 20 Ms.Tubbs was teaching and choreographing for Laurel Ballet and creating works for many local companies. In the late 1980’s she received a grant from the Pittsburgh Dance Council and produced her first contem-porary work entitled Revoltade. Since that time Ms. Tubbs has put original choreography to six classic ballets, choreographed over two dozen original ballets,and countless contemporary works.

Matthew Fridg is an Emmy -nominated filmmaker and marketer. He has produced work for Discovery Channel, Facebook, Front-point Security, GNC, Martin Guitar, UPMC, Velocity Network and more. His passion is to help people and brands he believes in stay ahead.

In 2020 Matthew started Headspace Media, a digital marketing agency and content studio located in Latrobe, PA. Headspace Media specializes in helping companies win in the digital space through simple, effective marketing strategies.

Matthew recently completed a short film with his daughters, “Saving Amelia,” which was a winner at Film Pittsburgh’s 2020 Shorts Fest and has been accepted to several other festivals.

Matthew Fridg Screen Director,Cinematographer & Editor

Judy Rae Tubbs Director & Choreographer

Camille Kellems just completed her first season with Nevada Ballet Theatre as an apprentice. She graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance and an Outside Field in Arts Manage-ment in May 2019.. Her pre-professional ballet training began at Ballet Pacific, which transitioned to the Maple Conservatory of Dance under direction of Charles Maple. She has attended summer intensives with San Francisco Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet and Boston Ballet. At Nevada Ballet she has performed in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and in the Melancholic sec-tion of George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments. With

IU Ballet, she has performed featured roles such as the principal woman in Jerome Robbins’ Spring from his Four Seasons, the Blue Girl in Antique Epigraphs, a Matinee Lady in The Concert, as well as the principal woman in Balanchine’s Valse Fantasie

Robert Fulton began his dance training in his home state of Pennsylvania. At 17, he was accepted into the Houston Ballet Academy and he graduated from their Professional 2 division. He went on to be a trainee at Ballet West for a year before being hired by Nevada Ballet Theatre where he is currently dancing. Robert is also working towards a degree from Penn State World Campus while dancing.

Mason Bassett is a junior at the Jacobs School of Music pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ballet Performance with an Outside Field in Arts Management. He studied at Bryan Community School of Dance with Kimberly Shaffer. He later studied at The Ballet Theatre of Toledo under the direc-tion of Nigel Burgoine. Bassett graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy, where he studied with Joseph Morrissey and performed in Sleeping Beauty, Rodeo, and A Choreographic Offering. At Jacobs, he has notably performed in Michael Vernon’s The Nutcracker, two works by Sasha Janes (You and I, and Lascia La Spina, Cogli La Rosa), Jerome Rob-bins’s The Concert and NY Export: Opus Jazz, and Martha Graham’s Diver-sion of Angels. He has guested with West Michigan Youth Ballet, playing the role of the Prince in Sleeping Beauty and with Weathervane Playhouse, performing Older Billy in Billy Elliot The Musical

Christy Nale , a 2020 graduate of Duquesne Univer-sity received her ballet training from Judy Rae Tubbs for 10 years. Since then, she has spent the past four years as a professional folk dancer with the Tamburit-zans, while earning a degree in corporatecommunications and a certificate in business administration. With the Tamburitzans, she has performed on 10 national tours, covering more than 35 different states. In addition to performing, Christy has choreographed specialized performances for the ensemble, and taught classes in ballet fundamentals and folk.

Lauren Smolka is a recent graduate from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a BS in bal-let. In September she moved to Tucson, Arizona where she began her first year as a professional ballet dancer with Ballet Tucson. During her time in Tucson she had the opportunity to dance corps roles in Balanchine bal-lets including Serenade and Concerto Barocco. Lauren has also had the opportunity to perform principal and soloist roles at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music in works choreographed by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris and Martha Graham. Some of her repertoire includes Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco, Valse Fantaisie, Divertimento No. 15 and La Source, as well as Jerome Robbins Antique Epigraphs, Fanfare and The Concert. One of her most memorable performances was dancing the principal role of the bal-lerina in Twyla Tharp’s Deuce Coupe which was set for the first time since 1973 on the dancers of the ballet and contemporary departments at Indiana University.

Jason “Zero” Kirin Artistic director of the Pittsburgh Circus Arts Collab-orative Jason “Zero” Kirin has been a juggler longer than he hasn’t been. Specializing in the craft of “contact juggling” Zero takes crystal ball manipulation to new weightless extremes. Merging this art form with the Nutcracker character Uncle Drosselmeyer - Zero has had the opportunity to create a new crystalline concept that mixes circus arts with a classic ballet theater production. To keep up with Zero and the Pittsburgh Circus follow them @pghcircus on all social media platforms

Bethany Schimonsky, born and raised in Pitts-burgh, Pennsylvania, began her dance training at the young age of two and a half. Bethany is proud to be a 2015 graduate of the University of Arizona receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance. While attending the prestigious Arizona School of Dance, Bethany was disciplined in their ternion educa-tion of ballet, modern, and jazz. Whilst there, she was able to study closely with choreographers and repetiteurs such as Leslie Peck, Bonnie Mathis, Michael Tevlin, Melissa Lowe, James Clouser, and Sherry Zunker, during which time she was selected as Principal for several of their renowned works. In

2017, Bethany joined Bodiography Contemporary Company, under the direction of Maria Caruso, as a Principal artist. While at BCB, Bethany had the opportunity to perform Martha Graham’s 1936 Steps in the Street, restaged by Virginie Mécène. In collaboration with BCB, Mécène, former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company and current Director of Graham 2, created an original work titled “Curse Upon Iron”. Apart from her national presence, Bethany toured internation-ally with Bodiography Contemporary Ballet performing in England, Germany, and Israel’s Karmiel Dance Fesitival. She is in her fifth year of teaching all genres of competitive dance at Star-Styled Dance Center. In the fall of 2019, Bethany assumed Performing Arts Dance faculty at the all-girls private school, The Ellis School, in Shadyside, Pennsylvania.

Josef Strucker recently graduated from the Performing Arts Department at La Roche University under the direc-tion of Maria Caruso. During his time at LRU he per-formed classical and contemporary works by faculty and guest artists including Judy Adelson, Gabriel Ash, Kelly Basil, Maria Hackbarth, Callum Newman, and Jackie O’Toole. In addition to his work as a student at LRU, Josef danced with Bodiography Contemporary Ballet as a trainee for two seasons from 2017-2019. During his time with BCB he had the privilege to dance in acclaimed works by Maria Caruso, such as Doors and Windows, Light by Love, and Submerged. Josef is grateful to have toured with BCB around the world, dancing on stages in England, Ger-many, and Israel. Prior to dancing at LRU, Josef trained in

all genres of dance at Elite Dance by Damian, under the direction of Damian Kush, where he is currently on faculty. Joe’s aspirations are to perform and travel the world while pursuing his passion of the arts.

Serving traditional afternoon tea (scones, tea sandwiches, and sweets)

356 North Main Street • Greensburg, PA 15601 • 724-832-8255www.victorianladyofacademyhill.com

Gift shop offers: Loose Leaf Tea • Teapots • Teacups Tea Accoutrements • Home Décor • Women’s Accessories

and other specialty food & gift items

Abigail Coffeehouse Alyson Holt Endicott Rendell Erika Knuckles Fort Ligonier Horsing Around Carriage Service Katherine Lasswell Ligonier Police Department Ruthie Stewart Scot A. Buffington Stacey Pydynkowski Stage Right Tony & Renata Marino Town of Ligonier West Point Ballet Westmoreland County Courthouse

Special Thanks

Beeghley & Co. JewelersCattfeinated Cat Cafe

Dancer's ClosetDV8 Esspresso Bar & Gallery

Greensburg Country ClubInvisible Man Brewing

McFeely's Gourmet ChocolateFort Ligonier

Penelope's Gifts & MoreSun Dawg Cafe

The Palace TheaterThe Trendy Bunny

The Ligonier DiamondThe Westmoreland Museum of American Art

The White Rabbit Cafe and PatisserieVictorian Lady Tea House

Vinoski WineryWestmoreland County Courthouse

Wight Elephant Boutique

Thank you to all our Location Hosts!