Festival Ballet Providence - Center for Dance Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 2003

Festival Ballet Providence, 401.353.1129

Festival Ballet Providence Announces Open Auditions for its Production of the Nutcracker September 14, 2003

Providence, RI - Festival Ballet Providence, Rhode Island’s largest professional dance company and one of the largest ballet companies in New England, will hold open auditions at its Providence studios, 825 Hope Street, for its production of The Nutcracker.

This year’s production of The Nutcracker will include seven performances, December 12th to15th at the opulent Providence Performing Arts Center, to an audience of over 15,000. Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric is looking to fill over 100 positions for roles that include Fritz, Clara’s Friends, Party Boys, Party Girls, Candy Dolls, Mice, Soldiers, and Angels. Principal, soloist and corps de ballet roles are danced primarily by Festival Ballet Providence’s Company and Junior Company dancers. However, outstanding dancers who audition will also be considered for those roles. The performance features internationally acclaimed dancers, stunning sets, and sparkling costumes.

Mr. Djuric looks forward to give young dancers from the area the chance to perform in one of the biggest and most anticipated dance productions in the state. The Nutcracker auditions will take place on Sunday, September 14 with time slots as follows:

10:00 a.m. to 12 Noon
7-9 year olds with little or no ballet training.
(They need to be 7 by September)

12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
10-12 year olds with a minimum of two years of training.
(They must be 10 by September)

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
12 years and older with a minimum of one year of pointe training. (They must be 12 by September)

4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Boys ages 7 and up with little or no ballet training.
(They must be 7 by September)

While The Nutcracker requires a significant time commitment for rehearsals and performances, it is a wonderful opportunity for young performers to gain valuable stage experience and to share the stage with world-class professional dancers in a stunning, unforgettable production. It is also an excellent entry point for boys who wish to participate in this type of production.

For more details about Festival Ballet Providence auditions or its Center for Dance Education, please call 401-353-1129 or send e-mail to info@festivalballet.com. Festival Ballet Providence and the Center for Dance Education are together a not-for-profit arts organization whose EIN is 05-0377245 and whose Rhode Island Corporate ID number is ND-27-137.

Attention Photographers and Writers:

This is your chance to begin an episodic story on the process of staging The Nutcracker from audition to stage performance. You can follow one of our new professional dancers through the process, a seasoned veteran in our company, the wardrobe mistress, a child from your paper’s readership, the artistic director, the rehearsal mistress, a Nutcracker mom, or a combination of the above.

The possibilities for great photographs are endless! We expect over 150 children this year to audition.