Theatre

Repertory Ballet Ensemble Presents

hansel & Gretel
AND OTHER WORKS

 

Artistic Directors

Jamie A. Johnson and Christa St. John

 

Lighting Designer

Peter Leonard

 

Stage Manager

Aja Vogelman

 

 

A Letter from the Directors

The performance you are about to see involves collaborators from UVU’s Department of Dance, Department of Art & Design, and Department of Theatre along with substantial contributions from community members, CVWmedia (an Oklahoma-based media company), composer Dr. Brian St. John, and the Western Kentucky University Symphony based in Bowling Green, KY. This interdisciplinary, cross-departmental, cross-university narrative ballet is the first of its kind for the School of the Arts.

We, RBE Artistic Directors, Jamie A. Johnson and Christa St. John, saw the need for a large-scale, collaborative project to build community. Working as a choreographic team, we sought to expose students to diverse artists and community members, foster cross-disciplinary relationships, and enhance students’ professional skills. Through community engagement and the project's interdisciplinary nature, we are working to strengthen bonds within the university and community.

Art does not exist in a vacuum. It is a product of its current place and time. We were influenced by the events happening in Ukraine which informed the artistic direction of Hansel & Gretel. Close observers will notice subtle nods to Ukraine in the costuming and movement of the characters of Hansel and Gretel as well as references to Russia within the costuming and movement of the Witch. Co-Artistic Director Jamie A. Johnson drew from her experience performing with a Ukrainian dance ensemble when developing movement in collaboration with Co-Artistic Director Christa St. John. The costuming and scenic influences were researched by Art & Design Assistant Professor Amber Tutwiler, supported by costume design student, Madison Halverstadt, and furthered by fellow costume stitcher, Veronica Clark, a native of Ukraine.

Many thanks to the School of the Arts for their support in this endeavor and to the numerous collaborators whose contributions to the production helped create an inimitable final product. Enjoy the show!

 

-Jamie A. Johnson and Christa St. John

 

PROGRAM

ACT I

(Act I will not be performed at the 45-Minute, Family Matinee on Feb 18)

 

DIVERTIMENTO

Choreographer: Christa St. John

Composer: Brian St. John

Musicians: Brian St. John & Josh Propst

Projection Design: CVWmedia

Dancers: Tiffany Asay, Keagan Bartlett, Brante Copling/Laurie Wilson, Samantha Marx, Olivia Perry, Bailey Phillips, Hannah Roberts, Andy Sefcik, Madelyn Smith, Kenady Vereen, Maren Wood, Danielle Zarate

 

Lead with Grace*

Choreographer: Corinne Wallentine

Music: Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi the Four Seasons: Spring I

Dancers: Ella Brucker, Ana Halliday, Abby Lindley, Ashlyn Nettesheim, Alice Porter, Riley Weber, Emerie Willardson

*Courtesy of The Dance Conservatory

 


Intermission
10 minutes


 

Act II

 

Hansel & Gretel

Artistic Direction and Choreography: Jamie A. Johnson & Christa St. John

Composer: Brian St. John

Conductor: Brian St. John

Orchestra: Western Kentucky University Symphony

Recording Engineer: Brian St. John

Costume, Prop, and Scenic Design: Amber Tutwiler

Assistant Costume Design: Madison Halverstadt

Technical Direction: Nat Reed

Prop and Scenic Fabrication: Jason Lanegan

Projection Design Coordinator: Olivia Dailey

Projection Design: CVWmedia

Pre-Collegiate Dance Coordinator: Corrine Wallentine

Pre-Collegiate Dance Assistant Coordinator: Olivia Perry

Ballet synopsis adapted by Jamie A. Johnson, Brian St. John, and Christa St. John from Hansel & Gretel by the Brothers Grimm

 

 

Scene 

Scene 1: The Last Bit of Bread

A poor woodcutter lives at the edge of a large forest. He does not have a bite to eat and can barely provide food for his wife and two children, Hansel and Gretel. One day Father arrives home to find his children hungry and chooses to give them his only loaf of bread. Mother returns home and realizes Father gave the children the last bite to eat. She is enraged because she thinks they will starve to death. Mother decides they can no longer feed Hansel and Gretel and convinces Father that they must take the children to the forest and leave them there. The children overhear Mother telling Father her solution, but Hansel hatches a plan of his own. He will leave a trail of breadcrumbs to lead him and his sister back home.

 

                                   

Scene 2: Lost in the Forest

The family heads out into the woods. Along the way, Hansel drops a trail of breadcrumbs. When the family arrives deep in the forest, Mother tells the children they must gather wood for a fire. Hansel and Gretel know it is a ruse but must obey.While Hansel and Gretel are off searching for wood, the parents sneak away, and birds devour the breadcrumb trail. The children’s path home has disappeared. As day turns to night, Hansel and Gretel fall asleep by a fire. Their only company is the twinkling of fireflies.

 

 

Scene 3: The Witch and Her Sweets

The next morning, the birds return, hoping for another snack. Hansel and Gretel ask one of the birds, a beautiful dove, for help finding their way home. The Dove remembers seeing a house and points them in that direction. After days of walking, Hansel and Gretel stumble upon a house made of candy. Despite an ominous feeling, they are too hungry to resist nibbling on the treats. The Witch appears and invites them to enjoy the dancing of her sweets - cotton candy, peppermints, and gumdrops. 

 

Little did Hansel and Gretel know the Witch is not as she appears. She is on the lookout for children to eat and built the candy house to lure them to her. The Witch calls for her candy minions to capture Hansel and Gretel so she can cook them in her oven. The Witch makes Gretel fetch another log to heat the oven. In the tussle of adding the log to the fire, Gretel seizes the opportunity to push the Witch into the oven. In a poof of smoke, the spell breaks, and the candies dissolve.

 

Scene 4: The Return Home

With the Witch gone, Hansel and Gretel decide to find their way home. As they wander through the forest, they encounter the Dove and ask for help. This time the Dove points them in the right direction and Hansel and Gretel find their way back to Father.

 

Scene 5: Happily Ever After? 

As Father, Hansel, and Gretel make their way home, the children tell Father about their adventures. The three of them are overjoyed to be reunited. Mysteriously, Mother has disappeared.

 

CAST

Feb. 16 & Feb. 18 evening/Feb. 17 & Feb 18 matinee
In order of appearance.

 

Hansel: Tiffany Asay/Keagan Bartlett

Gretel: Danielle Zarate/Madelyn Smith

Father: Bailey Phillips/Andy Sefcik

Mother: Hannah Roberts/Olivia Perry

Dove: Maren Wood/Brante Copling

Birds: Keagan Bartlett/Daisy Jeffers, Abigail Brucker, Laurie Wilson/Maren Wood, Brooklyn Johansen, Samantha Marx, Andy Sefcik/Faith Hortin

Fireflies*: Ella Brucker, Ana Halliday, Abby Lindley, Ashlyn Nettesheim, Alice Porter, Riley Weber, Emerie Willardson 

Witch: Hannah Roberts/Olivia Perry

Peppermints: Brante Copling/Bailey Phillips, Madison Foulger, Kenady Vereen, Laurie Wilson

Cotton Candy: Faith Hortin/Maren Wood, Daisy Jeffers/Danielle Zarate, Samantha Marx, Olivia Perry/Hannah Roberts, Madelyn Smith/Tiffany Asay

Gumdrops*: Elly Anderson, Mataya Averett, Emma Burg, Jordan Burns, Amber Finch, Sage Sallenback, Avery Sherratt, Alyssa Smith, Mari Thomas 

*Courtesy of The Dance Conservatory

 

Scenic Elements: 
Painting and Fabrication
Art & Design Students

 

Painting                                                                       Sculpture

Emily Barber                                                              Nic Corry

Melissa Carhuatanta                                            Mariah Hanson

Haley Corbin

Emma Crump

Emilee Hanson

Sophie Hutchison

Isabelle Hyland

Mary Jones

Jessica Moody

Sabrina Nilson

Rachel Pearson

Emma Perry

Michelle Quintero

Lisa Scow

Emmalee Scroggins

Guadalupe (Sol) Uribe

 

WKU Symphony

Dr. Brian St. John, Music Director

 Abby Propst, Aaron Price, Assistant Conductors

Hansel and Gretel Ballet Orchestra Roster


Violin I

Srirangan Iyer, Concertmaster
Tessa Whittaker

Ja Seng Pauhkum
Emily Chambers
Lydia Speer
Dannae Ryan-Kessler
Lisa Coleman
Kristen Hicks
Mariah Thomas
Abby Propst

 

Violin II

Aleka Chau, Principal
Lauren Lane

Hannah Kabrick
Bethany Ray
Siheon Im
Rylee Wallace
Gavin Hale
Sut Hting Pauhkum
Dain Im
Jayci Wolgast

 

Viola

Chase Winemiller, Principal
Lila Jones

Christian Knoche
Desmond Harris
Landon Case

 

Cello

Amelia Allen, Co-Principal
Chris Kim, Co-Principal
George Payocong III

Abigail Krent
Owen Kiteck
Dawson Gorby
Caleb Neitzel
Katlyn Guyton
Clara Brown
Josh Propst

 

Double Bass

Alex Miller, Principal
Austin Walker

Micah Thigpen
Aaron Price
Matthew Rafla

 

Flutes

Juniper Parker, Co-Principal
Tina Logsdon,Co-Principal
Melissa Valone

Erin McCurdy + piccolo
Alison Schimmell + piccolo

Oboes

Emily Boyle, Principal
Logan Graham

Clarinets

Noelle Fleek, Principal
Taylin Hamilton

Steven Bernard

 

Bass Clarinet

Hayden Johnson

 

Bassoons

Angus Moore, Co-Principal
Sammy Wooten, Co-Principal
Lily Williams

           

Horns

Hannah Monteneri, Principal
Rilee Boisseau

Jacob Steele
Zariyah Dumas
Cooper Ingram

 

Trumpets

Jillian McLellan, Co-Principal
Cole Taylor, Co-Principal
Jalen Allred

Nathaniel Nash
Jacob Ward

 

Trombones

Jackson Parker, Principal
Jervon Orr

Analyssa Wooten
David Trejo-Mendoza, bass trombone
Justus Adams, bass trombone

 

Tuba

Blake Smith

 

Timpani & Percussion

Gabe Willoughby
Alex Benoit
Cameron Taylor
Marisa Franklin
Nate Nash

 

Harp

Phyllis Sparks

 

 
Special thanks to ballet faculty:
Rachelle Brooks, Nichole Ortega, Stefanie Spiece, Corrine Wallentine, and Stefan Zubal

 

 
 

BIOGRAPHIES

JAMIE. A. JOHNSON


Jamie A. Johnson
is an Associate Professor of Dance at UVU. After earning a BFA in Ballet and a BA in English, Johnson danced professionally with numerous companies throughout the United States. Career highlights include performing as a principal dancer with Boulder Ballet and touring internationally with MOMIX. An in-demand teacher and choreographer, Ms. Johnson’s work has been presented by Interlochen Center for the Arts, St. Paul Ballet, Utah Metropolitan Ballet, and West Texas A & M University. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Washington with additional certifications in Autism Movement Therapy and Yoga.

JASON LANEGAN


Jason Lanegan was born and raised in Washington State and was involved in drawing and other creative outlets from his earliest memories.  With eyes set upon being a high school art teacher, Jason first attended BYU-Idaho where he obtained an associate degree in the visual arts. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in sculpture from Northern Arizona University and then a bachelor’s in art education from Eastern Washington University.  Jason went on to acquire a graduate degree in sculpture with minor in art history from BYU. Upon completing his education, he used his experience in various capacities. After twelve years of directing the student galleries at the Harris Fine Arts Center at BYU, Jason recently accepted the position at Utah Valley University as Assistant Professor of Sculpture.

Nat Reed


Nat Reed
is a technical director and designer. He has designed sets and puppets for UVU, BYU, Utah Metropolitan Ballet, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Murphy Door, SCERA Center for the Arts, A Noise Within Theatre, Hale Center Theater Orem, Hale Center Theatre Sandy, Tuacahn, and others. He has made toys at Mattel, built props for Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, made Mister Freeze suits at TFX for the Batman and Robin feature film, and has taught puppetry and stagecraft for 14 years. Nat also designs and builds treehouses, playhouses, she sheds, little libraries, greenhouses, and other backyard structures using mostly reclaimed materials. His work can be found on Instagram, @nat.the.maker.

Brian St. John


Brian St. John
is an Associate Professor of Music, serving as the Baker Professor of Music and Director of Orchestras at Western Kentucky University. Prior to his appointment at WKU, Dr. St. John was an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestras at the University of Evansville. At UE St. John directed the University Symphony Orchestra and String Ensemble and taught conducting and composition courses. During his years in Evansville, Dr. St. John was also Assistant Conductor for the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director for the Evansville Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Earlier in his career Dr. St. John spent 13 years in Boulder County, Colorado, where he was Resident Conductor for the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Longmont Youth Symphony and Music Director for the Niwot Timberline Symphony (now the Boulder Symphony Orchestra). His doctorate is in orchestral conducting from Arizona State University.

Christa St. John


Christa St. John
is an Assistant Professor of Dance and Co-Artistic Director of Repertory Ballet Ensemble at UVU. St. John spent her professional performance career dancing with Ballet Austin, Louisville Ballet, Charleston Ballet Theatre, Atlantic City Ballet, and Northwest Florida Ballet. Throughout her career, she had the opportunity to work with renowned national and international artists and perform diverse contemporary and classical repertoire. St. John is a prolific choreographer and has premiered numerous works for professional and university dancers and frequently collaborates with professional and university orchestras as well as university theatre, opera, and visual arts programs. She holds an MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma.

Amber Tutwiler


Amber Tutwiler
is an artist from South Florida whose hybrid practice expands on figurative oil painting to describe our relationship to digital spaces. She attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design for Painting, received her BA in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University, and received her MFA in Visual Art from Florida Atlantic University (2017). Amber has a background in dance and has collaborated frequently with Ballet Florida. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Utah Valley University teaching across Foundations, Painting, and Drawing.

 

 

 



artists
 

Dean's Message

Courtney Davis

Our mission is to produce and present artistic excellence, which would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We thank them and express our deep gratitude to all patrons, supporters, and friends of The Noorda.

The arts possess the unparalleled power to inspire, educate, liberate, and transform. They elevate moments, mark milestones, soften edges, and generate profound meaning. Experience the beauty and wonder of the arts with us this season at The Noorda and begin at once to live!

Courtney R. Davis, J.D., M.A.
Dean, School of the Arts

 

Land Acknowledgment


Land Acknowledgment

Utah Valley University acknowledges that we gather on land sacred to all Indigenous people who came before us in this vast crossroads region. The University is committed to working in partnership—as enacted through education and community activities—with Utah’s Native Nations comprising: the San Juan Southern Paiute, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Uintah & Ouray Reservation of the Northern Ute, Skull Valley Goshute, Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation, Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute-White Mesa Community, and urban Indian communities. We recognize these Native Nations and their continued connections with traditional homelands, mountains, rivers, and lakes as well as their sovereign relationships with state and federal governments. We honor their collective memory and continued physical and spiritual presence. We revere their resilience and example in preserving their connections to the Creator and to all their relations, now and in the future.

With this statement comes responsibility and accountability. We resolve to follow up with actionable items to make the School of the Arts at UVU and The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts an inclusive, equitable, and just space for all. There is much work to be done, and we are committed to putting these words into practice.

Artwork by Shane Walking Eagle (Sisseton Dakota).

 

Coming Soon
The Noorda

School of the Arts
Events

THE DEPARTMENT OF DANCE

Chair, Associate Professor
Jamie Johnson

Administrative Assistant
LAURAL HILL

 

Associate Chair
Sarah Donohue

Modern/Contemporary
Dr. Lyndsey Vader

Ballet
Nichole Ortega

 

Ballroom
Chris Witt

Dance Ed
Amy Markgraf