A little girl who once fiercely battled childhood cancer will watch a nutcracker fiercely battle a rat of an adversary this weekend.
In her dreams.
Columbus dancer Kate Madigan, originally cast as a mouse in the classic “The Nutcracker” ballet in 2007 after undergoing extensive medical treatment, will share the key role of youngster Clara with Yuka Kawanami in Dancers Studio Inc.’s annual lavish, 150-person holiday production Saturday and Sunday at Judson Erne Auditorium. The character dreams of the fanciful story when she falls asleep under the Christmas tree and a holiday nutcracker springs to life.
Madigan expects plenty of family and friends to be on hand when she performs.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]
“I’ll have a fun time showing them what I can do,” the teen said.
Mom Trish Madigan remembers crying through the show in 2007 because she had just received word that the then-child had suffered a relapse.
“I will cry my eyes out again,” the mother said.
This time, she acknowledged that joy and happiness for her 16-year-old’s health will trigger the emotion.
The nonprofit local studio, now under the direction of former local dancers Kaylin Hogan and Kim Lingeman, has built the show, with a budget of about $10,000, into a centerpiece of sorts of the local holiday season. Besides the 800 members of the ticket-buying public who saw it last year, about 1,300 students saw it for free.
Hogan is directing this year for only the second time with Lingeman assisting.
“The challenge with this is to freshen it up in some way from year to year,” Hogan said.
Lingeman mentioned that even when the troupe reintroduces costumes used in years past, current audiences may be unaware.
“Something still may be brand new to that particular audience,” Lingeman said.
This year, new elements include some new choreography and a few tweaked costumes from the elaborate effort of Susannah Lipinski. The outfits frequently have drawn raves from audience members exposed even to professional companies’ presentations.
“As one who was inspired myself by ‘The Nutcracker’ years and years ago, I think it definitely still inspires others,” Hogan said. “That’s partially because of the live element — just seeing the dancing and the music and the costuming all coming together before them. That’s an experience that people don’t get that often.
“There’s also the live action and the beauty of everything and all the high points of dance and music. And I think that speaks to children above all others.”
Salome Cloteaux, playing a ragdoll in what is her sixth year of “The Nutcracker,” was among those mesmerized by the local show when she first saw it seven years ago after dancing in Europe.
“I just thought it was so amazing,” Cloteaux said.
She acknowledged that her current role, including a one-minute solo dance, is somewhat a presentation of two extremes.
“It’s finding a balance between flopping over, and actually dancing,” Cloteaux said, adding that she has run through her steps even in her bedroom.
High school dancer Anna Kelley, a student at the studio — the same place her mom once learned and performed — since age 3, is looking forward to her 12th year in the Christmas tale. She plays a ballerina doll in the show’s well-known party scene.
“I just want to see people get wrapped up in the story,” Kelley said.
A dream of a story, one could say.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”If you go” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
What: Dancers Studio Inc.’s annual presentation of the classic holiday show "The Nutcracker" with guest artists from Ballet Theatre of Indiana.
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Where: Judson Erne Auditorium, 1400 25th St. in Columbus.
Storyline: From a story written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann in which young Marie Stahlbaum’s favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive on Christmas Eve and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls.
Tickets: $10 and $20, available at the door and online at nutcracker2017-tickets.eventbrite.com.
Information: 812-376-8080 or dancers-studio.org.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
