Media City Ballet of Los Angeles To Present 'The Nutcracker' at the Alex Theatre Dec. 6-7

Media City Ballet of Los Angeles, Natasha Middleton, Artistic Director, Choreographer and Director will present a magical production of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker," featuring a cast of 70 award-winning dancers, visual illusions, special effects and aerialists. A pre-show mini-concert featuring singers from the Taft High School Vocal Ensemble, under the direction of Tom Pease, will be presented 15 minutes prior to each performance of the ballet. Performances will be given at the Alex Theatre, 216 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91203 on Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Television and theatre actress Elmarie Wendel will serve as producer.

Tickets are $20.00, $38.00 and $48.00 each and may be purchased by calling the Alex Box Office at 818-243-ALEX (2539). Discounts are available for Groups of 15 or more, Seniors, Students and Children under 12. Cost Saving Special Family Packs are available; please call the Box Office for further information. For Group Sales, please call the Alex Theatre at 818-243-7700, ext. 216. To purchase tickets online, please visit the website, www.alextheatre.org

Principal roles will be portrayed by: Edgar Nikolyan (formerly with the Vienna State Opera Ballet and resident of Granada Hills) as The Nutcracker Prince and Aubrey Morgan (formerly with the New York City Ballet and resident of Los Angeles) as The Sugar Plum Fairy; Mira Nastassja (of West Hollywood) as Clara; Carrie Lee Riggins (formerly with the New York City Ballet and resident of Beverly Hills) and Felicia Guzman (of Arleta) as The Snow Queen and Dew Drop; Arsen Serobian (award-winning dancer and resident of North Hollywood) as The Snow King and Waltz Cavalier; Stephen Nelson (of Hollywood) as The Snow King, The Toy Soldier and The Spanish Dancer; April Lynn Mcleod (of Altadena) as The Spanish Dancer and Icicle; Craig Dickens (a Media City Ballet Guest Artist, professional magician, Magic Castleâ performer and resident of Glendale) as Herr Drosselmeyer; and Sergey Kheylik (of Beverly Hills) as The Rat King and The Russian Trepak.

Soloist roles will be danced by: Amara Baptist (of Sunland) as Columbina, The Chinese Dancer and Icicle; Emily Morrow (of Burbank) as The Chinese Dancer and Icicle; Alexander Fost (of Alhambra) as The Chinese Dancer; Nicholas Müller (of Santa Clarita) as Harlequino; Gabrielle Palmatier (of Hermosa Beach) as The Arabian Dancer; Andee Tims (of Burbank) as The Arabian Dancer; Dimitri Safa (of Hollywood) as The Arabian Dancer; Philippe Leibzig (of Studio City) as Mother Ginger; Kristine Gregorian (of Los Angeles) as Lead Reed Flute; Sheena Sisk (of Pacific Palisades) as Lead Snowflake and Lead Rose Petal in Waltz of the Flowers; Mary Bankston (of Toluca Lake) as Frau Silberhaus; Moses Navarro (of Burbank) as Councilor Silberhaus; Rozanna Avitisyan (of Glendale) and Tina Yedgarian (of La Crescenta) as The Russian Dancers; Griffin Armstorff (of Burbank) and Patrick Fitz-Simmons (of Canyon Country) as Fritz; Carol Ferris (of Glendale) as The Governess and Lesley Vaughn, Tania Pierce and Sarah Romanowsky as Aerialists from Hollywood Aerial Arts (based in Inglewood).

Members of the Corps de Ballet will include: Raquel Cordova (of Burbank); Ariana Emnace (of Canyon Country); Albertossy Espinoza (of Los Angeles); Lauren Farrell (of North Hollywood); Robson Tadeu Dos Santos Freire (of Los Angeles); Gretchen Irby (of Burbank); Melissa McComas (of Lancaster); Raymond Meadows (of Los Angeles); Oscar Reyna (of Reseda); Christina Singhanate (or Burbank); Jessie Strobel (of Granada Hills) and Julie Terrlink-Sanches (of Canyon Country).

Members of the Youth Ensemble include: Francesca Alayara (of Burbank); Michelle Alvarez (of North Hollywood); Margarita Arzoumanian (of Burbank); Rowan Blanchard (of Studio City); Marina Carrascosa (of La Crescenta); Sachie DuBose (of Van Nuys); Charlotte Duldulao (of Santa Clarita); Nailah Figueroa (of Burbank); Roberto Flores (of Burbank); Montserrat Fost (of Alhambra); ElizaBeth Friedman (of Los Angeles); Ilana Friedman (of Los Angeles); Dalar Ghanbari (of Burbank); Nayila Deveaus (of Burbank); Kristina Galstyan (of Van Nuys); Isabella Geraci (of Los Angeles); Veronica Gevorkian (of Glendale); Hannah Hart (of Burbank); Molly Hart (of Burbank); Ani Hovhannisyan (of Glendale); Phoebe Kellogg (of Burbank); Amanda Martinez (of Burbank); Runa Maeda (of Glendale); Erin Monji (of Burbank); Talia Moreta (of Los Angeles); Sophia Moussisian (of Glendale); Sona Nalbandian (of Burbank); Julia Navarro (of Burbank); Alice Oganesian (of Glendale); Melanie Panosian (of Glendale); Mariana Petrosyan (of Sherman Oaks); Shannon Pinder (of Panorama City); Aileen Ramirez (of Sylmar); Saraly Sanchez (of Burbank); Lela Spellman (of Burbank); Talulla Steele (of North Hollywood); Olivia Stuck (of Burbank); Taylor Walker (of Pacoima); Alexandria Wong (of Burbank); Sarah Wong (of Burbank); Daniel Yedgarian (of La Crescenta); Nikolas Yedgarian (of La Crescenta); Audrey Young (of Van Nuys) and Alice Ziolkoski (of Burbank).

This production is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Mrs. May Hannon, The Frank & Rigmor Peloso Trust Fund, The William H. Hannon Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, The James A. Doolittle Foundation, Target, Macy*s, County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, North Advertising, Gangi Development, Americas United Bank, Woodbury University, Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader, San Fernando Valley Sun, La Cañada Valley Sun, La Crescenta Sun, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Magazine, Nor Gyank, Asbarez, Massis Weekly, The Armenian Reporter, San Marino Tribune, Panorama Media Group, Armenian Media Group of America, Inc., Horizon 24-Hour Television, www.dancechanneltv.com, Pip Printing, See's Candies, The Alex Theatre, www.InnkeeperVegas.com, Damon's Restaurant, Porto's Restaurant and the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.

The ballet will be presented in two acts, staged in the tradition of the renowned Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo featuring a cast of 70 award-winning, classically trained local dancers. MCB's production of The Nutcracker will feature costumes coordinated by Chisato DuBose (of Media City Ballet of Los Angeles) and Anna Leiker (of Woodbury University in Burbank), with sets designed by Bob Davies of Walt Disney Feature Animation and artists from Universal Features Animation. A perennial favorite ballet during the holiday season, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" was written in 1892. It is the story of a young girl's dream brought to life.

Convenient and ample parking is available for all Alex Theatre patrons. Validated Parking is available at the Orange Street Parking Garage located at the corner of California and Orange Streets (enter from Orange), the Exchange Parking Garage located on Maryland Avenue, south of Wilson Street, and at the Glendale Marketplace Garage located at the corner of Harvard and Maryland Streets (enter from Maryland). Parking costs $1 for four hours with Validation (rates subject to change). Parking tickets can be validated by the House Manager in the Alex Theatre Lobby. Additional metered public parking is available in several municipal parking lots and on the street around the theatre.

Now celebrating its Seventh Annual Season under the guidance of Artistic Director Natasha Middleton, the Media City Ballet Los Angeles (MCBLA) is dedicated to providing Los Angeles and the surrounding communities with quality live ballet productions, utilizing the inspired and creative talents of the local community, as well as professionals from around the world. MCBLA is the only ballet company in Los Angeles presenting performances in the tradition and philosophy of the legendary Ballet Russe de Serge Diaghilev. Natasha Middleton's grandmother, Elena Wortova, was a Soloist in the original Ballet Russe, which included other legendary dancers like Anna Pavlova, George Balanchine, Alexandra Danilova and Vaslav Nijinsky. Middleton's father, Andrei Tremaine, was a Principal Dancer with The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and Soloist with the Ballet Nacional de Mexico and the Colon Opera Ballet of Buenos Aires. Natasha Middleton, a "Ballet Russe Baby," was a Principal Dancer for her father's ballet company, Pacific Ballet Theatre, as well as a member of the Joffrey II Ballet Company in New York City, before taking on the responsibilities of Artistic Director for Media City Ballet of Los Angeles. A Junior Company trains young dancers, and prepares them for the organization's professional company. MCBLA is overseen by a distinguished Board of Directors and supported by a Guild whose chief mission is to support the ballet company and produce fund-raising activities.

WHERE: The Alex Theatre, 216 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91203.

WHEN: Saturday, December 6, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

HOW: Tickets to individual performances are $20.00, $38.00 and $48.00 each and may be purchased by calling the Alex Box Office at 818-243-ALEX (2539). Discounts are available for Groups of 15 or more, Seniors, Students and Children under 12. For information on Discounted Family Packs and Group Sales, please call the Alex Theatre at 818-243-7700, ext. 216. To purchase tickets online, please visit the website, www.alextheatre.org

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