CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE'S THE NUTCRACKER AT SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS

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1 CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE'S THE NUTCRACKER AT SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS Starring Stella Abrera,, Sarah Lane, Gillian Murphy, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko,, Thomas Forster, Blaine Hoven, Cory Stearns and James Whiteside Music Performed Live by Pacific Symphony Photo: Gene Schiavone December 14 23, 2018 in Segerstrom Hall Tickets on sale now COSTA MESA, CA Segerstrom Center for the Arts announces the return of its popular holiday tradition American Ballet Theatre s The Nutcracker. Co-presented by the Center and ABT with choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, The Nutcracker was praised by The New York Times as A production like no other, made with complete theatrical authority from first to last. It will be performed December 14 through 23 in Segerstrom Hall. ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie has released Principal casting, which will include Hee Seo as Clara, the Princess and Cory Stearns as The Nutcracker Prince on opening night, December 14. Pacific Symphony will perform for all performances. Additional casts include Stella Abrera,, Sarah Lane, Gillian Murphy, Christine Shevchenko,, Thomas Forster, Blaine Hoven and James Whiteside.

2 American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker NEWS 2/5 Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre s The Nutcracker start at $29 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) Photo: Doug Gifford Principal Casting for The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts Artists and program are subject to change. *Indicates first time in role Week 1 Week 2 Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m. Hee Seo Cory Stearns Saturday, December 15 at 2 p.m. Sarah Lane Blaine Hoven Saturday, December 15 at 7 p.m. Gillian Murphy James Whiteside Sunday, December 16 at 12:30 p.m. Stella Abrera TBA Sunday, December 16 at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 19 at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m. Christine Shevchenko* Thomas Forster* Friday, December 21 at 7 p.m. Sarah Lane Blaine Hoven Saturday, December 22 at 2 p.m. Stella Abrera TBA Saturday, December 22 at 7 p.m. Sunday, December 23 at 12:30 p.m. Hee Seo Cory Stearns Sunday, December 23 at 5:30 p.m. Christine Shevchenko Thomas Forster The Nutcracker is a beloved holiday story based on The Nutcracker and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffmann and set to a magical score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky that will be performed live by Pacific Symphony. The Los Angeles Times declared Ratmansky s production an unreserved classic and ravishing and clever enough to inspire multiple viewings. Scenery and costumes are by award-winning

3 American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker NEWS 3/5 designer Richard Hudson (Disney s The Lion King) and lighting is by Jennifer Tipton. Students from the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts will perform alongside the renowned ABT dancers in this classic tale that takes the young, romantic Clara and her Nutcracker Prince on a dreamlike journey. The engagement of The Nutcracker continues an on-going relationship between Segerstrom Center and American Ballet Theatre. The Company has appeared at the Center since Important engagements include the world premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov s Swan Lake in 1988, the West Coast premiere of Kevin McKenzie s new production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007 and the world premiere of a new production of Firebird by Alexei Ratmansky in In 1999, ABT s production of Le Corsaire was taped in Segerstrom Hall for broadcast on PBS Dance In America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance In America. In 2008, the Center and ABT cocommissioned Twyla Tharp s Rabbit and Rogue, receiving its world premiere in New York and West Coast premiere at the Center Two more recent world premieres have also taken place including the 2015 presentation of ABT s new production of The Sleeping Beauty as choreographed by Maurius Petipa with staging and additional choreography by Ratmansky and 2017 s Whipped Cream, also by Ratmansky. with design and costumes by pop-surrealist Mark Ryden. And ABT s opulent new production of Harlequinade, newly choreographed by Ratmansky, will receive its West Coast premiere January 17 20, The Center applauds special underwriting for The Nutcracker from George and Terry Schreyer. The Center's International Dance Series is made possible by the Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. Segerstrom Center for the Arts thanks its corporate partners including Kia Motors America, Official Automotive Partner; United Airlines, Official Airline; and Omaha Steaks International, Official Fine Food Retailer. American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 300,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so. For 78 years, the Company has appeared in a total of 132 cities in 50 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Paris, Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo. On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre became America s National Ballet Company. Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair for the last 29 years, has been the resident orchestra of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for over a decade. Currently in its 40th anniversary season, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years and is recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene, as well as here in Orange County. Pacific Symphony is dedicated to expanding the orchestral repertoire

4 American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker NEWS 4/5 illustrated through its many commissions and recordings, in-depth explorations of American artists and themes. The Symphony s innovative approaches to new works received the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming in 2005 and In April 2018, Pacific Symphony made its debut at Carnegie Hall as one of two orchestras invited to perform during a yearlong celebration of composer Philip Glass 80th birthday. The New York Times saluted Pacific Symphony as excellent a major ensemble. The following month the orchestra toured China, and in June 2018 made its national PBS debut on Great Performances with Peter Boyer s Ellis Island: The Dream of America, conducted by St.Clair. Presenting more than 100 concerts and events a year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, the Symphony reaches more than 300,000 residents from school children to senior citizens. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution as well as a beautiful multi-disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence, offering unsurpassed experiences and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring arts-based education and community engagement programs. Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County s largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family-friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events. Segerstrom Center is a leader among the nation s performing arts centers for providing education programs designed to inspire young people through the arts. The Center s programs reach hundreds of thousands of students each year in five Southern California counties. Community engagement programs developed through the Center for Dance and Innovation and Center Without Boundaries also connect the Center more comprehensively with Orange County s many diverse communities. The CDI supports flagship artistic programming and a wide range of projects that celebrate innovation, nurture creativity and engage audiences of the future. It is home to the ABT Gillespie School and the School of Dance and Music for Children with Disabilities. The Center Without Boundaries develops partnerships with noncultural organizations to help them in their own efforts to respond to the ever-changing needs of the community.

5 American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker NEWS 5/5 AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE: THE NUTCRACKER Segerstrom Center for the Arts Segerstrom Hall 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA Choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky Music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky Music performed live by Pacific Symphony December 14 23, 2018 Wednesday Friday at 7 pm Saturday at 2 and 7 pm Sunday at 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm Tickets - Start at $29 In person - The Box Office 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA Open 10 a.m. 6 p.m. daily Online Phone - (714) Open 10 a.m. 6 p.m. daily Group Sales - (714) Segerstrom Center for the Arts International Dance Series also includes Mikhailovsky Ballet and Orchestra Don Quixote (Center Production Premiere - November 9-11, 2018), American Ballet Theatre Harlequinade (West Coast Premiere - January 17-20, 2019), Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg Pygmalion (American Premiere - May 24-26, 2019), Mark Morris Dance Group Pepperland (Center Premiere - June 14 & 15, 2019). Information provided is accurate at the time of printing but is subject to change. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a public, non-profit organization. Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a registered trademark. # # #