Choreography by Sasha Janes

Music by Olafur Arnalds, Frederic Chopin, Sir Edward Elgar, Kronos Quartet, Philip Glass, Gustav Holst, Colin Jacobsen, Joan Jenrenaud, Karl Jenkins, Ennio Morricone, Murcof, Peter Warlock, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Lighting Design by Jennifer Propst

Costume Design by Jennifer Janes

Special Thanks to David Mills

World Premiere: April 27, 2017

Set, Lighting, and Projection Design by Christopher Ash

Run time approx. 120 minutes

Wuthering Heights was commissioned for Charlotte Ballet by Anna and Michael Tarwater, in memory of their mothers, Betsy Rosemond and Jo Alice Tarwater, who both absolutely loved this story.

This performance is made possible by the support of The Craig and Cathrine Greene Family Fund.

Casting

CATHERINE EARNSHAW
Wild, passionate daughter of the owner of Wuthering Heights
Sejal Janaswamy
Young Catherine: Harper Lamonte

HINDLEY EARNSHAW
Catherine’s ill-natured brother
Aaron Anker

HEATHCLIFF
A strange and moody orphan who has been adopted by Mr. Earnshaw
Aram Hengen
Young Heathcliff: Russell Abel

EDGAR LINTON
Neighbor from Thrushcross Grange and Catherine’s eventual husband
Colin Canavan
Young Edgar: Theo Rochios

ISABELLA LINTON
Edgar’s sister and Heathcliff’s eventual wife
Emily Hain
Young Isabella: Chloe Crick

FRANCES EARNSHAW
Hindley’s wife
Anjuli Paul

NELLY DEAN
Housekeeper at Wuthering Heights
Rebecca Janes

MR. EARNSHAW
Father to Hindley and Catherine and adopted father of Heathcliff
Joseph Jefferies

MR. LINTON
Father to Edgar and Isabella
Arnon Gafni-Kane

MRS. LINTON
Mother to Edgar and Isabella
Scarlett Fulton

CORPS DE BALLET
Sophie Kotar * Jared Zeltner * Kate Deshler * Ellis Annunziata * Natalie Bowman * Nicholas Miller * Daisy Feinstein * Kaito Aihara * Genevieve Walker * Kale Jette * Molly Nyhan * Elizabeth Bilotti * Riho Yokogawa * Oakley Wilson * Judah Horenfeldt * Simon Putman * Johnathon Wilson

“My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff’s miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning: my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and her were annihilated, the universe would turn into a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it. My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods; time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff!” 

-Catherine Earnshaw 
-Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights 

PROLOGUE

On a wild, turbulent night, Catherine appears in a vision to a tormented Heathcliff.

PART ONE – THIRTY YEARS EARLIER

Mr. Earsnhaw, owner of Wuthering Heights, brings home an orphan boy named Heathcliff to raise with his own children, Hindley and Catherine. Catherine becomes attached to Heathcliff, but Hindley is jealous and afraid that Heathcliff may replace him in Mr. Earnshaw’s affections.

Heathcliff and Catherine spend hours in wild, exuberant play on the moors. They are playing together when they are distracted by the arrival of the neighboring family of Thrushcross Grange—Mr. And Mrs. Linton and their children, Edgar and Isabella.

Life at Wuthering Heights becomes more difficult for Heathcliff, with Hindley becoming increasingly abusive. Finally, Hindley is sent off to college.

PART TWO 

Heathcliff and Catherine, now young adults, are still enjoying their boisterous games on the moors. When Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley becomes master of Wuthering Heights and returns with his wife Frances. Life becomes intolerable for Heathcliff, who is banished to the stables, with visits from Catherine as his only comfort. 

One day on the moors, Heathcliff and Catherine run to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the Lintons. When they are caught, they run away but Catherine is bitten by the Linton’s dog. Catherine stays with the Lintons to recuperate and is agreeably influenced by the civilized and genteel lifestyle of the Lintons. 

When Heathcliff hears Catherine is to return to Wuthering Heights, he is anxious to appear as a gentleman. Catherine is escorted home by Edgar Linton and is delighted to see Heathcliff, but Heathcliff storms off after he is humiliated by Hindley. 

Both Heathcliff and Edgar are in love with Catherine – although Catherine is in love with Heathcliff, Edgar carries the promise of a good marriage and eventually she chooses him over the uncouth Heathcliff. 

Hindley’s wife Frances dies after giving birth to their child. He is inconsolable and grief-stricken; taking it out in a violent way on Heathcliff. Heathcliff vows to take revenge. 

Devastated by Catherine’s choice of Edgar over himself, Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights. Meanwhile, Catherine and Edgar’s wedding day arrives—Catherine appears joyful, but she cannot help but to yearn for Heathcliff. 

15 MINUTE INTERMISSION 

PART THREE 

Years later, Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights and is now a wealthy gentleman. He finds Hindley in an utterly deteriorated state from his grief and hard drinking. Hindley, in this state, is 

no longer able to intimidate Heathcliff. However, when Hindley notices that Heathcliff has money, he invites him to a game of cards. Heathcliff accepts and sets out to ruin Hindley—who loses all of his money and is forced to mortgage Wuthering Heights to Heathcliff. 

In the wake of Heathcliff’s absence, Catherine and Edgar have settled into a comfortable routine. Edgar’s sister, Isabella, is living with them. Now, Heathcliff has one desire—to see Catherine again. He persuades Nelly to bring Catherine to him, and upon seeing Heathcliff, she is both angry and overjoyed. She takes Heathcliff to see Edgar—and Edgar does not share her enthusiasm. 

Heathcliff is devastated by what he finds and resolves to take revenge on both Catherine and Edgar by becoming a regular visitor Thrushcross Grange and contrives to make Isabella fall in love with him. He is a cold suitor, but Isabella is infatuated with him—even as she begins to sense his cruelty. 

Involved in a passionate embrace, Heathcliff and Isabella are discovered by Catherine. She is overcome with rage and jealousy in the light of what she finds, becoming increasingly distressed and calling on Edgar to intervene. Edgar throws Heathcliff out of the house, demanding an explanation from Catherine. Nelly tries to calm the situation, but Catherine is hysterical and entirely beyond reason. 

Isabella arrives at Wuthering Heights with her luggage, and she and Heathcliff elope, leaving Hindley behind in a drunken stupor. In this state, Hindley suffers a stroke and dies. 

PART FOUR 

Catherine, heartbroken and wracked with grief, descends into madness. A hallucination of herself as a young child comforts her in the midst of this darkness. Nelly has moved in with Catherine at Thrushcross Grange in order to nurse her, but her efforts are in vain and Catherine sinks into a decline toward death. 

Heathcliff and Isabella have returned to Wuthering Heights, but it is not a happy union—he treats Isabella brutally. When Nelly goes to Wuthering Heights to greet the couple and tell them of Catherine’s condition, Heathcliff becomes distraught, begging Nelly to take him to see her. He and Catherine have a passionate reunion in which they forgive each other for their mutual betrayals. 

Edgar returns to Thrushcross Grange to find Catherine and Heathcliff together and orders Heathcliff to leave. Catherine tries to follow him, but in her weakened state, she collapses and dies. 

Heathcliff’s dreams are haunted by visions, and crazed with longing for Catherine, he rushes to the churchyard where he tears open her grave and clasps her body in a frenzy of passion and despair. 

For a brief moment, Catherine is revived by visions of Heathcliff and herself as young children before she lapses back into death. 

Heathcliff is left alone, cradling her dead body. 

Sasha Janes, Artistic Director 

Janice Wells, Managing Director 

Jenni Propst, Lighting Designer and Stage Manager 

Hanna Atkinson, Stage Manager 

Sarah Yoak, Administrative Assistant 

Jessica Toby Lustig and Fletcher Dickmann, Costume Designer and Director 

Alison Nickerson, Production Assistant and Props Artisan 

Emily Kruger, Janice Lovercheck, Indrid Wood, Gizelle Khouri, Jake Burns, Costumes 

Kazuko Adachi, George Lykogiannis, Mark Wells, Pianists