Festival Ballet Theatre
and
Artistic Director, Salwa Rizkalla

Present

The Nutcracker

December 11 | 1pm, 6pm
December 12 | 1pm, 6pm
December 18 | 1pm, 6pm           
December 19 | 1pm, 6pm
December 21 | 6pm
December 22 | 6pm
December 23 | 6pm
December 24 | 11am    

There will be a 20-minute intermission.

Choreography & Direction
Salwa Rizkalla

Music
Peter I. Tchaikovsky

Scenery & Original Costume Design 
Simon Pastukh & Galina Solovyeva

Lighting Design & Production Supervisor
Morgan Embry

Artistic Assistant
Elizabeth Farmen

Rehearsal Faculty 
Cassidy Doan, Elizabeth Farmen,
Marci Goedl, Camilla Kellogg,
Hanna Przyludzka-Karacic,
Salwa Rizkalla, Emily Villa

Additional Costume Design & Construction
Donna Dickens, Cyndee Ely, Cliff Faulkner,
Heather Lerma, Kaye Michel,
Jack Sykes & Barbara Vieuretta

Costume Coordinators 
Willa Bouwens-Killeen

Social Media
Megan Yamashita

Graphic Designer 
Marianne Hales, Nicole Reineman

Production Coordinator
Chris Schmidt

Company Photographer 
Dave Friedman, Skye Schmidt

Casting subject to change.

The taking of photographs or use of recording devices is strictly prohibited.

Festival Ballet Theatre (FBT) is Orange County’s premiere, accomplished professional ballet company. Our mission is to enrich Orange County’s artistic and economic vitality, to inspire love and appreciation for dance, and to invigorate ballet by:

• Presenting a season of exhilarating classical and contemporary performances,
• Providing a nurturing environment for dancers and choreographers,
• Offering stimulating educational outreach programs.

With reverence for classic masterpieces and a focus on developing future tours de force, Festival Ballet Theatre is committed to presenting the best of dance, enriching lives, and developing a new generation of audiences and artists.

Festival Ballet Theatre is a well-established nonprofit arts organization founded in 1988 by Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla. Boasting a roster of impressive, up-and-coming Southern California talent, the company’s productions spotlight internationally acclaimed guest artists from prestigious companies.

Aspiring to heights of artistic excellence, FBT simultaneously attracts the best in professional dance to its home base while sending its own dancers out as artistic ambassadors to the nation. Arts Orange County named Festival Ballet Theatre Outstanding Arts Organization of the Year in 2001 and recognized Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla with the Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award in 2014.

Southland Ballet Academy (SBA) is the official school of Festival Ballet Theatre. Founded in 1983, SBA cultivates, trains and inspires an appreciation for classical ballet from beginner to professional dancer. Since opening its doors as a ballet studio, SBA and director Salwa Rizkalla have secured a national and international reputation and have played a prominent role in grooming world-class dancers. Southland Ballet Academy has grown from a modest one-room facility to eight state-of-the-art studios in two Orange County locations — Fountain Valley and Irvine. Southland Ballet Academy's International Summer Intensive program is a favorite destination for dancers who enjoy classes taught by world-renowned artistic directors, ballet masters and choreographers. The Intensive culminates in the Inspired Young Dancer Performance that gives the young dancers an opportunity to refine their performance abilities on stage.

Artistic Director Salwa Rizkalla has contributed to the Orange County community for more than 30 years by presenting excellence in dance performance through Festival Ballet Theatre and providing top-tier classical ballet training at Southland Ballet Academy.

During her professional dancing career, Ms. Rizkalla graced the stage in leading roles in well-known classical ballets as well as contemporary pieces. She had the privilege of working under the direction of world-renowned choreographers Leonid Lavrovsky and Serge Lifar. As a young dancer, Ms. Rizkalla trained in the Russian Vaganova method and studied with Russian ballet masters. As the culmination of her training, Ms. Rizkalla completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in ballet pedagogy. She established Southland Ballet Academy in 1983 and debuted Festival Ballet Theatre in 1988. In addition to teaching and directing, Ms. Rizkalla was a faculty member of several area institutions.

Many arts organizations have recognized her service. The Orange County Music and Arts Administrators and Segerstrom Center for the Arts (formerly Orange County Performing Arts Center) jointly recognized her with the Orange County Arts Educator of the Year Award for Secondary Dance (2003); Youth America Grand Prix awarded Ms. Rizkalla Outstanding Teacher accolades since its inception; and Arts Orange County recognized Ms. Rizkalla with the Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award (2014). The Orange County Register named Ms. Rizkalla one of OC’s 100 Most Influential People in 2017. 

Ms. Rizkalla has been honored to impact the lives of hundreds of students and their families through her teaching. She is proud to be a dedicated educator, an energetic promoter of the arts, and an active participant in the cultural life of her community.

The Nutcracker Casting

Back Line (left to right): Adella Mehringer, Sophia Ly, Jocelyn Thomas, Julian Chao, Kotone Matsuzaki, Keira Kuennemann, Hailey Van, Tess Valenta

Middle Line (left to right): Sheridan Stone, Emma Crawford, Aurora Kellogg, Charlotte Bengfort, Leon Sai, Michelle Lu, Bella Dinglasan, Halle Chan, Brielle Aucoin

Front Line (left to right): Meiwen Zajtmann, Brynn Oh, Natalie Ho, Madison Jones, Amelie Hoang, Nia Villania, Madison Chen, Minhkha Le

Not Pictured: Chloe Im, Olivia Senter

Festival Ballet Theatre is proud to present the members of FBT Trainees, a junior company of student dancers with outstanding potential. Through FBT Trainees, Festival Ballet Theatre secures a talented base of dancers, offers performance opportunities “at home” and nurtures the stars of the future to a professional career in dance.

Back Line (left to right): Lana Zylstra, Sadie Lee, Yaya Liu, Amanda Luyks, Sami Santos, Hunter Curry, Ashley Chung, Lee Zucker-Murray, Cierra Roberts, Bailey Stenstrom

Middle Line (left to right): Sydney Madolora, Anna-Marie Leach, Megan Suhr, Francesca Darmiento, Juliet Garbacz, Tess Lethen, Aisha Vaughan, Justine LeCave

Front Line (left to right): Natalie Burkley, Cassidy Nguyen, Towako Wunsch, Yuma Kainuma, Rachel Lee, Emma Chen, Sophia Koo, Aimee Cho

Not Pictured: Riley Louis

Festival Ballet Theatre gratefully acknowledges the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations for their contributions to our programs.

Director’s Circle
$10,000+
Anonymous
Salwa & Sabri Rizkalla

Underwriter
$5,000-$9,999
Anonymous
James Carter

Choreographer
$2,500 - $4,999
Anonymous

Principal
$1,000 - $2,499
Anonymous
Willa Bouwens-Killeen
Amy & Ronnie Johncox
Dione Knowles
David & Berit Ling
Carol & Marc MacDonald
Senenne & Marc Philippon
Pulmonary Care & Sleep Associates
Katrina Querriera
Lydia Ringwald
Nancy & Samuel Santos
Gift in Loving Memory of Dr. Robert C. Sharp
Sayoko Wunsch
Lisa Yamashita

Soloist
$500 - $999
Anonymous
Amy Chu
Karen & Thomas Hersh
Cathleen & Phil Hunter
Mai Ishiyama
Ryosuke & Akiyo Matsuzaki
Teri & Chris Schmidt
Kim Tang & Danh Kuennemann
Donna Stenstrom
Abril & George Turner
Gift in Honor of Laila Kilada

Artist
$250 - $499
Anonymous
Dennis & Wendy Hwang
Julie Kester
Dena LeCave
Charles & Jennofer O'Brien
Lisa & Young Oh
Constance Van Luit

Apprentice
$100 - $249
Anonymous
Eve Aucoin
Lisa Dinglasan
John Forsyte
Candace Furlong
Kathy Kahn
Alison Kwon
Shawn & Elizabeth Louis
Adrienne Madolora

For information or to join our list of donors, please visit FestivalBallet.org or call 714.962.5440

Festival Ballet Theatre thanks all of the parents and volunteers who are integral to the success of this presentation of The Nutcracker. We appreciate all the time and energy you have put into fundraising, costumes, donations, marketing and development. Your efforts are truly priceless in allowing Festival Ballet Theatre to provide this holiday tradition.