Welcome to
An American
Nutcracker!
Choreography by Jim McEwan
Performances
Saturday • December 13th, 2025 • 2:00 PM
Saturday • December 13th, 2025 • 7:00 PM
Sunday • December 14th, 2025 • 2:00 PM
at
Eastern High School Auditorium
About the Ballet
“An American Nutcracker” re-imagines the traditionally Victorian story to take place in the United States during the wartime of the 1940s. Clare, her sister Frannie, and her Mother are attending a Christmas party for the families of soldiers; many are still away at war, including Clare’s father. The party is an exciting place with seemingly magical presents and a very special toy soldier Nutcracker that Clare’s father has sent her for Christmas. The party continues into the night, though Clare hardly notices as she dances with her Nutcracker.
When the family returns home, Clare is exhausted and falls asleep, but her dreams are restless. Reality and fiction blend together, influenced by her experience at the party, newsreels she’s seen, and the imagination of a child. She dreams of a great battle between the soldiers and the rats and of the beautiful winter snow falling to bring peace across the land.
Clare’s dreams soon find her traveling through the skies to far-off lands where her father may have been and the people she meets along the way. At last, she envisions finding her mother and father dancing together and is transported back to reality, where she awakens to find her family reunited!
ACT I
The Present Day
Grandma Clare
Peyton Drake
Grandchildren
Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell
The Party in the Past
Clare
Peyton Drake
Frannie
Lucy Laird
Mother
Chloe Gonzales
USO Ladies
Soyoung Kim, Annaliese Marks, Zoë McLaughlin, Liv VanEss
Auntie Dee
Stephanie Constan
Party Guests
Jennifer Apland, Victoria Coykendall, Devin Dudley, Serena Lotreck, Blaise Prince, Christina Priolo, Cambria Squires, Bridget Vander Hoff
The Boss Girls
Emily Furlong, Hannah Gentilozzi, Waltrina Hardy, Aria Rich, Gemma Schicker, Maddie Shaver, Monica Treadwell
The Girls
Grace Cleland, Izzy Grabarek, Leona LeSage, Kate Martinson, Sophie Parks, Norah Thomas, Tessa Tomaszewski
Young Boys & Girls
Ellie Amores, Abigail Gilding, River Grabarek, Anastasia Heidt, Dylan Lovegrove, Charlotte Peterson, Emmalynn Shelden, Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell, Charlotte Washington, Vivienne Will
Santa
Serena Lotreck
Toy Army Men
Aria Rich, Tessa Tomaszewski
Raggedy Ann & Andy
Hannah Gentilozzi, Gemma Schicker
The Dream Begins and the Battle
Mice
Ellie Amores, Abigail Gilding, River Grabarek, Anastasia Heidt, Dylan Lovegrove, Charlotte Peterson, Emmalynn Shelden, Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell, Charlotte Washington, Vivienne Will
Nutcracker
Jim McEwan
The Rat Queen
Sophie Parks
Rat Queen’s Guard
Blaise Prince, Christina Priolo, Cambria Squires
The Army of Rats
Emily Furlong, Hannah Gentilozzi, Waltrina Hardy, Norah Thomas
Toy Soldiers
Grace Cleland, Lucy Laird, Leona LeSage, Kate Martinson, Aria Rich, Maddie Shaver, Izzy Grabarek, Gemma Schicker, Tessa Tomaszewski, Monica Treadwell
In the Snow
Snow Queen
Leona LeSage
Cavalier
Daniel Newcombe
Snowflake Waltz
Grace Cleland, Emily Furlong, Hannah Gentilozzi, Waltrina Hardy, Izzy Grabarek, Lucy Laird, Leona LeSage, Kate Martinson, Sophie Parks, Aria Rich, Gemma Schicker, Maddie Shaver, Tessa Tomaszewski, Norah Thomas, Monica Treadwell
with Devin Dudley, Blaise Prince
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Intermission
We invite you to visit Greater Lansing Ballet Company’s Concessions and Boutique in the lobby!
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ACT II
Vision on the Battlefield
Father
Wolfgang Goluska (Sat 7pm, Sun 2pm)
Jim McEwan (Sat 2pm)
Mother
Chloe Gonzales
Clare
Peyton Drake
The Skies Over Dreamland
Cloud
Emily Furlong, Kate Martinson, Aria Rich, Tessa Tomaszewski
Puffy Clouds
Ellie Amores, Abigail Gilding, River Grabarek, Anastasia Heidt, Dylan Lovegrove, Charlotte Peterson, Emmalynn Sheldon, Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell, Charlotte Washington, Vivienne Will
Escort Planes
Grace Cleland, Lucy Laird, Leona LeSage, Maddie Shaver, Norah Thomas
Attacking Planes
Waltrina Hardy, Izzy Grabarek, Gemma Schicker, Hannah Gentilozzi, Monica Treadwell
Dreams of Far-Off Lands
The War Bonds
Stars & Stripes Girls
Sarah Dunn, Zoë McLaughlin, Christina Priolo, Cambria Squires, Bridget Vander Hoff
Flags
Featuring Jenny Radon
with Jennifer Apland, Stephanie Constan, Victoria Coykendall, Serena Lotreck, Annaliese Marks, Liv VanEss
Average Joe
Devin Dudley
Sneaky Rat
Blaise Prince
In Spain
Spanish Dancers
Lucy Laird and Leona LeSage
with
Emily Furlong, Kate Martinson, Aria Rich, Tessa Tomaszewski
In Egypt
Arabian Dancers
Grace Cleland, Hannah Gentilozzi, Izzy Grabarek, Waltrina Hardy, Gemma Schicker, Maddie Shaver, Norah Thomas, Monica Treadwell
In China
Chinese Dancers
Chloe Gonzales, Soyoung Kim, Sophie Parks
In Russia
Russian Dancers
Ellie Amores, Abigail Gilding, River Grabarek, Anastasia Heidt, Dylan Lovegrove, Charlotte Peterson, Emmalynn Shelden, Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell, Charlotte Washington, Vivienne Will
In France
Shepherds
Victoria Coykendall, Zoë McLaughlin
Sheep
Stephanie Constan, Devin Dudley, Serena Lotreck, Annaliese Marks, Blaise Prince, Christina Priolo, Cambria Squires
Clare Searches for her Father
Clare’s Search
Peyton Drake
Waltz of the Flowers
Dew Drop
Lucy Laird
Cavalier
Devin Dudley
Flowers
Grace Cleland, Waltrina Hardy, Hannah Gentilozzi, Chloe Gonzales, Izzy Grabarek, Leona LeSage, Sophie Parks, Christina Priolo, Gemma Schicker, Maddie Shaver, Norah Thomas, Monica Treadwell
with Blaise Prince
Clare Finds her Father & Grand Adage
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Finale
Greater Lansing Ballet Company
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Greater Lansing Ballet Company
Senior Division
back row (left to right)
Waltrina Hardy, Leona LeSage, Peyton Drake, Lucy Laird, Gemma Schicker
middle row
Maddie Shaver, Monica Treadwell, Norah Thomas, Emily Furlong*, Grace Cleland
front row
Izzy Grabarek, Tessa Tomaszewski*, Kate Martinson*, Aria Rich*, Hannah Gentilozzi*
* apprentice to Senior Company
Junior Division
back row (left to right)
Charlotte Washington, Dylan Lovegrove, Charlotte Peterson, Anastasia Heidt, Ellie Amores, Vivienne Will
front row
Teleri Shelden, Regina Treadwell, Emmalynn Shelden, Abigail Gilding, River Grabarek
Jim McEwan, Artistic Director, is an active dancer and choreographer. After attending Michigan Tech University, Jim began his dance training with Elzbieta Alabuszew-Kutek at Lansing Community College and with Barbara Banasikowski Smith at the Academy of Dance Arts, Inc. He received scholarships to Interlochen Arts Academy and Ballet Nouveau Colorado, and had the privilege to study with Kip Sturm, former principle with Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Madame Gribanova, dean of the Vaganova Ballet Academy of St. Petersburg.
As a performer, Jim danced many leading roles with the Greater Lansing Ballet Co. in Cinderella, Firebird, Coppelia, Dracula, Peter and the Wolf, Nutcracker, and many contemporary works. He has also performed with Lansing Community College, as well as Lansing Chamber Dance, Dancing With the Local Stars, and the Indian Cultural Society.
As a choreographer, Jim was awarded several scholarships to attend Regional Dance America’s National Choreography Intensive, has had multiple works selected for performance at RDA MidStates and RDA National Festivals, and has received RDA’s National Choreographic Recognition award. His growing list of full length ballets includes Little Mermaid, Dracula, Robyn Hood, La Bayadere, Hedy, An American Nutcracker, SteamWorld, and The Ratcracker. He has also set works for many local dance groups. Jim is an instructor and director of the Greater Lansing Academy of Dance.
Zoë McLaughlin, GLBC Young Adult Rehearsal Assistant, began learning ballet as a child and trained pre-professionally at Flower City Ballet in Rochester, NY under the direction of Wayne Blatt. There, she performed in several productions including Faust, Carmen, The Fairy Doll, and Swan Lake. She received a Darmasiswa scholarship to study Javanese dance at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Surakarta, where she trained under Wahyu Santoso Prabowo and Rusini. She has danced with several gamelan ensembles in Indonesia and the United States, and while in Indonesia performed regularly in the Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan Temple. She began teaching ballet while still at Flower City and currently also conducts Javanese dance workshops in the Michigan area.
Sophie Parks, GLBC Junior/Senior Rehearsal Assistant, is a choreographer, dancer, and arts administrator from Okemos, Michigan, and has interned with several Michigan performing arts organizations. She performs and choreographs throughout the state, most extensively with the Greater Lansing Ballet Company and (re)spire dance collective. She has presented choreography at concerts and festivals including Happendance’s Threading Moonbows (2025), RDA MidStates (2025), Oakland Dance Festival (2024), and RADFest (2022). She is currently a rehearsal assistant for GLBC’s Junior and Senior companies and was an assistant artistic director of the adult modern company Elements from 2019-2024. She attended MSU as a dance minor with MSU Orchesis from 2019-2023 where she was selected to set choreography in 2020, 2021, and 2022. As a dance instructor, Sophie has held positions at Delta Dance Connection, Kick it Out!, and The Studio Performing Arts Center. Her training has included modern, contemporary, ballet, composition, improvisation, jazz, hip hop, and tap.
Blaise Prince, GLBC Senior Rehearsal Assistant, has been a member of the Greater Lansing Ballet Company for 15 years, starting as a junior company member and progressing through the ranks, now acting as one of the rehearsal assistants for the Senior Company Division. He has performed mostly in the Corps de ballet, an incredibly important cornerstone to traditional ballet productions. He is also currently a student at Lansing Community College in the welding program. Blaise intends to continue dancing with the Greater Lansing Ballet Company through his time in school and beyond, as long as he is able to do so.
Wolfgang Goluska, Guest Artist, started dancing at Elizabeth Williams School of Dance at the age of 8, where he studied ballet, tap and jazz. Wolfgang was eventually invited to guest dance with Children's Ballet Theater, which led to him to join their company for their 2018-2019 season. He has also attended summer intensives at Grand Rapids Ballet, Northeast Academy of Dance, Cincinnati Ballet, and New York Dance Project. At Grand Valley State University, Wolfgang furthered his dance education, studying ballet and modern dance technique along with dance history, dance costuming, dance on camera, choreography, urban dance, and dance pedagogy. While studying, Wolfgang continued to perform as a guest dancer with various companies, including HIS Academy of Dance, Greater Lansing Ballet Company, and West Michigan Youth Ballet. Wolfgang graduated from GVSU with a B.A. in dance in April of 2023. Following his academic career, Wolfgang joined CPR Dance: Inhale Movement. Currently Wolfgang is continuing his dancing with CPR Dance as well as teaching and guest dancing with various groups around Michigan.
Peyton Drake is a senior at Holt High School and a dedicated member of The Greater Lansing Academy of Dance, where she trains in ballet and pointe as part of both the Ballet Company and the Competitive Dance Program. Her training background also includes Happendance, Ann’s School of Dance, and the Patsy Watson School of Dance, where she danced on multiple competitive teams. Peyton has furthered her education by attending the Joffrey New York Ballet Summer Intensive, the Regional Dance America Festival, the Universal Ballet Competition, the New York City Dance Alliance, and workshops with Inner Mitten Moves. After graduation, she plans to continue her dance training while attending Lansing Community College.
Greater Lansing Ballet Company (GLBC) was originally founded by Barbara Banasikowski Smith in 1990 and has been presenting world class performances to the Lansing community for 35 years. The semi professional, non-profit ballet company provides youth, pre-professional and professional dancers a vehicle for performance opportunities in a professional environment. The Company also acquaints, educates and enriches audiences of all ages by performing full-length classical ballets as well as original and contemporary ballets. GLBC has also participated in three international cross-cultural exchange projects with Poland and Russia.
Greater Lansing Ballet has collaborated with several area music organizations, including the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, performing The Nutcracker, Firebird, Peter and The Wolf and Holst’s Planets. The Company has also worked in collaboration with the Mason Symphony Orchestra on several seasonal shows and with the Meridian Concert Band.
The ballet company is a member of the Regional Dance America, a national organization which promotes the artistic development of dance companies throughout the United States with over one hundred dance companies as members. Greater Lansing Ballet was privileged to host the 2001 Mid-States Festival in East Lansing. GLBC performs in regional festivals throughout the Midwest and at national festivals across the country as well as Montreal, Canada.
Greater Lansing Ballet Company members have received numerous invitations and scholarships to dance programs across the country, including Joffrey Ballet and Joffrey Ballet of Texas, Jordan Academy at Butler University, Hubbard Street Dance, Alvin Ailey, Interlochen Arts Academy, Kansas City Ballet, Salt Creek Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Oklahoma Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Point Park University, and many, many others, as well as a scholarships for RDA’s Craft of Choreography Conference, National Choreographic Intensive, and the Glenda Brown Choreography Project. Many former Greater Lansing Ballet Company members have been accepted into dance companies, including Ballet Magnificat, Boston Ballet, Missouri Contemporary Dance Company, Alvin Ailey, Central Illinois Ballet, and more.
Thank you to Our Sponsors!
Show Sponsors
Greater Lansing Academy of Dance
Official School of the Greater Lansing Ballet Co.
Dancer Sponsors
Program Sponsors
Congratulations to All the Dancers!
from the Dancers of Friday's Adult Ballet
Acknowledgements
Artistic Director
Jim McEwan
Assistant Directors
Zoë McLaughlin, Sophie Parks, Blaise Prince
Costume Mistress
Alicia Grabarek
Assistant Costume Mistresses
Angela Prince, Tina Cleland, Bridget Howard
Costume Sewing
Christie Eberly-Shelden, Tracy Tomaszewski, Jackie Will
GLBC Technical Director
Jim McEwan
Technical Assistant
Wolfgang Goluska
Set Construction
Scott Hardy, Dennis Sherman
Prop Construction
Sue Sherman
Lighting Designer
Jim McEwan
Publicity & Advertisement
Heather Gentilozzi, Stephanie Amores
Fundraising Coordinator
Anna Laird
Program
Jim McEwan, Sophie Parks, Zoë McLaughlin, Chloe Gonzales
Event Volunteer Coordinator
Katie Gilding
GLAD Office Assistant
Stephanie Amores
Photography
Alicia Shaver
Music for the Production based on “The Nutcracker Ballet” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Alternative Versions & Arrangements by Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn and David Berger
Music Edited and Arranged by Jim McEwan