Nutcracker Spotlight: Barry Kerollis
By Rosie Gaynor
Posted
December 5,
2008
Pacific Northwest Ballet dancer Barry Kerollis
(Photo
© Angela Sterling)
On its 25th
anniversary, Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker is
still fresh, still magical.
While the
ballet easily stands up to repeated viewings, any review I could
write about it would show signs of wear and tear. (Nutcracker
2008 in a nutshell? Just like past years: Charming, neatly
danced, great jumps, good acting, funny moments, what’s up with
the choreography of the Sugar Plum Fairy music, my goodness
those little kids are good, I love the Sendak sets and costumes,
I like so-and-so in this role better, etc.) Instead, let me
share a questionnaire filled out by one of the 250+
folks appearing in this year’s Nutcracker.
Name:
Barry Kerollis
First Nutcracker Performed In:
Chester Valley Dance Academy, in Chester County, PA
Age
Back Then:
7 years old
Role Back Then:
Soldier in the battle scene [Kerollis plays 10 or so roles in
PNB’s Nutcracker, including the Nutcracker and the
Warrior Mouse.]
Nutcracker Performances Danced in Since Then:
I honestly have no idea. My best guess is no less than 250.
A
Favorite Nutcracker Moment:
My favorite Nutcracker moment was when I performed with
The Russian Ballet Theatre of Delaware. I was the Nutcracker in
the fight scene. The Mouse King and I had these really flashy
swords that made a fun clanging noise when they clashed.
Apparently, they weren't strong enough for what the choreography
demanded. A little more than halfway through the battle, we hit
swords and mine broke about three quarters of the way down. I
had to fight off the Mouse King for the remainder of the scene
with a small dagger. It was pretty funny—and I still won.
One
Funny Nutcracker Memory:
One of the funniest memories I have of Nutcracker was
when I danced the Prince at my local dance studio in
Pennsylvania. One of the angels at the beginning of the second
act had fallen over. The costumes were too overwhelming, with
hula-hoops at the base, and the young child could not get up.
She rolled onstage for about two minutes before my Sugar Plum
Fairy made her entrance and gracefully helped the kid back on
her feet.
Nutcracker Tidbits to Share: Since we perform so many Nutcrackers
throughout the season, we often create our own stories onstage
to keep from getting too bored. We do this especially during the
party scene when we are just standing around. I have pretended
that I have had a bit too much to drink, that I am rich and
think my family is better than the Stahlbaums, that I’m much
more interested in another party mother than my own wife, and
many more scenarios. We have to keep it interesting and,
amusingly enough, we tend to play off of others’ little games to
keep it exciting, even if we don’t know what their story of that
show is.
Nutcracker and Soldier: Two of the many roles
Barry Kerollis has danced over the years. Kerollis dances 10 or
so different parts in PNB’s current production.
(Shown above: Benjamin Griffiths as the Nutcracker, with PNB
Company dancers and PNB School students. Photo © Angela
Sterling.)
PNB’s Nutcracker runs through December 30. Tickets range $24 to
$130 (206-441-2424 or
www.pnb.org).
Special Guest Appearances, During the Party Scene in Act I:
November 30, 1:00 pm, Stephen Kilbreath, member of the KMPS
Waking Crew (formerly with KJR and KUBE)
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