Then and Now

Wardrobe McCarter Theatre. On the left Gloria Woodside circa 1970 photo credit: Peter C. Cook. On the right 2011 photo credit:George Jones

 The more things change, the more they stay the same. While perusing through the company archives, I came across the photo on the left and was in awe to see the similarity behind the scenes at McCarter Theater over a four decade span. Pictured in the back in the photo on the left is Gloria Woodside. She dedicated  over 20 years first as a volunteer for our founder Audrée Estey,  then she started designing, constructing, fitting and repairing costumes for the Nutcracker. Her daughter, Anne W. Gribbins,  Princeton Ballet  School and American Repertory Ballet alumna, serves as Director of Marketing at McCarter Theatre (see below for more company alumni in the news.) We belong to a fortunate group of people who understand what it takes to get hundreds of cast members ready for the stage. Most folks aren't privy to the wonderment and tireless efforts of those backstage who help bring the magic alive for the audience members. Today, Gina Ricca as Wardrobe Supervisor and Michele Ferranti as Company Wardrobe Manager make sure that all cast members are costumed and dressed exquisitely. Nutcracker Children's Stage Manager and PBS School Treasurer Cathy Urwin writes eloquently in her blog When Nutcracker Becomes a Verb. Read more for another perspective behind the scenes.

In 2013 we will celebrate our 50th Annual Nutcracker. We have been busy documenting cast members and archives but we need your help. Here are some possibilities to help the "family of families" find their lost relatives. 

• Contact me if you would like to be an Alumni Ambassador in gathering current contact information of your former cast mates; parents who made friendships in the hallways, boutique and/or backstage; former board members who would like to reconnect.
•  Join our steering committee to help create a festive occasion for the reunion.
•  Contribute and spread the word about our "Keep the Magic Alive" Nutcracker fund to insure that the tradition will continue.
• Send photos to  abranagan@arballet.org to be posted on our facebook timeline. Please include the date, details and photo credit if known. 

8th Annual Nutcracker Alumni Gathering

Company Alumni gathering at PBS 2008 photo credit: Nicole de Ravel

Christopher Bandy: Owner of Bandy Woodworks, married, one daughter, lives in PA... 

Greg Bonke: Senior Digital Communications Manager at ARAMARK, married ARB's trainee Miranda Lennox, lives in NJ...Gabriel Chajnik: Director of TranscenDance Group, lives in NY...Peng-Yu Chen: Dancer with Atlanta Ballet, lives in GA...Christine Cox: Artistic Director of Ballet X in Philadelphia, one son, lives in PA...Brittany Fridenstine-Keefe: School Coordinator for Rockford Dance Company, married, lives in IL...Janette Hanley: after a long career with Milwaukee Ballet, moved back to CO with her daughter...Dominic Guerra: Dancer with the Festival Ballet Alberquerque, lives in NM...James Huchings: Partner at Shubert Goodman & Huttner LLP, married, two daughters, lives in NJ...Pierre Lockett: Director of Community Engagement for Joffrey Ballet, lives in IL...Erin (Mahoney) Du: School Director of American Dance Institute in Rockville, MD, married, two daughters , lives in MD...Pedro Gamino married Faye-Abigail Tan-Gamino: both Dancers with Atlanta Ballet, live in GA...Tracey Katona, works for Nike, lives in OR...Tara Keating: Dancer with Ballet X, lives in PA...Stuart Longeway: Artistic Director of Terra Firm Dance Theatre, lives in NY...Douglas Martin: Artistic Director of American Repertory Ballet, married to Mary Barton: American Repertory Ballet's Ballet Mistress and Resident Choreographer both on faculty Princeton Ballet School, live in NJ...Sean Mahoney: Dancer with Paul Taylor, lives in NY...Andrew Notarile: Dancer with New Jersey Ballet, lives in NJ...Shari Nyce: Owner of Nyce Bodies in Pennington, NJ, 3 daughters, lives in NJ...Brannon Osburn: works at American Ballet Theater, married, two daughters, lives in NY...David Pittenger: Senior Yoga Instructor in PA and NJ, married, one daughter , lives in NJ...Samuel Pott: Artistic Director of Nimbus Dance Works in Jersey City, NJ, married, one daughter, lives in NJ...Mark and Melissa Roxey: Director of the Roxey Ballet Company and Mill Ballet School in Lambertville, NJ, one son and one daughter, live in PA...Karen Russo Burke: Artistic Director of Dayton Ballet, married, two sons and a daughter, lives in OH...Amy Seiwert: Choreographer in Residence for Smuin Ballet, Artist in Residence at the ODC Theatre in San Fransisco, Artistic Director of Imagrey, married, lives in CA...Lynda Sing: Registered Yoga Teacher -500, teaches and manages at Zen Yasa Yoga Studio, exploring the world of aerial art, performing with Maia Ramnath's Constellation Moving Progject, lives in NY...Penny Saunders: Dancer with Hubbard Street Dance, lives in IL...Septime Webre: Artistic Director of Washington Ballet, lives in DC...Jamie Rae Walker: Dancer with Paul Taylor, lives in NY...Ruth (Vesenka) Lewis: works for Ballet Theatre Company, married, a son and a daughter, lives in CT...Byrd White: IT Contractor for SonyNuevo Lavedo, lives in AL...Derrick Wilder: Director of Dance at the Lawrenceville School, lives in NJ...Anne (Woodside) Gribbins: Director of Marketing at McCarter Theater, married, one son and one daughter, lives in NJ...Daniel Wright: Senior Vice President at Holmstead Property in NYC, lives in NY

Please send any corrections or updates...we love to hear from you.