A video preview of Welch's Tales of Texas.

Also, a press release for the ballet has been up on the website for some time. I'm not sure if it came out in the Chronicle yet since I haven't been reading the paper lately.

Old Fashioned,

Your link got me to the Houston Ballet website, but I could not get the video to run. I will try again later.

A friend of mine is getting me tickets to next Sunday's performance.

mc

I'm going away for spring break, so I don't think I'll be able to see this. Please tell us what you think about it.

Old Fashioned,

There is a great article in the Chronicle today about Tales. There are interviews with Stanton Welch, and ?? Pierce, the fellow who wrote the score for the piece entitled Pecos.

I read it online, but I think it appears in the Zest section. I think it will be very interesting, and lots of fun.

Have a great spring break!
mc

Casting is now up. I found out I'll be back in town next Friday, so hopefully I can catch it that weekend!

BIG SKY
March 11, 13, 19, 21

1st pas de deux Julie Gumbinner
Lucas Priolo
2nd pas de deux Barbara Bears
Simon Ball
3rd pas de deux Mireille Hassenboehler
Andrew Murphy


Carl Coomer, Ilya Kozadayev, Ian Casady, Randy Herrera, Tyann Clement, Kim Wagman, Frances Perez-Ball, Cleopatra Williams, Kristina Harper, Lisa Kaczmarek, Nicholas Leschke, Caleb Mitchell

March 14

1st pas de deux Sara Webb
Zdenek Konvalina
2nd pas de deux Julie Gumbinner
Nicholas Leschke
3rd pas de deux Tyann Clement
Ian Casady


Carl Coomer, Firat Kazbek Özsoy, Peter Gleeson, Oliver Halkowich, Sharon Teague, Kim Wagman, Frances Perez-Ball, Cleopatra Williams, Kristina Harper, Lisa Kaczmarek, James Gotesky, Caleb Mitchell

March 20

1st pas de deux Leticia Oliveira
Carl Coomer
2nd pas de deux Mireille Hassenboehler
Andrew Murphy
3rd pas de deux Kelly Myernick
Caleb Mitchell


Chavo Killingsworth, Ilya Kozadayev, Ian Casady, Randy Herrera, Tyann Clement, Kim Wagman, Frances Perez-Ball, Cleopatra Williams, Kristina Harper, Lisa Kaczmarek, James Gotesky, Travis Bradley


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLINE TIME
March 11, 13, 20, 21
Walkin' After Midnight Lauren Anderson
Why Can't He Be You Julie Gumbinner
Nicholas Leschke
Crazy Barbara Bears
Too Many Secrets Andrew Murphy
Tyann Clement
Kim Wagman
Leticia Oliveira
Frances Perez-Ball
Sweet Dreams (of You) Sara Webb
Ian Casady
Stop, Look and Listen Ilya Kozadayev
Just a Closer Mireille Hassenboehler
Walk with Thee Simon Ball
Jaquel Charlesworth, Ingrid Zweifel, Kelly Myernick, Cleopatra Williams, Carl Coomer, Peter Gleeson, Lucas Priolo, Randy Herrera, Oliver Halkowich, Caleb Mitchell

March 14
Walkin' After Midnight Leticia Oliveira
Why Can't He Be You Tyann Clement
Phillip Broomhead

Crazy Kim Wagman
Too Many Secrets Peter Gleeson
Sharon Teague
Susan Bryant
Ingrid Zweifel
Frances Perez-Ball

Sweet Dreams (of You) Laura Richards
Randy Herrera

Stop, Look and Listen Oliver Halkowich
Just a Closer Lisa Kaczmarek
Walk with Thee Lucas Priolo
Clare Miklaunus, Kristina Harper, Michelle Carpenter, Anne Harshbarger, Chavo Killingsworth, Barry Kerollis, James Gotesky, Alexander Pandiscio, Firat Kazbek Özsoy, Travis Bradley

March 19
Walkin' After Midnight Kelly Myernick
Why Can't He Be You Tyann Clement
Phillip Broomhead

Crazy Frances Perez-Ball
Too Many Secrets Peter Gleeson
Sharon Teague
Susan Bryant
Ingrid Zweifel
Frances Perez-Ball

Sweet Dreams (of You) Laura Richards
Carl Coomer

Stop, Look and Listen Randy Herrera
Just a Closer Lisa Kaczmarek
Walk with Thee Lucas Priolo
Clare Miklaunus, Kristina Harper, Michelle Carpenter, Anne Harshbarger, Chavo Killingsworth, Barry Kerollis, James Gotesky, Alexander Pandiscio, Firat Kazbek Özsoy, Travis Bradley


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PECOS
March 11, 13, 14, 20
Pecos Bill Ian Casady
Slue-foot Sue Mireille Hassenboehler
Widow Maker Nicholas Leschke
Coyote Mother Lauren Anderson
Coyote Pups Ilya Kozadayev
Firat Kazbek Özsoy
Leticia Oliveira
Frances Perez-Ball
Mortician Phillip Broomhead
Pecos Bill's Mother Kim Wagman
Snake Oil Salesman Oliver Halkowich
Ranchers, Cowboys, Steer, Horses, and Townspeople
Artists of Houston Ballet and Academy Students


March 19, 21
Pecos Bill Simon Ball
Slue-foot Sue Barbara Bears
Widow Maker Andrew Murphy
Coyote Mother Julie Gumbinner
Coyote Pups Ilya Kozadayev
Oliver Halkowich
Ingrid Zweifel
Frances Perez-Ball
Mortician Nicholas Leschke
Pecos Bill's Mother Kristina Harper
Snake Oil Salesman Zdenek Konvalina
Ranchers, Cowboys, Steer, Horses, and Townspeople
Artists of Houston Ballet and Academy Students

Old Fashioned,

Thanks for posting the cast list. I do have tickets for Sunday afternoon. My daughter and I have invited a dance friend and her mom to join us.

I was hoping to catch a review in the Chronicle, but have not spotted one. Please let me know what you think if you get to go before me.

I am very intrigued with this performance. My daughter does not want to dress in western wear as encouraged in last week's Chronicle article! As I do not really own any western wear, I doubt that I will, either.

mc

Hahaha, well, you definitely will not find me in a Stetson and big belt buckle.

I believe the Chronicle usually comes out with reviews in the Saturday paper or Sunday Zest. Have fun at the performance!

The Tales of Texas was a lot of fun. Clearly it is very different, but everyone in our group loved it. Our favorite was the part set to Patsy Cline's songs. It was very colorful and quite clever.

The music was wonderful. The first part is set to music by Aaron Copeland. It was just beautiful.

If you're looking for something traditional, this would not be it!

There is a review in the Houston Chronicle. I just put the link on the March 13 Links forum.

I saw that last week - good, overall, but slightly erratic. I think Stanton Welch is MUCH better at fast pieces than serious ones, judging by the admittedly limited work that I've seen. His second and third ballets were very, very amusing, but his first, although it had its nice parts, honestly seemed too long. There aren't that many choreographers who are too talented at making interesting long adagios, and sadly, I don't think that Welch is one of them. The pas de deux were very nicely done, only they would have been much better had they not been done one after another!