TOPEKA’S PREMIER PRODUCTION OF THE NUTCRACKER
With Topeka Symphony Orchestra
Join Clara’s adventures with the Nutcracker Prince, his army of toy soldiers, and their plan to defeat the evil Mouse King! Enjoy this dazzling holiday classic, performed with live musical accompaniment by Topeka Symphony Orchestra. Each year, we are proud to feature student dancers from Kansas Ballet Academy along with visiting guest artists from renowned companies such as Joffrey Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Ballet West.
2023 Featured guest Artists
WHITNEY HUELL
Whitney Huell trained at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities under the tutelage of Stanislav Issaev and Robert Barnett. She then attended Indiana University earning a B.S. in Ballet and Psychology before joining Ballet West. With Ballet West, Ms. Huell performed featured roles in Paquita, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Petite Mort, and Jewels. In January 2011 she was one of Dance Magazine’s Top 25 to Watch and was also featured in the September 2012 issue of Pointe Magazine. With Kansas City Ballet, Ms. Huell has performed works by Amy Seiwert, Adam Hougland, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Monique Meunier, Stanton Welch, Edwaard Liang, Val Caniparoli, Helen Pickett, Septime Webre, Mark Morris, Jirí Kylián and Jerome Robbins and has been featured as The Lead Woman in James Kudelka’s The Man in Black, Jeté Woman in Forsythe’s In the Middle Somewhat Elevated, Dark Angel in Balanchine’s Serenade and Myrtha in Devon Carney’s Giselle. In 2018 she was featured as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Devon Carney’s production of The Nutcracker becoming the first African American in KCB history to perform the role.
ANGELIN CARRANT
Angelin Carrant, originally from Paris, France, began his training at the age of six. As a child he was chosen to perform in Le Songe de Médée by Angelin Preljocaj, with the Paris Opera Ballet. In 2013, Mr. Carrant was offered a full scholarship with the San Francisco Ballet School, under the leadership of Patrick Armand. He trained there for four years where he danced in productions such as Helgi Tomasson’s The Nutcracker, Christopher Wheeldon’s Cinderella and John Neumeier’s Yondering. He joined the Kansas City Ballet second company in 2017 and the following year was promoted to the main company. As a dancer with KCB, Mr. Carrant has danced leading roles in William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, Elegy in George Balanchine’s Serenade and Snow King in Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker. He has also danced in many productions such as Septime Webre’s The Wizard of Oz, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Tulips and Lobster, Michael Pink’s Dracula and Edwaard Liang’s Wunderland among many others.
Highlights
visiting artist program
Our visiting artist program is made possible by funding from Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts
Topeka Performing Arts Center
Tickets are available through the Topeka Performing Arts Center box office (10am – 4:30pm Tues-Fri) or online via Ticketmaster.
Cast members can access rehearsal schedules here
