Comic twists pay off in Nevada Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’

Nevada Ballet Theatre closed its season over the weekend with a romantic, attractive, crowd-pleasing "Cinderella."

Adding a comic twist, the presentation included veteran male dancers as the evil stepsisters as well as several lighthearted sequences.

There were certain elements that made this appear to be a traditional ballet. Set in the English countryside, with costumes in rich brocades and velvets, it was danced to the recognized Prokofiev score.

Principals Yoomi Lee and Kyudong Kwak were the downtrodden but lovely heroine and her handsome prince (principals Racheal Hummel-Nole and Zeb Nole danced the roles at other performances). No matter the work, they perform the nearly impossible with charm and grace and did not disappoint here.

Members of the chorus were given ample opportunity to show their skills, especially in a four-seasons sequence in Act I and the lush ballroom scene in Act II. Alissa Verbena Dale danced lovely solos as the fairy godmother (soloist Cathy Colbert danced the role at other performances).

That's where the resemblance to the traditional offering ended.

The stepsisters were portrayed by guest artist Marcus Bugler and principal character dancer John Surdick. They took to their roles with relish, having fun from the moment they walked onto stage. Broad gestures and facial expressions identified them as Cinderella's nemeses from the beginning.

Real action -- attending the ball, protecting a special souvenir, meeting the prince -- drove their antics to addled camp (and the occasional fine dance move). Costumes and wigs in bright colors and intentionally dreadful design furthered their scene-stealing silliness.

Choreographer Peter Anastos added some other comic bits throughout the performance, including an amusing sequence with a father (Jamey Gallagher) who seemed only too glad to marry off any one of his three daughters to the handsome prince.

As a finale, "Cinderella" showcased skills, talent and versatility that could serve the company well during the coming seasons.