When New Ballet’s “Cinderella” opens next weekend at the Hammer Theatre Center, you might be surprised to see that the title character’s stepmother and stepsisters are, well, misters.
Three male dancers with New Ballet — Dylan Tobias, Andy Nguyen and Ty Danzl — have been training on pointe for their roles in the show, which opens May 18. And don’t worry, there hasn’t been a shortage of female dancers to fill these roles. The trio are meant to be played “en travesti,” the tradition of using male performers in female roles, usually for comical effect.
Since men do not normally wear pointe shoes, the dancers had a special fitting with Josephine Lee of The Pointe Shop and have been training in them. They aren’t the only guys in the case, as New Ballet Studio Company dancer Jack Concordia will play the prince alongside Alysa Reinhardt as Cinderella. You’ll have to check out the show to see if the pointe shoe fits.
“Every spring, New Ballet presents a full-length classical story ballet,” said New Ballet founder and Director Dalia Rawson, who choreographed the production to Prokofiev’s famous score. “This year, I selected Cinderella as a much-loved story with humor that will delight people of all ages. I am excited for our local community to come together and experience live performance with friends and family.”
The four performances include an LGBTQ+ night May 18 and a shortened “My Very First Ballet” version at 11 a.m. May 19. Get more information and tickets at hammertheatre.com.
TWO-WHEEL CAMPAIGNING: Forums and debates between candidates running for office aren’t anything new. And even those “friendraiser” meet and greets at someone’s house are pretty commonplace these days. But I’ve got to admit that the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition has an event Sunday that’s new to me: A bike ride with the two candidates running for District 6 in November’s San Jose City Council election.
Runoff candidates Michael Mulcahy and Olivia Navarro will join cyclists at Willow Street/Frank Bramhall Park at 11 a.m. Sunday for a guided 7-mile group ride through the district. It’s a chance for bike riders to meet the candidates, talk about potential street improvements in the area and get an update from a VTA rep on the Bascom Corridor Complete Streets Study. If you want to ride but don’t have a bike, a complementary bike can be arranged in advance through Bay Wheels/Lyft. Go to bikesiliconvalley.org/events to sign up — and bring a helmet!
MAKE NOTE: If you had plans this weekend to see the Mission Chamber Orchestra of San Jose’s “Illumination” concert Saturday night, you’d better switch your GPS to Fremont High School in Sunnyvale. The 7:30 p.m. concert’s happening at the school’s Shannon Theater instead of the original location of De Anza College to accommodate the participation of the Fremont High string orchestra. The concert is guest conducted by Anthony Rivera, the last of four finalists vying to succeed Emily Ray as music director. Go to www.missionchamber.org for more details.
Speaking of missions, San Jose State University is heading to Mission Santa Clara for its choral concert, “Give Me Your Tired,” on Friday night. The performance promises to be very different from the usual set-up of choir at the back of the hall, with the audience in the rows in front of them. Jeffrey Benson, director of choral activities, says it’ll be a 360-degree experience with the performers all around the audience, and the 7:30 p.m. show will begin in candlelit darkness. “I promise you’re in for an evening of exquisite, meditative music,” he says. Tickets are available at sjsuarts.vbotickets.com.