Tupelo Ballet goes for comedy in ‘Coppelia’

Mar. 25—TUPELO — Mary Conlee Wilson was in the sixth grade when she performed in Tupelo Ballet’s 2015 production of “Coppelia.”

Six years later, Wilson is once again cast in the company’s version of the ballet. The high school senior now plays the lead role of Swanilda, who interacts with Dr. Coppelius, the toymaker.

To make it even more special for Wilson, the toymaker is played by her real-life father. Judd Wilson.

“He’s been in productions ever since I was the fifth or sixth grade, so I’m used to him being around,” she said. “But this time, we actually get to dance together. I’m excited.”

The father-daughter tandem is one part of what is building up to a different yet enjoyable spring presentation of what is considered one of the greatest comic ballets of the 19th Century. Tupelo Ballet returns to BancorpSouth Arena for two performances of “Coppelia” on April 2-3.

“It’s a very delightful ballet,” said Tupelo Ballet artistic director Sharon Long, “not only artistically, but acting-wise.”

The Friday, April 2 performance starts at 10 a.m. The Saturday, April 3 show begins at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at tupeloballet.com.

The three-act ballet combines the romance between Swanilda and Franz (played by Paul Tillman of Ballet of Arkansas) with the story of the doll maker, whose greatest desire is to create a doll with soul. The doll’s name is Coppelia.

“Coppelia” is different from past productions, Long said, because there is physical acting along with the dancing. About 50 company dancers and four male guest performers make up the cast. Other male dancers are Aldrin Vendt of Arkansas Ballet and Kevin Arredondo of Marigny Opera Ballet of New Orleans.

The dancers “are doing more blocking and acting, along with their dancing, than they’ve ever done before,” Long said. “There’s lots of comedy in it. It’s been fun. They’re doing a great job.”

Long added that Steve Miller, the company’s set designer, has built a toy house for the arena stage. “It’s going to be gorgeous,” she said.

Swanilda is accompanied by a group of friends throughout the ballet. In one scene, Swanilda and her friends enter the home of Dr. Coppelius and discover life-sized mechanical dolls made by the dollmaker.

Playing the friends are Madison Denton, Caroline Michael, Addie Kate O’Brian and Mariana Ungo. They’re all are adjusting to physical acting through facial expressions and body movement.

“It’s a lot less dancing and a lot more acting involved because it’s a comedy,” Michael said. “For example, in the second act we don’t dance. It’s a lot of acting. That’s really hard because we’re not used to that.”

Ungo said, “This is new to me. It’s the first time for me to act a lot in a production. But it’s funny. It tells a story.”

Denton, who also performed in the 2015 production, said the early storytelling is important.

“Act three is more focused on dancing, but acts one and two tell the story of Coppelia,” she said. “I feel like it’s going to be really entertaining.”

O’Brian said she did some acting through past roles in the company’s holiday production of “The Nutcracker.”

“But this is on a whole different scale,” she said. “(Coppelia) is very relatable. I’m a friend who watches her friend go through a romance and then they go on an adventure together. It’s something different than we’ve ever done. It requires a lot more, so you have to put a little more effort into it.”

For Wilson, a high school senior, “Coppelia” marks her final spring production with Tupelo Balllet.

“This was my first spring ballet I participated in, so I get to end the way that I started,” she said.

[email protected]

Source Article

Next Post

What to Know About Your Sun, Moon, and Rising Sign

Sun Mar 28 , 2021
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fully relate to your zodiac sign aka your sun sign — you’re not alone. Plenty of people who read their horoscope or their sign’s personality profile end up shrugging off astrology for this reason. It also serves to fuel skeptics’ hating. But confusion, […]

You May Like