Nov 27, 2003 By Frances Borsodi Zajac 7 min read

Kris Pramuk-Buchanan of Fairchance smiles when she’s asked about performing in “The Nutcracker.’ “I get to play a ballerina on the weekend,’ said Pramuk-Buchanan, who teaches Spanish weekdays at Uniontown Area High School.

And she does it well. Pramuk-Buchanan has danced in the production every year at California University since 1992. This year is no exception as she shares the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen with Whitley Saffron of Morgantown as the Mon Valley Ballet Theatre and California University present “The Nutcracker’ on Friday, Dec. 5 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. at Steele Auditorium. For ticket information, phone 724-938-5943.

Besides Spanish, Pramuk-Buchanan teaches dance at Mon Valley Dance Academy and Tricia Ricco Dance Studio in Carmichaels.

“It’s fun to teach dancing,’ she said, “but it’s not the same as performing.’

Saffron, a sophomore at Morgantown High School who dances at Mon Valley Ballet Theatre and Morgantown Dance Studio, agrees with Pramuk-Buchanan.

“I love performing and the audience is great,’ she said.

Saffron first stepped into the role of Sugar Plum Fairy last year when the two dancers sharing the role – Pramuk-Buchanan and Maria Gismondi, who has since graduated from California University – became ill.

“I had to learn the Sugar Plum part the day before the show,’ explained Saffron, who nonetheless had a marvelous time. “It was so amazing.’

Pleased with Saffron’s performance, officials offered her the part again this year, and now, Saffron’s had more time to prepare.

“It’s a lot easier because you get to practice a lot more and I feel more comfortable,’ she said.

Both dancers spoke while waiting with the rest of the cast in the basement of Steele Auditorium recently while the show ran through its technical rehearsals.

Asked what she likes about working with California University’s “Nutcracker,’ Pramuk-Buchanan said, “I like to see everybody grow up. Whitley is the Sugar Plum Fairy and she was a Gingersnap when she started. I got to see her grow up to be my peer.’

“I was a Gingersnap for a long time,’ smiled Saffron. “It was tons of fun. It was a blast doing it.’

Saffron went on to play other parts, including a butterfly, Frost and a Chinese dancer. She also performed as Clara, the little girl around whom the story evolves.

This year, the role of Clara is being performed by Rebecca Lowery of Connellsville, a seventh- grade student at Connellsville Junior High West. Her brother, Charles, a fifth-grade student at Dunbar Township Elementary School, is portraying Clara’s brother, Fritz.

How is it to play siblings in a show when you are siblings in real life?

“People have been saying you don’t have to act,’ said Rebecca Lowery. “It’s nice. You get used to it.’

Both of the Lowerys study dance at Kids and Company in Connellsville. This is Rebecca Lowery’s fourth year with “The Nutcracker’ and Charles Lowery’s third year.

Before she played Clara, Rebecca Lowery was a Gingersnap, a daughter at the Christmas party and a Snowflake.

“I like it. It’s a good experience,’ said Rebecca Lowery. “It’s really fun.’

Charles Lowery noted he liked “meeting new people and seeing how college is.’

All of the rehearsals and the show take place on the California University campus. College students are included in the production as well as between 35 and 40 youths from throughout the area who auditioned for the show in late September.

Donna Marovic-Anthony, artistic director, noted this is one of the years that more younger children auditioned for parts. Since there were not as many older youths, those included in the show have more parts than in previous years.

“Some years we’re grasping for boys and this year we had boys we couldn’t use,’ she noted.

The dancers have been working on their parts since the beginning of October, studying on weekends to learn their roles. The weekend before Thanksgiving, the production underwent technical rehearsals in the theater. Beginning Monday, they have dress rehearsals nightly in the theater. The first shows are done for schools on the mornings of Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5 before the weekend shows begin for the public.

“I enjoy working with the kids. The Gingersnaps look at you and ask ‘When are we going under the skirt?” said Marovic-Anthony, referring to the prop for Mother Ginger, who comes out on stage wearing a huge skirt from which her children – the Gingersnaps – emerge.

“To me, it’s one more year under Mother Ginger’s skirt. But for someone young, it’s all very exciting and new and that’s very helpful for me,’ Marovic-Anthony continued. “It keeps it new and exciting every year. The kids are so excited.’

The excitement helps when weeks of rehearsal sometimes seem long. The longest days are the technical rehearsals.

The day of the technical rehearsals, Marovic-Anthony explained, “The dancers are completely ready. Now it’s time for the technical crew. It can be a strain on the dancers but they have to be there. Without them, the rehearsal is pointless. To try to get it done in one weekend is hard, but the flip side is that everyone could come for days on end. Having two or three long days of technical rehearsal is better for everyone after the fact.’

Rehearsals are an important part of the show, but they are just part. There is so much work involved in planning, publicity, photographs for the program, costumes, posters, ordering t-shirts and jackets for the company, and obtaining phone numbers for everyone involved.

“And heaven forbid we have snow,’ said Marovic-Anthony.

Planning includes arranging for guest artists to perform in “The Nutcracker.’ Marovic-Anthony usually begins making arrangements in the summer before the artists make other commitments.

This year, guest artist Stephane Andre of Minneapolis, who is now working in Quebec, performed at California University last spring and the company was able to secure him then. Andre is sharing the role of Snow King and Sugar Plum Cavalier with Mike Soden, a Florida resident, who is now a student at California University.

In addition, Kelli Shimborske of Brownsville is also featured as a principal dancer with the part of the Dew Drop Fairy.

Marovic-Anthony said it helps the students to work with professionals because “It makes them a little more aware. It’s not quite so comfortable. They’re a little nervous and that’s not a bad thing to have nervous energy. When you dance with your peers, you can become lax and lose your luster. When a new person is in, it adds new energy. When you hear their stories, it gives input into what they might be looking at in the future. And it’s nice for me when they say ‘Why don’t you try that?’ It’s nice to have another eye.’

Pramuk-Buchanan noted she enjoys working with the guest artists: “I would never get to dance professionally and I get to dance with guest artists here.’

Both Pramuk-Buchanan and Saffron also spoke affectionately of Marovic-Anthony and Dr. Richard Helldobler, founder of the ballet company.

“I love Donna and Rich,’ said Saffron. “They’re great directors.’

And like the other dancers in this company, they enjoy the whole experience of “The Nutcracker.’

Said Pramuk-Buchanan, “Or I wouldn’t be here.’