Our Eighth Anniversary Fundraising Production

In Janurary 2007, The Crucible celebrated its 8th Anniversary with a sizzling synthesis of dance and fire: The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet—A Fire Ballet. In the dazzling tradition of The Crucible’s Fire Operas, this first-ever Fire Ballet was a theatrical spectacle that blended ballet, classical music, aerial performance, hip hop, fire, and the industrial arts into a compelling modernized rendition of Shakespeare’s tragic tale.

Like The Crucible’s Fire Operas, the Fire Ballet creatively brought together unlikely partners in a remarkable collaboration where the whole was much more than the sum of its parts. The legendary tale of star-crossed lovers was set to the passionate and powerful score of Sergei Prokofiev. The production’s musical director was Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz. The Fire Ballet was designed and produced by Crucible Founder Michael Sturtz, and choreographed by Corinne Blum, who has been called one of the West Coast’s most exciting, young choreographers.

The Crucible’s first-ever Fire Ballet was unquestionably a tremendous success, garnering praise from the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Tribune, Dance View Times, and the San Francisco Examiner; and selling out for every performance of its two-week run.
The Crucible would like to thank everyone who helped make possible our 8th Anniversary fundraiser, The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet—A Fire Ballet:

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors For Their Generous Contributions:
The Hellman Family
The Thornton Family
Ann Hatch & Paul Discoe
The Russell-Shapiro Family
The Cohen Family
Meyer Sound
Comcast
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Bay Cities Pyrotector
Applied IP
Four Vines Winery

Additional Thanks to the Following For Their Support:
reFRACTion
Clear Channel
Oakland Magazine
DTC Grip & Electric
Cresco Equipment Rentals
Mutual Aid Response Services (MARS)
ODC: Oberlin Dance Collective
The Bay Cafe, San Rafael
Andy Tannehill Catering
Cynthia Washburn Catering

Special Thanks to:
Oakland Fire Department

Cast & Crew

Players
Director & Designer: Michael Sturtz
Choreographer: Corinne Blum
Stage Director: Josh Costello
Music Director: Mark Jan Wlodakiewicz (aka Vordo)
Fight Scene Chorographer: Jonathan Rider
Costumer: Anna Prisekin
Lighting Design: Ben Davis

Cast
House of Montague
Romeo: Easton Smith
Benvolio: Prem Kumta of Flavor Group
Mercutio: Shawn Hallman (Iron Monkey) of Flavor Group
Lord Montague: Fred Winslow
Lady Montague: Heather Wilson

Montague Girls:
Fly Away Productions,
Jo Kreider as Choreographer
Janine Fondiller
Damara Ganley
Kate Law
Jessica Swanson

House of Capulet
Juliet: Maurya Kerr
Tybalt: Brendan Barthel
Nurse: Belva Stone (Mystress Fyre)
Lord Capulet: Noé Serrano-Estrada
Lady Capulet: Nora Heiber
Paris: Brian Fisher

Montague & Capulet Gangs:
Wushu West
Master Patti Li as Choreographer
Performers:
Melvin Hsieh
Collin Lee
Kenny Leu
Johnny Lew
Cary Li
Stephanie Lim

Flavor Group
Prem Kumta
Shawn Hallman (Iron Monkey)
Cuong Ly (aka Tony Styles)
Jorge Guerra (Suado)

Ballroom Ballet Dancers:
Jamielyn Duggan
Melissa Caywood
Carlo Sierra
Leigh Riley
Kenneth Scott

Ballroom Fire Dancers: Choreographed by Kristina Cañizares
Thomas Sepe
Auberon Shul
Hunter
Klara Soukalova
Slater Penney
Shaina Dyani Johnson
Joseph Rynd
Tiffany Parish

Friar Lawrence: Nick DiPhillipo
The Apothecary: Jay Bridgland
Prince Escalus: Aziz Abbatiello
Prince’s Guard: Neal Taikeff
Prince’s Guard: Michael Curry

Crew
Stage Manager & Graphic Design: Jay Kravitz
Sound Technician: Lucio Menegon
Event Coordinator, Assistant Stage Manager: Will Chase
Assistant Stage Director: Ali Elgasseir
Assistant Stage Manager & Back Stage Fire Safety: Tabasco
Assistant Stage Manager & Cue Master: Nina Roberts
Assistant Stage Manager: ZsuZsu Listro
Assistant Stage Manager: Tanya Hurd
Assistant Stage Director: Ali Elgasseir
Set & Prop Construction: Joey Gottbrath & Crew
Fire Prop Construction: Nick DiPhillipo
Fire Sculpture: Michael Sturtz
Fire Safety: Michael Curry
Fire Safety: Neal Taikeff