Diablo Ballet Artistic Director and Co-Founder Lauren Jonas presents Sleeping Beauty’s Wedding February 9 – 10 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California.
Sleeping Beauty’s glorious 3rd act celebrates the royal wedding with the Jewel Fairies; Diamond, Gold, Silver, Sapphire, and the Lilac Fairy. Fairytale characters including Puss in Boots, The White Cat, Princess Florine, the Bluebird, Cinderella, Prince Charming, and Little Red Riding Hood dance for Aurora and Prince Desire in the joyous finale. The ballet will eature the entire company, trainees, and upper level students from Diablo Ballet School.
Dr. Magic is a world premiere created by sought after choreographer Penny Saunders and dedicated to one of Diablo Ballet’s beloved and treasured friends Mari Cyphers, who passed away in 2022. Created for the full company of dancers, this light-hearted, musical, and heartwarming tribute showcases their multifaceted artistry and contemporary technique.
Artistic Director Lauren Jonas stated, “We have had the pleasure of performing several restaged works by Penny Saunders and this is her first new work created on the Company, and we are so thrilled.”
The program also features an encore performance of the celebratory Confetti, choreographed by Gerald Arpino, the former Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet. This exhilarating ballet premiered in Chicago in February 1970 and Diablo Ballet was invited to perform it in March 2023, in honor of Arpino’s Centennial Celebration on what would have been his 100th birthday.
Sleeping Beauty’s Wedding performs February 9 – 10 at the Lesher Center for the Arts, located at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. Performances are: Friday, February 9 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, February 10 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm. Single tickets are on sale now ($28 – $57) with senior and youth pricing available. Early Bird pricing is available through January 10. For tickets, call 925-943-SHOW (7469) or visit www.lesherartscenter.org or www.diabloballet.org.
About Diablo Ballet
Since 1994, Diablo Ballet has been the award-winning professional dance company for Contra Costa County. Aside from presenting acclaimed classical and contemporary ballets, the company is also committed to introducing youth to the arts through its renowned PEEK Outreach Program, which has reached over 75,000 underserved school children in the East Bay since 1995. Additionally, Diablo Ballet has served hundreds of at-risk teenagers incarcerated within the Juvenile Justice system since 2015. In August 2019, Diablo Ballet launched the first ballet school in Contra Costa County run by a professional ballet company, located in Walnut Creek.
Performance Information:
WHAT: Diablo Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty’s Wedding
WHEN: February 9 at 7:30 pm and February 10 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm.
WHERE: Lesher Center for the Arts, Hofmann Theatre, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
RUNNING TIME: 1 hour, 30 mins with one 15 minute intermission.
TICKETS: $28-$57. Phone: 925-943-7469; Online: www.lesherartscenter.org,
www.diabloballet.org. Early Bird pricing is available through January 10.
By Krissy Gray, Diablo Ballet Director of Operations