From Ballet to Funk

The Maxwell C. King Center’s production of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty ballet represents a partnership between the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra and Classical Arts Entertainment and International Ballet Stars, which specialize in visually stunning productions. WE DANCE PRODUCTION, INC.

King Center Unwraps a Dazzling Holiday Lineup

For a heaping helping of holiday cheer, it’s hard to beat the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, where everything from cirque to long-lasting, funky Tower of Power is themed around the jolliest season of the year.

Let’s start at the end and work our way back, because the King Center’s last show of the year is visually, technically and auditorily pure holiday magic.

Since Tchaikovsky completed the score for The Sleeping Beauty in 1889, the ballet has charmed audiences through the decades, appealing to ballet aficionados as well as to general audiences. The King Center does the timeless fairy tale proud with the Sunday, Dec. 28, performance that represents a partnership between the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra and Classical Arts Entertainment and International Ballet Stars, who specialize in visually stunning productions that enchant and captivate audiences by combining timeless scores, impeccable dancing, hand- painted sets, and exquisite handcrafted costumes. Classical Arts Entertainment has introduced approximately 1.5 million new ballet lovers to the beauty of classical dance across the United States and Canada.

“This full-scale production features Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and classical choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, brought to life by a cast of international ballet stars,” said Ekaterina Yachmennikova of Classical Arts Entertainment.

The King Center production of The Sleeping Beauty boasts elaborate hand-painted sets, more than 200 exclusive costumes and an international cast of professional ballet artists. WE DANCE PRODUCTION, INC. PHOTOS

The King Center production boasts elaborate hand-painted sets and more than 200 exclusive costumes. Dancing is an international cast of professional ballet artists from Italy, Spain, Georgia, Ireland, Turkey, Brazil, Great Britain, Ukraine, Japan, Tajikistan, Moldova and Kazakhstan.

“Their talent is unmatched and, for me, it’s such a joy to collaborate with these dancers,” said Aaron Collins, conductor and artistic director of the symphony. “The music is just astounding, bursting with color and drama. Tchaikovsky used the orchestra to tell the story, making it feel like a grand movie soundtrack rather than just background music. Before Tchaikovsky, ballet music was often simple and light. Tchaikovsky treated the score like a symphony, demanding a massive orchestra to achieve a sound of incredible richness and power.”

The show begins at 4 p.m. Dec. 28. Tickets start at $49. A VIP option offers premium seating, meet and greet, backstage tour and printed photo with one of the stars of the show. 

Because two Tchaikovsky ballets are better than one, the King Center also hosts that icon of the holidays, The Nutcracker, on Dec. 6 and 7. The Space Coast Ballet Company production, billed by Florida Today as “the only ‘Nutcracker’ you must see this season,” is celebrating its 22nd anniversary on the King Center Main Stage. With spectacular sets and costumes from St. Petersburg, Russia, and music by Brevard Symphony Orchestra, the production is directed by Joseph Gatti, former principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet and Corella Ballet and first soloist with the Boston Ballet. Internationally acclaimed principal dancers are joined by talented dancers from the community for a show that rivals any New York City production.

Showtimes are 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $52.

Audiences will enjoy a visually stunning production of the fairytale The Sleeping Beauty this season.

Brevard Community Chorus has selected Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Dixit Dominus for its holiday performance on Dec. 13. BREVARD COMMUNITY CHORUS

Brevard Symphony Orchestra kicks off the holidays at the King Center at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29, with Sounds of the Season, a cavalcade of holiday music, joined by live narration from Dolores Hydock, actress and storyteller from Birmingham, Alabama. Hydock’s Christmas story special has aired on National Public Radio.

“Dolores’ stories are funny and touching, smart and insightful, personal and universal,” wrote the Birmingham News.

Tickets start at $45.

The King Center holiday cheer starts in November, when, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, Chevy Chase — yes, that Chevy Chase — and his wife, Jayni, join the audience for a live conversation after a screening of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. 

Chevy and Jayni start the laughter by sharing behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes about the making of a film that has rightfully taken its place among holiday traditions. They will also take audience questions.

For an extra-special opportunity, a limited number of VIP tickets includes a personal post-show photo opportunity with Chase, a true legend of comedy and film. Don’t forget to don the ugly sweater.

Tickets start at $87. VIP Experience tickets are $286.

Unicorns become real at the King Center when Space Coast Ballet presents The Nutcracker. KEVIN ROBERTS

The King Center delivers a holiday gift to lovers of funk and soul with Tower of Power’s “Holidays & Hits Tour” at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 2. For 55 years, the band has delivered on their promise to create window-rattling grooves backed by a slew of legendary artists, including Elton John, Santana, the Grateful Dead and more. 

“The Tower of Power ‘Holiday & Hits Tour’ delivers a high-energy, horn-driven spin on beloved holiday favorites, while Chevy Chase brings that warm, nostalgic feeling,” said Ashley Dillow, director of sales and marketing.

Both Tower of Power and Chevy Chase are currently touring throughout the country with their respective holiday shows. 

Seats for Tower of Power start at $51. Optimal “platinum” seats are available, as is a VIP Experience.

Not a typical holiday show, Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland fuses circus artistry with beloved holiday melodies. KIM REED

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland, on the Main Stage at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 20, guarantees to ignite the festive spirit in all audience members. This breathtaking fusion of circus artistry and beloved holiday melodies is a nonstop spectacle of awe-inspiring acrobatics and gravity-defying aerial feats. Setting up such a show is challenging and requires significant behind-the-scenes coordination. This particular show travels with multiple semi-trucks carrying the set, rigging and costumes, along with several buses for the artists and crew. Before showtime, a local crew of more than 20 people arrive over 12 hours in advance to unload, set up, and bring the production to life. After the final curtain, that same crew spends nearly four hours carefully loading everything back onto the trucks before the tour moves on to its next destination. The magic is that when the curtain rises, it all looks effortless to the audience.

“Productions like ‘Cirque Musica’ completely transform the stage,” said Rob Adams, director of facilities at the King Center. “The scale of the setup is incredible, but by the time the lights come up, we’ve done our job when you forget about all of the trucks, cables, and hours of prep to make it possible. It’s an extraordinary team effort by a lot of hard-working, highly trained crew members that bring each of these to life”.

Tickets begin at $63. A VIP Experience includes a pre-show backstage and on-stage tour, plus primo seating.

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland is a nonstop spectacle of awe-inspiring acrobatics and gravity-defying aerial feats. KIM REED

Community-based performing arts groups comprise an important aspect of King Center programming. Eastern Florida State College’s Brevard Community Chorus, for example, will perform two major classical works by Bach and Handel at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 13.

Formed in 1969, the volunteer group has more than 100 voices and has toured internationally and annually performs at the King Center. For this season, the chorus has selected Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Dixit Dominus.

The Magnificat is the first large choral work Bach composed after his appointment in Leipzig in 1723. The text comes from the Gospel of Luke. 

Dixit Dominus, Latin for “The Lord Said,” was completed in 1707 while Handel was living in Italy. It is one of the composer’s earliest surviving works, composed at age 22, and considered a choral masterpiece.

Tickets are $34.

“The holidays bring people together, and live entertainment is such a big part of that joy,” said Bob Papke, King Center general manager. “Whether it’s a laugh, a song or a standing ovation, those shared moments are what make the season special. For more than 37 years, the King Center has been part of those holiday memories here on the Space Coast, and celebrating with our guests each year is truly an honor.”

Want to see a show?

Visit kingcenter.com or call the box office at 321-242-2219.

See the original article in print publication