Festival City Ballet Launches with the World Premiere of Alice in Wonderland

By Chris Mills, Festival City Ballet CEDAR CITY, Utah — Festival City Ballet, a new community-based ballet company in Cedar City, will make its debut with the world premiere of an original full-length production of Alice in Wonderland on September 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Theater. Founded by Artistic Director Christine Mills, Festival City Ballet brings together dancers from studios throughout the region to create large-scale theatrical productions for Southern Utah audiences. Its inaugural production features a cast of nearly 100 local participants of all ages. Inspired by Lewis Carroll's beloved story, Alice in Wonderland follows Alice through a strange and colorful world filled with familiar characters, including the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Caterpillar, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Mad Hatter, and the formidable Queen of Hearts. The production features original choreography by Christine Mills, Laura Nelson, Jennie Grimes, and Kristena Hunsaker, along with elaborate costumes, theatrical scenery, and projected environments that transform the stage as Alice travels from one extraordinary encounter to the next. 'This company has grown out of a love for storytelling, dance, and the remarkable talent within our community,' Mills said. 'For our first production, we wanted to create something imaginative, ambitious, and completely our own. Alice in Wonderland is the beginning of what we hope will become a lasting artistic tradition in Cedar City.' Festival City Ballet was established to give local performers additional opportunities to participate in original, professionally presented productions while making classical and theatrical dance accessible to the wider community. Performances will be held September 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Theater in Cedar City. Advance tickets are $10 and may be purchased from participating cast members. Tickets will also be available at the door for $15. For more information about Festival City Ballet and its inaugural production, visit festivalcityballet.org or contact [email protected]. Media Contact: Christine Mills, Artistic Director Festival City Ballet [email protected] festivalcityballet.org