Free performances scheduled for this weekend
It’s that time of year. The Garden Club is hosting an outdoor plant sale. Cornwall-on-Hudson will soon be starting its concerts in Village Square. And the Town is planning for Music in the Park. So why not have an outdoor ballet – especially one that’s family friendly with a plot that’s easy to follow!
Aggie Kimple of the Dance and Music Design School likes the idea of a performance at the riverfront. She can accommodate a large audience, there’s no charge and people can enjoy the spring weather. The shows are scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8 at Donahue Memorial Park. A stage will be set up near the yacht club. Visitors can also come to the dress rehearsals at 6 p.m. on Friday and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Last spring, Mrs. Kimple produced the show at the riverfront because it was the only option. There were still restrictions on indoor gatherings. The experiment worked. The ballet attracted a large crowd and the surroundings provided a perfect setting for one of the three scenes.
“La Fille Mal Gradée” opens on a farm run by a strict mother and an amorous daughter (Lise), who skips chores to spend time with her boyfriend (Colas). The mother does her best to keep them apart. The work has to get done and Colas is too poor to be an ideal suitor.
Before the scene ends, the mother receives a visit from a wealthy woman who wants her son to marry Lise. How do we know the woman is wealthy? She hands Lise’s mother two bags filled with money. But Alan (the rich woman’s son) is not interested in being a groom. He’d rather be alone with his umbrella.
The first scene (like the two that follow) is 20 minutes long. There’s a break and then the action resumes with a picnic at the riverfront. In this case, nature provides the setting. The Hudson and the mountains on the east bank provide a perfect backdrop.
After the picnic, the final scene takes place in the farm house. And before long, there’s a happy ending. The arranged marriage is called off and the two young lovers tie the knot.
At a recent rehearsal, the performers worked on their acting in addition to the choreography. It’s not hard to know what’s happening. The production with intermissions should take an hour and 15 minutes. So it’s not too long for young audiences.
Erin Murphy will be Lise for the Saturday performance and Alyssa Laudato will replace her on Sunday. In the same way, Grace Musante and Hudson Segnit will take turns being Alan. For the second year in a row, the role of Colas will be filled by Thane Kimple.
Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. If it rains, the performance will be moved to the following weekend.
