'CAROL'S DREAM' COMES TRUE; THEATRICAL DANCE PERFORMANCE TO PREMIER THIS WEEKEND AT ACADEMIC AUDITORIUM

Almost half a year of sweating and planning by nearly 70 dancers and their teachers will culminate this weekend with the U.S. premiere of "Carol's Dream."

The theatrical dance performance based on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" will be presented Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Academic Auditorium on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

Director Dana Goodin Vanoni, a Cape Girardeau native who runs a professional dance company in Varese, Italy, was here early in September to conduct auditions for the work she created. While here, she taught the basic choreography to local teachers, including Academy of Dance Arts director JoAnn Ruess, Kindal Blattner, Kara Hammes and Vickie Courvoisier.

They videotaped the weekly rehearsals, sending the tape to Goodin Vanoni for her appraisal and suggestions.

Goodin Vanoni returned earlier this month to take over the rehearsals herself. Four members of her dance company who will participate in the show arrived from Italy Saturday. They have been giving performances and demonstrations at area schools. (See related story)

"Carol's Dream" is a dance performance with a holiday message: "To remember and cherish all of your Christmases, whether past, present or future," Goodin Vanoni said after a recent rehearsal.

"We forget what it was like as children. We need to remember how a child sees it the magic."

Unlike "A Christmas Carol," the hour-long "Carol's Dream" begins in modern times. Like "A Christmas Carol," it navigates the past and the future. Both modern and classical dance and music are interwoven.

Unlike most dance performances, "Carol's Dream" is narrated by KFVS-TV anchors Mary-Ann Maloney and Dave Courvoisier and employs pantomime, both in an attempt to reach a broader audience.

"We can hit an audience on a much wider level," Goodin Vanoni says. "Straight ballet a lot of times frightens people. We're making people feel relaxed."

Though she has mounted evolving productions of "Carol's Dream" in Italy for the past 10 years, putting one together from thousands of miles away has not been easy, said Goodin Vanoni, who also will dance in the show.

"There is a lot of detail, but the dancers have been very good. They have made themselves kind of elastic, and I see all the pieces coming together."

Goodin Vanoni says "Carol's Dream" "leaves you with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

"We want the public to be part of it, to have the feeling that they would want to get up and dance."

The dancers will give two performances today for area students. Friday will be Family Night, with all students up to age 18 receiving half-price tickets with the purchase of an adult ticket. Friday's show begins at 7:30 p.m.

A special half-hour performance by the Dance Theatre Ensemble will precede Saturday's presentation at 7 p.m. That show will be followed by a gala at the Presidents Office Suite in Academic Hall. Tickets for the gala are in addition to the admission price.

Sunday's performance will be at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available at Schnucks, the Academy of Dance Arts at 2222 Kingsway Drive, and at the Community Counseling Center, 402 S. Silver Springs Road. Tickets are $10, $14 and $16. For ticket information, phone (573) 651-0787 or toll free 1-(888) 265-4232.

The performances benefit the Community Counseling Center Foundation.

* Cast of characters

Narrators -- Dave Courvoisier, Mary-Ann Maloney

Woman -- Dana Goodin Vanoni

Scrooge -- Michael Beecher

Marley -- Brandon C. Hahs

Bob Cratchit -- Dan Berry

Fred -- Champ Friend

Collector -- Rich Behring

Spirit of Christmas Past -- Rosella Anselmi

Spirit of Christmas Present -- Dave Reinheimer

Ignorance and Want -- Michela Carbone, Angelo Sinicco Scali

Sprit of Christmas yet to come -- Kindal Blattner

Young Scrooge -- Daniel Berry

Tiny Tim -- Jared Ritter

Woman as Young Girl -- Danielle Gross

Young Girl's Father -- Dave Reinheimer

Woman's Father -- Hon. William Rader

Belle -- Lina Turconi

Young Fan -- Jacie Katlyn Hartle/Grace Courvoisier

Delivery Boy -- Ryan Ponder

Prissy Lady -- Elainna Froemsdorf

Prissy Lady's Daughter -- Lauren Danielle Froemsdorf

Lady with Packages -- JoAnn Ruess

Small Child -- Ellory Courvoisier

Salvation Army Man -- Rich Behring

Carolers -- Jessica Andersen, Whitney Hite

* Dance sequences

Modern Day Christmas -- Ashley Andersen, Melissa Belk, Rachel Berry, Allison Bode, Leslie Bollinger, Grace Courvoisier, Brittany Emmons, Lauren Elizabeth Froemsdorf, Lindsey Greene, Sarah Goeke, Jacie Katlyn Hartle, Ashley Illiers, Jennifer Kaelin, Lauren Kalb, Elizabeth Knight, Gina Kuntz, Allison Ligons, Lorrin Lynn, Amy Mangieri, Dave Reinheimer, Amanda Robertson, Lisa Roe, Rebecca Elizabeth Rollins, Ashley Rust, Elizabeth J. Schroeder, Courtney Schuessler, Amanda Sharp, Caroline Tetrick, Emily Williams, Andrea Wilson, Susan Elizabeth Zimmer.

Young Dancers (Epic Christmas) -- Melissa Belk, Rachel Berry, Brittany Emmons, Jennifer Kaelin, Lauren Kalb, Allison Ligons, Rebecca Elizabeth Rollins, Elizabeth J. Schroeder, Courtney Schuessler, Ashley Skinner, Caroline Tetrick, Emily Williams, Andrea Wilson.

Skaters (Epic Christmas) -- Allison Bode, Grace Courvoisier, Lauren Danielle Froemsdorf, Sarah Goeke, Jacie Katlyn Hartle, Kaeli Marie Kimes, Gina Kuntz Lorrin Lynn, Ashley Smith, Susan Elizabeth Zimmer.

Skating Couple -- Amy Mangieri, Dave Reinheimer

Skate Circle Dance (Epic Christmas) -- Melissa Belk, Ashley Illiers, Jennifer Kaelin, Lisa Roe, Ashley Rust, Amanda Sharp.

Phantom Ballet (Marley's Visit) -- Michela Carbone, Lina Turconi, Rosella Anselmi, Angelo Sinicco Scali (professional dancers from the Dance Theatre Ensemble, Varese, Italy).

Corps de Ballet -- Melissa Belk, Leslie Bollinger, Kara Hammes, Ashley Illiers, Jennifer Kaelin, Lorrin Lynn, Amy Mangieri, Dave Reinheimer, Ashley Rust, Amanda Sharp, Susan Elizabeth Zimmer.

Phantom Wall (Marley's Visit) -- Jessica Andersen, Allison Bode, Tasha Kaye Brown, Grace Courvoisier, Kristin Enderle, Lauren Elizabeth Froemsdorf, Sarah Goeke, Lindsey Greene, Jacie Katlyn Hartle, Kaeli Marie Kimes, Elizabeth Knight, Gina Kuntz, Allison Ligons, Cara Mueller, Allison Payne, Emily E. Ponder, Amanda Robertson, Rebecca Elizabeth Rollins, Elizabeth J. Schroeder, Courtney Schuessler, Ashley Skinner, Ashley Smith, Alex Anne Troxel, Emily Williams, Andrea Wilson, Jordan Wisniewski (Acrobatic Phantom).

Christmas Past Rosella Anselmi as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Lina Turconi as Belle, Grace Courvoisier/Jacie Katlyn Hartle as the Fan, Daniel Berry as Young Scrooge, and Lorrin Lynn, Ashley Illiers, Lisa Roe and Susan Elizabeth Zimmer as the Shadows.

Christmas Present -- Michela Carbone and Angelo Sinicco Scali as Ignorance and Want, Dave Reinheimer as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Jennifer Kaelin, Amy Mangieri, Dave Reinheimer and Ashley Rust as the Entourage.

Christmas Yet to Come -- Kindal Blattner as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and Kara Hammes, Ashley Illiers and Amanda Robertson as the Spirits.

Modern Day Christmas -- Dana Goodin Vanoni as the Woman, Danielle Gross as the Woman as a Young Girl and Dave Reinheimer as the Young Girl's Father.