RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA: Inland Pacific Ballet presents "LilYpada," A new Original Musical for All Ages
Company:
Inland Pacific Ballet
Inland Pacific Ballet Presents
The World Premiere of
LilYpada
A New Original Musical for All Ages,
Combining Musical Theater and Ballet
March 11 & 12, 2023
Lewis Family Playhouse, Rancho Cucamonga
RANCHO CUCAMONGA (February 23, 2023) — Inland Pacific Ballet presents the world premiere of LilYpada, a new original musical for all ages, combining musical theater and ballet, a journey in song that has a connection to Rancho Cucamonga, with two magical performances on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 p.m. at the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga.
Change is in the air when young Liya learns her mother is planning to move them from New York City back to her hometown of Rancho Cucamonga. Her Grammy and Grandpa are excited, but Liya doesn’t want to leave all her friends at the Performing Arts School she has been attending. She looks for guidance from her father, but he only gives her a mysterious message about a secret garden.
Falling asleep and dreaming, Liya is transported and lost in an imaginary land inhabited by the Lilypas, beautiful giant dancing butterflies. Ruled by Queen Lilypas, Liya is offered help to get home and introduced to a cadre of comical characters who will keep her safe from the OooAaas and Bat Faith. With help from Libelle, Jack the Turtle, Thorn the Twisted Beetle, Sir Snobby Snail, the Lilypas and others, Liya must go on a quest to find her way home. Along the way, she learns to fly with joy – overcoming her fears and learning to believe in herself while respecting the differences in others.
According to Zaylin Cano, LilYpada Director, “The story of LilYpada originated in 2015 with only a few scenes and characters during our IPB Academy Summer Intensive, and we continued to develop the story over the past 7 years. It is a completely original story with all original music. The 66 talented members of the cast are so excited to be involved. The music is outstanding with memorable melodies and rich harmonies. The story has depth and is one that adults and kids will relate to, and we think the audience will have a great time too.”
LilYpada features a cast of 66 talented performers including Musical Theater Guest Artists Debbie Prutsman (well-known diva in the musical theater world) and Jonathan Sharp (appeared in the original Broadway casts of The Red Shoes, Carousel, The Rocky Horror Show Live, The Dance of the Vampires, and Fiddler on the Roof), Inland Pacific Ballet Company, IPB Academy Apprentices/Trainees, IPB Academy Musical Theater Troupe and Students, 10-member Citrus Singers Ensemble, and Live music by a 10-piece musical ensemble. Original music, book, and lyrics by Hugues-Jocelyn Cano; directed by IPB Executive Director Zaylin Cano; Marius Beltran is the Music Director; Choreographed by Zaylin Cano, Joshua Collins, Brandon J, and Michael Milligan; Scenic Design by Daniel C. Nyiri and Robert Wollenzier; and Lighting Design by Stephen Yarbrough.
“The show is similar to the Wizard of Oz in that it has human characters that are also represented in the imaginary land of LilYpada such as a Jack the Turtle, Sir Snobby Snail and Libelle, a dragonfly. Each of these creature characters represents a virtue that is shared with the main character Liya, and each is presented through a signature style of music. The idea to use different musical genres such as blues, jazz, samba, hip-hop, bluegrass and other styles of music came naturally as we developed the characters,” exclaims Hugues-Jocelyn Cano.
Lewis Family Playhouse is located at Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739. For reservations and information, including up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols, call (877) 858-8422 or go to https://www.cityofrc.us/news/lilypada-new-original-musical.
IPB’s 2023 season continues April 29-30 with four performances at the Lewis Family Playhouse with the return of The Little Mermaid, an enchanting undersea adventure of Hans Christian Andersen’s story of young love from two different worlds, with a cast of delightful sea creatures, magnificent sets, elaborate costumes, and innovative aerial technology. Critics describe this ballet as “…visually stunning…an underwater Lion King,” where puppetry and dancing combine to create a magical ocean world.” Enjoy a sweeping sound collage with music by Ravel, Debussy, Britten, Dvořák and Vaughan Williams, and a surprise ending!
Zaylin Elleni Cano, LilYpada Director and IPB Executive Director, began her dance training with the Inland Pacific Ballet Academy and continued at Lines Ballet of San Francisco and Ballet Rambert of London. She has toured internationally as a dancer, and created her own dance company in England, BFLA Dance Theatre. Cano is Executive Director and Acting Artistic Director for Inland Pacific Ballet, and Co-Director and faculty member for Inland Pacific Ballet.
Hugues-Joscelyn Cano, Original Music, Book, and Lyrics, is a seasoned French TV producer, screenwriter and musician, Hugues-Joscelyn Cano is a former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and former percussionist with the Ottawa Symphony and the National Arts Center Orchestra. He was a regular director-producer and music consultant for the Musiqueplus-MusiMax and BRAVO! Networks in Canada where he conducted in-depth interviews with many notable recording artists. Cano holds a M.A. in music from Université de Montréal, and a B.A. in music from Ottawa University, Canada.
Inland Pacific Ballet, founded in 1994 by Southern California natives Victoria Koenig and Kevin Frank Myers, quickly became one of Southern California’s cultural jewels. Its mission is to build and sustain a professional ballet company in the Inland Empire of Southern California, committed to producing exquisitely staged productions of full-length classic story ballets as well as presenting the best in contemporary choreography.
Koenig and Myers have built Inland Pacific Ballet into the premier ballet company in the region, enjoying critical acclaim while performing the largest and most varied repertoire in the area. The Company’s repertoire includes such classics as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Les Sylphides, Graduation Ball and Swan Lake Act II. Full length classical masterpieces include Giselle, Coppélia and a lavish production of The Nutcracker. Contemporary classics include masterpieces by the legendary George Balanchine including Serenade, Concerto Barocco and Who Cares? and a growing body of original work which includes creative adaptations of much-loved stories such as The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Dracula, and Beauty and the Beast.
Based in the Inland Empire region of southern California, the Company performs its home season from October to May as Company in Residence at the historic Bridges Auditorium in Claremont. In 2010 the Company began adding other southern California venues to its regular season including the Lewis Family Playhouse in Rancho Cucamonga (2010), the Arcadia Performing Arts Center in Arcadia (2013), the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside (2014), and the Sophia B. Clarke Theater in Walnut (2019). Festival programs such as the Redlands Bowl Music Festival, Balletfest and Dance Kaleidoscope have also allowed the Company to reach an ever-expanding audience. Recent partnerships include a guest appearance with the San Bernardino Symphony in 2018.
Regional touring has included the Luckman Fine Arts Complex in Los Angeles, the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks, the Annenberg Theater in Palm Desert, the Haugh Performing Arts Center in Glendora, the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. In 2009 the Company embarked on its first national tour, performing at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo, Texas.
WHAT:
Inland Pacific Ballet presents the world premiere of LilYpada, a new original musical for all ages, combining musical theater and ballet, a journey in song that has a connection to Rancho Cucamonga. Follow Liya, who journeys on a quest to find her way home through the imaginary land of the Lilypas (giant dancing butterflies) with help from a cast of strange and comical creatures. A delightful new story for children of all ages.
WHO:
• Musical Theater Guest Artists: Marinda Convis, Erin Flynn, Andrew Gaxiola, Debbie Prutsman, Jonathan Sharp
• Inland Pacific Ballet Company, IPB Academy Apprentices/Trainees, IPB Academy Musical Theater Troupe and Students
• 10-Member Citrus Singers Ensemble, and Live Music by a 10-piece Musical Ensemble
• Original music, book, and lyrics by Hugues-Jocelyn Cano
• Directed by IPB Executive Director Zaylin Cano
• Music Directed by Marius Beltran
• Choreographed by Zaylin Cano, Joshua Collins, Brandon J, and Michael Milligan
• Scenic Design by Daniel C. Nyiri and Robert Wollenzier
• Lighting Design by Stephen Yarbrough
WHEN:
Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Lewis Family Playhouse
12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739
TICKET PRICES: $29 - $62
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