I thought that the Spring Gala was absolutely magnificent. I attended the performance on Friday night that was greatly performed by the Mon Valley Ballet Theatre. The costumes were greatly discovered by Igor Roussanoff, and as always William O"Donnell putting together an immense light design to set the mood for each and every Act. Although; on stage, the one who really shed some light on the audience was Pete Demario. Pete, playing the peasant was so suave, moving across the stage like he was gliding above the stage floor. .
Multi talented Raphael Maldonado-Lopez, both choreographer, and performer in the performance showed his flare with his Rebecca Taylor in "Tell Him" in Act I. His soft moving across the stage, and the beauty of Rebecca Taylor just made the scene so much more enlightening. Raphael just had that look to him, that he was going to be a key player in this performance, and that he was suited to be a performer. He had that finesse look to him like he was a professional, like one that you would see on TV or maybe on Broadway. Raphael's performance reflected on the entire cast, as you could see how all the dancers moved in unison, and smoothness.
Etta, one of the females in this performance, leading the audience with her romantic, and sexy touch that made the audience feel it. When Etta performed in the love scene, she looked like she really had these feelings and she acted out this like she had a love that she been searching for her entire life.
Sara Shincovich, Kelly Potchak, and Pete DeMario all playing the peasants at the Gala, represented not as one but as a whole to the audience with their humorous actions. Sara Shincovich had the right facial expressions, and the right charisma to fit this role. Kelly Potchak, a bit different from Sara in the way she moved, I though that Kelly moved more graceful then Sara, but it seemed to me that Sara had more experience doing this type of performance, she just seemed more familiar being along, or together on stage in front of an audience.