THE SNOWMAN STAGE SHOW (A BALLET IN TWO ACTS) op.522 (December 2000)

Commissioned by: Commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1993, revised 1997, revised 2000
Instrumentation:

Five-player version: as used in the Peacock Theatre version from 2000: Piano (MD); Flute (piccolo); Percussion; Kurzweil Synth 1 (strings and harp); Kurzweil Synth 2 (woodwind and brass)

Orchestral version: 2 flutes (piccolos); Oboe (Cor Ang); 2 Clarinets (2 dbling bass clar); Bassoon; 2 Horns in F; Trumpet in C; 2 percussion (incl. timps); Piano; harp; Strings.

[Key to Abbreviations]
Note on Lyrics: Music, lyrics and scenario by Howard Blake with additional material by Bill Alexander (the director) and Robert North (the choreographer), based on the book by Raymond Briggs and animated film of the book made by TVC for Channel 4
Duration: 84 mins
First Performance: Peacock Theatre, December 2000.
Full score for sale
Study score for sale
Orchestral parts for sale
Piano / Vocal score for sale
Vocal score for sale
Instrumental / piano score for sale
Instrumental parts for sale
Full score for hire
Study score for hire
Orchestral parts for hire
Piano / Vocal score for hire
Vocal score for hire
Instrumental / piano score for hire
Instrumental parts for hire
Available from Chester Music/Highbridge Music
Complete study DVD available from Birmingham Rep

Notes

The revised version of The Snowman Stage Show (A ballet in two acts) created in 2000 added a new section of music, Jack Frost's Storm Dance, which was composed after discussions with Ian Albery the Artistic Director of Sadler's Wells Theatre, who also agreed to collaborate in the presentation of the show. Considerable changes were made to the second act, some pieces dropped, new pieces added and the order changed. New characters were introduced, The Ice Princess and Jack Frost (for whom Howard created the new 'Storm Dance'). This version has remained unchanged up to 2008 and is regarded as the definitive version. The previous ballet version has been dropped in favour of this version. It may be performed in one of 2 complete separate orchestrations:

1. The 5-player version, which uses 2 synthesizers, brilliantly programmed by Stuart Andrews plus acoustic piano(MD), flute, and percussion

2. Full orchestral version: 2 flutes (piccolos); Oboe (Cor Ang); 2 Clarinets (2 dbling bass clar); Bassoon; 2 Horns in F; Trumpet in C; 2 percussion (incl. timps); Piano; harp; Strings.

Choreography by Robert North, Directed by Bill Alexander

+ Queries in regard to performances of the The Stage Show of The Snowman (a ballet in two acts) should be addressed to:

James Rushton
Chester Music Ltd,
14-15 Berners Street,
London W1T 3LJ
tel: 020 7612 7400
fax 020 7612 7549
james.rushton@musicsales.co.uk)

+ Queries in regard to licensing of media use for ‘Walking in the Air’ or ‘The Snowman’ should be addressed to:

Susan Tilly (Licensing manager)
Chester Music Ltd/ Music Sales,
11 Denmark Street,
London, WC1.
susan.tilly@musicsales.co.uk
tel:0207 636 4855

+Queries in regard to The Stage Show, as performed at Birmingham Rep and The Peacock Theatre in association with Sadler’s Wells (1993-2005), should be addressed to:

Stuart Rogers or Wif Maton,
Birmingham Rep,
Broad Street,
Birmingham B12EP.
stuart.rogers@birmingham-rep.co.uk,
tel: 0121 245 2000,
fax: 1021 245 2100.

+ Any other queries falling outside these categories in regard to ‘The Snowman’ should be made direct to Howard Blake/Highbridge Music Ltd: howardblake.obe@virgin.net

Performances

13th December 2008 - 14th December 2008	Ballet Bellevue, Seattle,
11th January 2008 - 19th January 2008	Birmingham Rep/Sadler's Wells company, directed by Bill Alexander, the 5-player programmed version conducted from the piano by Jeremy Young, Lowry Theatre, Salford, Manchester First performance of the show at The Lowry 11 January 2008

Reviews

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Saturday, January 19, 2008

Home Lynnwood / Mountlake Terrace Mill Creek Edmonds Shoreline / Lake Forest Park Shopping

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Published: Friday, December 14, 2007 'Snowman' a modern classic By Dale Burrows For the Enterprise Ballet Bellevue Ballet Bellevue's next performance, "Velvet Romance," is slated for March 2008. For tickets to upcoming performances and information about their school of ballet, call 425-455-1345 or visit www.balletbellevue.org. Watch out, "Nutcracker." "The Snowman" is coming. Northshore Performing Arts hosted Olympic Ballet's "Nutcracker" two weekends back. They hosted Ballet Bellevue's "The Snowman" last weekend. Same venue. Same target audience: kids for the holidays. Same format: ballet. Both set stories in a child's imagination. Both develop the child's relationship with an imaginary friend. Both translate experience into dream sequences. Both celebrate wonder, reconciliation, joy. The similarities go on and on. "Nutcracker" has been around for more than a century; "Snowman," since 1978, when it first appeared as Raymond Briggs' story by the same title. It was after 1978 that Howard Blake wrote music and lyrics for the story and Jennifer Porter choreographed the story, the music and the lyrics for "Snowman." No doubt, it owes "Nutcracker" to some extent. But as compared with Olympic Ballet's "Nutcracker," Ballet Bellevue's "Snowman" is fresher, cleaner, simpler; in design on paper and performance on stage. No Freudian complexities. No violent sword fight pitting Nutcracker Prince against the grotesque King Rat. Nothing kids don't care about. Nothing that scares the daylights out of kids. "Snowman" posits a little boy, James (Leo Malkin), who builds Snowman (Kyle Johnson). James goes to sleep that night. Snowman comes to life, presumably dream life. Ballerina Doll (Alexa Kovalick), Bunnies (Elizabeth Kanning, Byanka Larkins), Fox (Ting Liu) and Pierrot, a clown (Caroline Burnett), come to life. Cat (Katrina Muser) stretches, yawns and stays aloof. James and Snowman frolic inside the household till Snowman works up a sweat, which puts him in danger of melting. Adventure picks up when the two go outside, play; then travel to the one place on earth where it is always cold enough for Snowman, his home, the North Pole. There, characters, exotic and marvelous, do their thing: Father Christmas (Michael Wojack), Reindeer (Byanka Larkins, Kimberly Knight), Ice Princess (Natasha Keeley) and Jackie Frost (Christina Stockdale); to name only the principals. The pristine voice of Child Soprano from Columbia Choirs, Amanda Friemel, did a marvelous kind of narrative by way of introducing life at the North Pole in the Bellevue production last Saturday afternoon. Ballet Bellevue Orchestra, under the baton of Dr. David Upham, had an uplifting, uncomplicated way of bringing out the simplicity of emotion that so easily communicates to a child's sense of wonder. Bravo, BBO. I can't say the principal dancers fully explored all the choreographic possibilities. Daring and high energy could have stepped up the excitement. Steadiness of foot was hit and miss. Advice to BB: Ham it up. Showcase. On the other hand, students of ballet, some of them very young, had a lot of fun in supporting roles. I took a lesson. They had fun. I had fun. "Nutcracker" or "Snowman," take your pick. I don't say one is better than the other, necessarily. I do say, "Nutcracker," watch out; "The Snowman" is coming. Reactions? Comments? Contact Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net.

Today's Top Jobs Local News • A year of elections, lawsuits and rain • Mud hampers road repairs • The year that was • 2007 brought about change and set stage for more • Locked up tight • Rec center rebuild Sports • King's stifles Archbishop Murphy with defense • Reliving the unforgettable memories from 2007 • King's stifles A. Murphy with defense • Wildcats end Knights' streak • Reliving the unforgettable memories from 2007 • Edmonds-Woodway towers over Terrace Out and About • Morgan, Murphey at FAC • Library hosts Nancie Wood • 'Shop n' Nosh' at SAC Gallery • A day at the museum • Rediske encaustics now at FAC • 'Renew Your Spirit' at SAC Gallery

Dale Burrows, Daily Herald, Everett, Washington, USA, 15/12/2007

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