A Ballet by John Craton

An alternate version of Pierrot & Pierette, Le mime solitaire may be performed without calling for multiple strong male leads. Set in the early twentieth century, the characters are traveling to a city park in Europe to enjoy an evening of entertainment by the town theater players. A vendor prepares to serve picnicking fare for the evening’s nerriment while the lonely street mime (known to be a miscreant and carefully watched by the eagle eye of the local constabulary) yearns for some small sample of the vendor’s goods. The mime is overcome by the tempting smell of fresh sausage and swipes a treat from the vendor’s cart but is spotted by the policeman. The scene leads the mime to a street chase, but the policeman is not nimble enough to win the chase. Finally the lonely mime is free to enjoy her sausage and retires to rest on a nearby park bench. The evening comes on as stars come out and fireflies dance through the sky. Fairies cast a speel to bring an end to the street-mime’s loneliness. When the mime awakens, she sees the beauty of the theater-players’ performance and sets out to join them. Unappreciative of raw talent, the players must be convinced of the mime’s capabilities as a performer. At last they accept her unanimously, and they all gather into a group photograph to commemorate the events of the evening.

Le mime solitaire utilizes the same music as Pierrot & Pierette, except for the omission of the pas de deux and 31 measures following the Harlequinade. Le mime solitaire was premiered on 8 May 2010 in Bedford, Indiana, by dancers of Kat’s Performing Arts studio, including principals Savana Frank, Amanda Kirman, Robert Wathen, Danielle Albright, Jill Beaver, Leah Kinder, Erica Kirkman, Tori Simpson, and Chandler Yates; choreography by Kathy Thompson.


Photos from the May 8, 2010, premiere


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Photo � 2010 by Chelsea Wann. Used by permission.





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Except as noted, all photos copyright © 2010 by Steven Bohon. Used by permission.