Revelers Abound in 2008 Production
“Strauss Presents: Carnival in Venice”
Get set to be whisked away to a carnival at a piazza amid the watery streets of Venice
as you follow a couple entranced by the sights of dancers, jugglers, mimes, acrobats,
magicians, men on stilts — perhaps even a fire eater — during their romantic weeklong
journey to Italy. It’s all part of the 21st annual performance by the Strauss Festival of Elk
Grove, “Strauss Presents: Carnival in Venice,” scheduled for July 24-27 at Strauss Island
in Elk Grove Regional Park.
This year’s tale will be highlighted by a masquerade ball, which begins as the couple
return from their gondola ride. The lady, caught up in the carnival frenzy, loses her
husband in the excitement. Everyone is masked; where could her partner be? She finally
finds the matching mask and begins to kiss the man behind it — only to discover this
mystery man is not her husband at all! As she turns to run, she bumps into another man,
who immediately reveals that he is indeed her true love.
Joining in on the fun is the polka troupe, always a crowd-pleaser with their athleticism
and youthful charm, who burst onto the scene with a celebration of their own and arrive
later in beautiful harlequin outfits. The quadrille troupe, in sharp contrast to the
youngsters, enter the piazza in a stately manner, dancing with ribbons and weaving them
together for an ethereal effect. Children, too, are part of the celebration as they join with
the quadrille dancers on this joyous occasion.
The evening ends with “Blue Danube” as the Venetians arrive in exquisite gold
ensembles, revealing their pride in the heritage of the annual celebration of Carnevale di
Venezia — Carnival in Venice.
This year’s producer, Ray Bayles, finds much to be excited about as the festival
switches gears from last year’s production, “Dreaming in Three-Quarter Time.”
“We will have all new gowns for ‘Blue Danube’ — black and gold, all sequined. Those
dresses are just going to glitter out there,” says Bayles, who also dances in the show. “In
fact, every number is going to have different costumes. We’ve only done that once
before.”
Seven new dancers will also be making their debut following workshops and auditions
in October and November. Rehearsals are already under way to get the steps just right in
time for July’s performances.
“I’m enthusiastic about the show; it’s always exciting to have new dancers,” Bayles says.
“It’s going to be a beautiful production.”