Faculty notes: Entwistle, students, audiences enjoy Nutcracker

Here’s a shout-out to UW-Green Bay theatre Prof. Jeff Entwistle and company on another successful “Nutcracker” ballet as presented by the Northeast Wisconsin Dance Organization. Entwistle designed set, scenery and props when the organization first began staging its annual extravaganza at the downtown Meyer Theatre a half dozen years ago. Now, his paid crew of UW-Green Bay students annually sets the stage and lighting in a full week’s work through dress rehearsals and four weekend performances, and then strikes it all at final curtain.

UW-Green Bay has many other connections to the annual ballet — for instance, alumni Tim Josephs and Jodi Radtke are artistic director and stage manager, respectively; current and former students pitch in; and young dancers including Darcy Furlong, daughter of Debbie and Scott, all contribute to the polished performance —  but for UW-Green Bay theatre students there’s a strong educational component to be had with an opportunity to work professionally alongside one of their major professors on a project shared with the greater Green Bay community.

“What is even better,” Entwistle notes, “is for our students to see the reaction and the looks on the faces of the 2,700 audience members (age 3 to 83) as they leave the theatre that weekend.”