Connecticut Ballet Announces Leads for "Alice in Wonderland"

Press release

Ava Prentice will dance the title role in Connecticut Ballet's Alice in Wonderland on May 4 at The Bushnell/Hartford.

Carla Hernandez will dance the title role in Connecticut Ballet's Alice in Wonderland on May 18 at The Palace/Stamford.

Connecticut Ballet Soloists Announced for Title Role in Upcoming
ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Family Favorite to Be Presented May 4 at The Bushnell/Hartford and May 18 at The Palace/Stamford

HARTFORD, CT…Two Connecticut Ballet soloists, Carla Hernandez and Ava Prentice, will alternate in the lead role of Alice in the company's upcoming production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The famous Lewis Carroll book comes to life as a ballet choreographed by Artistic Director Brett Raphael on Saturday, May 4 at 2:00pm at The Bushnell in Hartford and Saturday, May 18 at 2:00pm at The Palace in Stamford.

Both women have performed soloist roles in past Connecticut Ballet productions, notably Carla Hernandez’s debut as Swanhilda in Coppelia in the spring of 2023. This will mark Ava Prentice’s first principal role in a full-length ballet with Connecticut Ballet.

Also joining the cast will be two veteran musical theatre performers, Kelly Sheehan and Chris McNiff, performing as Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum. Both Sheehan and McNiff have appeared together in the national tour of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and Sheehan played the role of Lorraine Flemming in 42nd Street on Broadway (dir. Randy Skinner). They are both making their debut with Connecticut Ballet, dancing a newly-choreographed tap vignette as part of Alice’s voyage thru Wonderland.

A special feature is a meet-and-greet with the principal dancers in the lobby following the performance. Tickets for the May 4 performance are available by visiting bushnell.org. Tickets for the May 18 performance are available by visiting palacestamford.org.

For further information about Alice in Wonderland, visit ConnecticutBallet.org.

About Connecticut Ballet

Currently celebrating its 43rd season, Connecticut Ballet is a nationally-recognized, professional company headquartered in Hartford and Stamford under the leadership of Founder and Artistic Director Brett Raphael. With a repertoire of over one hundred ballets (including eight full-length productions) performed in annual seasons at The Bushnell and The Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut Ballet’s statewide Center for Dance Education offers a comprehensive educational program which includes school assemblies, outreach classes at residential treatment facilities, schools and community centers, professional development workshops for classroom teachers, and a Trainee Program for pre-professional ballet dancers.Visit connecticutballet.org.

About Brett Raphael

Brett Raphael, Artistic Director and Founder of Connecticut Ballet, has choreographed more than 20 original works and ten full-length productions since founding Connecticut Ballet in 1981. At age ten, Mr. Raphael was chosen by George Balanchine to receive a Ford Foundation scholarship to the School of American Ballet. He subsequently performed with the touring ensemble, Stars of American Ballet and choreographed independently for Boston Ballet, Netherlands Dans Theater and Joffrey II Dancers. In addition to directing Connecticut Ballet Center, Mr. Raphael has served on the faculties of Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Harkness House in New York City, and Purchase College Division of Continuing Education. He has served as dance panelist for the New Jersey State Council and Pennsylvania Council for the Arts and is past President of Connecticut Dance Alliance.