UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 13, Page 1
December 5, 1991
Duo has a ball performing in 'Nutcracker' production

     Every other month of the year, Scott Mason is a regular
University employee, going about his daily duties as assistant
director of the Perkins Student Center. But come December, Mason
will be transformed into a rat.
     King Rat, that is. He and a troupe of amateur performers will
be featured in the Delaware Dance Company's production of the
Nutcracker Dec. 13, 14, and 15 at Dickinson High School. This will
be Mason's sixth year in the King Rat role.
     Carol Rylee, director of budget control, also is in the
production and will be dancing as a guest in act one and in the
Arabian variation in act two.
     Rylee, who has been studying ballet and jazz for a year, got
involved with the company through her daughter, who takes classes
at the company's studio. Her daughter will appear as Clara in a
matinee performance.
     The appeal of the Nutcracker is simple: "It's a very colorful
ballet and many people are familiar with the music," Rylee said.
She added that people will go to the show and say, "Hey, I know
that song!" It also incorporates different levels of dancing
difficulty, giving the show an appeal to dancers and non-dancers as
well.
     Both dancers also stressed the variety of costumes, dances and
music ranging from the dances between the Nutcracker and Clara to
the Sugar Plum Fairy. "There is so much variety in it even though
it's only about a little girl and her dream," Mason said..
     Mason, who has no formal dance training except for
participation in musical theatre, got involved with the Delaware
Dance Company in 1986, while a senior at the the University. While
he was minoring in theatre, one of his professors, who was looking
for males to perform in the production, asked Mason if he would be
interested. "Men are always in demand, particularly in dance,"
Mason explained.
     While Rylee enjoys performing "for the exercise and the art of
dancing," Mason described it as "fun, because it is different from
anything else I do."
     Once involved with the Nutcracker, it gets into your blood.
"There was one year I didn't do it," Mason said. "It was so strange
it didn't feel like Christmas anymore."
     For information, call 731-9615.
                                        - Sherry Rubin