Ahavah: The Story of Christmas Cast

Characters

Jesus (Homeless Man): Jesus is personified in Ahavah as both the biblical portrayal of Jesus being the son of God and also later revealed as a homeless man to the main character. Alexandra. Jesus is the son of God who became a human, taking on flesh, to save us from our sins. His character is embraced by the homeless man who leads Alexandra to discover the gospel. He shows compassion to her that leads her to believe. Jesus, the son of God, bridges the separation between God and humanity, interceding for us. His presence is a healing force the suffering of the world. This is the story of Jesus’s mission on earth- his life, death and resurrection. 

Jacob Shoup: Jacob, who will dance as Jesus, grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, studying at the University of Akron’s Dance Institute. He studied ballet and jazz there, but his dance education seriously jump-started at Interlochen Arts Academy in the latter half of his high school career. There he performed a lush variety of roles, including the lead in the premiere of Christopher Williams’ Afternoon of a Faun and Johnny in Paul Taylor’s Company B. Upon graduating, Jacob pursued higher education through Butler University, eventually receiving a BA in Dance Pedagogy. At Butler, he danced soloist roles in The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty and in the premiere of Patrick de Bana’s Falling Sky. That was also where he developed an interest in choreography, making dances on his fellow students, and even choreographing for weddings. He has danced for Neos Dance Theatre, performing in the Heinz Poll festivals that he grew up watching. Jacob is currently in his third season with Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet where he performs, teaches and occasionally choreographs. He is excited about how God plans to use him this year.

Alexandra: Alexandra is a young girl, homeless, and feels she is alone in the world. She encounters a homeless man who then leads her to a book which comes to life when she opens it!  As the pages turn she experiences a story of love that conquers her fears and finds that God never left her side.

Hope Blackburn: Hope Blackburn, who will dance the role of Alexandra, grew up near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she began her dance training at the Philadelphia Dance Theatre. With PDT, she attended annual Regional Dance America festivals and had the opportunity to portray lead classical roles like the Firebird and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Hope went on to study dance at Butler University, where she graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and a BA in English Literature in 2021. Here, she invested herself in many forms of dance allowing for a growing affinity for modern dance, improvisation, and choreography. In 2021, Hope also earned a distinction for her choreography from Butler’s dance department for a work entitled By Name. With Butler Ballet, she performed soloist and corps roles in full-length ballets including The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty, and was a part of works created by Cynthia Pratt, David Ingram, and Susan McGuire. Last year, she joined Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet where she currently dances, teaches, and choreographs under the artistic leadership of Elisa Schroth. She is an advocate for the transformative power of dance for all people. This is Hope’s third season with Ekklesia, and she is excited about the adventure that it will bring.

Prince of Fear: The Prince of Fear seeks to harm the world and everything in it. This character is present in divisions of people, leaders of the land who are focused on greed and power, and the betrayal of Jesus by his friend Judas.  Focused on death and destruction, the Prince of Fear will stop at nothing to overcome love.

Sasha Biagiarelli: Sasha Biagiarelli, who plays the Prince of Fear, grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut dancing at Brass City Ballet, under the direction of Elizabeth Barisser, Christine Harris, Joan Kunsch, and Penelope Gates Nyfenger. At Brass City Ballet, Sasha performed soloist and principal roles in: The Nutcracker, Cinderella, and The Fantastic Toy Shoppe. Sasha completed her BS in Dance Administration at Butler University. At Butler she trained with teachers and choreographers such as: Derek Reid, Patrick Hinson, Marek Cholewa, Susan McGuire, Cynthia Pratt, Michelle Jarvis, and Stephan Laurent, among others. In 2017, Sasha was invited to Brass City Ballet to dance the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the Waltz Variation in Les Sylphides. Sasha has danced with Butler Ballet as a Russian soloist and Chinese demi-soloist in The Nutcracker, a Hungarian demi-soloist in Swan Lake, a demi-soloist in Cynthia Pratt’s Catching Shadows, and the corps de ballet in Giselle and The Sleeping Beauty. Sasha spent her summers training under Marek Cholewa and Rosanna Ruffo, and performed soloist and demi-soloist roles in excerpts from The Little Humpbacked Horse, Paquita, La Bayadere, and Les Sylphides. During the summer of 2016, she traveled to Eastern Europe where she had the opportunity to train and perform at ballet schools in Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Sasha is passionate about using dance and art to connect with the community, and has taught dance at various studios and community centers in Connecticut and Indianapolis. Sasha has worked as an Administrative Intern with Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance in Asheville, North Carolina and with Artsplace in Cheshire, Connecticut. Sasha joined Ekklesia as a Company Artist in 2018.

Messenger: God communicates to people through the Messenger, a heavenly being who embodies love and peace bringing restoration and healing to the earth.

Mary: Mary is a strong character whose radical submission to God’s plan requires her to completely rebel against her culture’s expectations. She risks her social standing, her marriage, and her very life by saying “yes,”to give birth to the son of God. She is a bold and powerful young woman who is not afraid to speak her mind and heart.  

Jenna Patton: Jenna Patton, who will dance the role of Mary, was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, training with Sugarloaf Ballet Company from the time she was 7 until high school graduation. She went on to attend Brenau University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Dance and minors in both Theatre and Film Studies and membership in 8 honor societies. During her time at Brenau, Jenna was a member of Gainesville Ballet Company, where she performed roles such as Peter Pan (Peter Pan), Dew Drop Fairy (The Nutcracker), and Toto (Wizard of Oz), and served on the faculty, sharing the joy of ballet with students ages 5-6 every week. Jenna’s Brenau Dance career allowed her to participate in many student and faculty pieces, and she even worked with guest choreographers such as Joshua Blake Carter and Kaitlin Arena. Jenna is an emerging choreographer who brought two works of her own to the concert dance stage, and she also assisted with choreography for several musical theatre productions, most notably “9 to 5.” Jenna is passionate about using dance as a form of worship, and is thrilled to bring her heart for the Lord and for her community to Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet during her first season with the company.

Ahavah 2023 Cast List

Homeless Man: Jacob Shoup

Alexandra: Hope Blackburn 

Factory Owner: Sasha Biagiarelli

Factory Workers: Mary-Amma Blankson, Rory Kimball, Sadie Lerner, Kendra Madej, Tiffany Oltjenbruns, Sara O’Rourke, Jenna Patton, Rebecca Salerno, Myalene Schulze, Ellie van Yperen Isabelle Weissberg

Factory Kids: Charlotte Mitchell, Cassidy Nelson, Lola Nelson, Sydney Petit, Asher Schroth, Wren Slaughter, Eloise Tetreault, Ainsley Ulstad

Bookstore Owner: Gennaro Della Ragione 

Wealthy Shoppers: Elizabeth Hanson, Christian Roche 

God: Jacob Shoup

Adam: Gennaro Della Ragione

Eve: Tiffany Oltjenbruns

Serpent: Jenna Patton

Creatures: Rebecca Salerno, Myalene Schulze

Small Creatures: Lillian Ferall, Riley Linn, Morgan King 

Spirit Dancer: Rory Kimball

Herod/Ruler: Christian Roche

Magi: Kendra Madej, Tiffany Oltjenbruns, Ellie van Yperen

Mary: Jenna Patton

Joseph: Gennaro Della Ragione

Jews: Elizabeth Hanson, Sadie Lerner, Myalene Schulze, Ellie Van Yperen, Isabelle Weissberg

Gentiles: Sasha Biagiarelli, Rory Kimball, Kendra Madej, Tiffany Oltjenbruns, Sara O’Rourke, Rebecca Salerno

Lunar Moths: Cecelia Hartel, Adelaide Marquis, Josephine Ulstad

Gatekeepers: Elizabeth Hanson, Rory Kimball, Christian Roche

Stars: Clare Hess, Lilian Romero, Isla Robertson

Messenger: Mary-Amma Blankson

Archangels: Kendra Madej, Tiffany Oljenbruns, Myalene Schulze, Ellie van Yperen

Heavenly Host Angels: Sasha Biagiarelli, Elizabeth Hansen, Sadie Lerner, Sara O’Rourke, Rebecca Salerno, Isabelle Weissberg

Baby Jesus: TBD

Toddler Jesus: TBD 

Younger Jesus: TBD 

Young Jesus: TBD

Jesus: Jacob Shoup

Pedestrians: Rory Kimball, Kendra Madej, Sara O’Rourke, Myalene Schulze, Ellie van Yperen, Isabelle Weissberg

Chief Priests: Sadie Lerner, Rebecca Salerno

Centurions: TBD

Prince of Fear: Sasha Biagiarelli

Dark Archangels: Sadie Lerner, Tiffany Oltjenbruns

Dark Angels: Rory Kimball, Kendra Madej, Sara O’Rourke, Myalene Schulze, Ellie van Yperen, Isabelle Weissberg