Mark Ballas To Choreograph “A Snow White Christmas” (DWTS Season 13 Wannabe Marina Sirtis Plays One of Leads)
Mark Ballas is going to choreograph a new musical called “A Snow White Christmas” which will premiere over the 2011 holiday season. The production will be produced by Bonnie Lythgoe. It will feature ‘family-friendly’ magic with a comedic twist and modern music which will include Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, The Village People’s “YMCA”, and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Sounds just like the kind of project Mark would want to get his teeth into. Interesting Note: One of the leads will be played by Marina Sirtis who has recently expressed a strong desire to dance on Dancing With The Stars this next season. Dates and details below from Playbill.com for those interested.
Lythgoe Family Productions and Magic Pictures International’s 2011 holiday season of traditional British family Panto will include the premiere of A Snow White Christmas and the return engagement of A Cinderella Christmas.
A Snow White Christmas is scheduled to run Nov. 30-Dec. 18 at the El Portal Theatre, while A Cinderella Christmas will be seen Dec. 22, 2011-Jan. 8, 2012, at The Scherr Forum Theatre in Thousand Oaks.
Neil Patrick Harris has signed on to star in the on-screen special-guest role of The Magic Mirror in Snow White opposite Marina Sirtis, of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” fame, as The Wicked Queen. The production will be helmed by Bonnie Lythgoe and choreographed by Mark Ballas with Michael Orland serving as musical director. An updated version of the classic tale, Snow White features family-friendly magic, a comedic twist and modern music, including Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” The Village People’s “YMCA” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
For tickets for the run of shows, be sure to visit Mpient.com.
Heidi’s Note: You may remember that Mark did last years Cinderella at the El Portal with Bonnie Lythgoe. Derek was originally scheduled to choreograph but had a schedule conflict of some sort, so Mark took over. It appears to have paid off a bit, eh? 
I’m so glad I discovered you few...
Every article about Mark ballas I have read on this website. You guys never say something good about him. It is always hate.
Every article about Mark ballas I have read on this website. You guys never say something good about him. It is always hate.
Pam? Seriously? Where do you see the hate in this post? Is it because Heidi mentioned Derek having to pass on the gig? This is a serious question because I want to understand what I’m missing. I thought I knew what ‘hating’ was, but obviously not.
I’m with Evaine. Where’s the “hate”?? Can you point it out please Pam? Geezzzzzz
And please, bear in mind, I am a Mark fan, so I’m kinda attuned to the dissing.
I’m with the others…. I don’t understand the hate Pam says exists….
However, having said that, I am realizing that there have been posts wishing for Mark to be more like the “old” Mark, and yes, I have been concerned with the “new” Mark…. I do love the old Mark…. Not so sure about the New Mark, and I am now thinking that could be what she’s speaking about…. There donseem to be groups of fans of various Pros who tend to feel that unless every word is positive and glowing, it must be hate… Sorry, I don’t hate Mark, I just miss what he used to be.
Oh, Lori, I can understand where a thin-skinned Mark fan would have a problem sometimes, yes. But I’m concerned with this particular post, ’cause you know… it’s pretty damned positive! *LOL*
I wasn’t gonna say anything because I had forgotten about Cinderella last year, but Michael Orland works closely with the Idols. [Please don't think I'm dissing Mark; I'm a fan too], but even if Derek would have done Cinderella last year, Michael could have put a good word in if he heard that Mark was interested in doing this. Just something to talk about.
And it could be that Mark’s work was just that good that they wanted him back.
I am really happy for Mark. Congrats to him.
Geez whiz, now mentioning Derek’s name in conjunction with the FACTS of this story is now hate?? I can’t win for losing.
Let’s see….Mark did Cinderella last year = TRUE….He took over from Derek = TRUE….He benefited from it because he’s obviously working with them again = TRUE. Unless of course you think that he’s been forced into slave choreography labor and I’m somehow making fun of that, you are misguided (to say the least) to claim there was hate in that post.
I will say this, when I hear from friends that we have delusional people posting in the comments and I run over here to see what’s going on, and find comments like Pam’s, it makes it really hard for me to disagree. And watch out – you won’t like me when I’m angry.
Melissa, there’s no rule against dissing someone from the show – there is just a rule to at least be correct when calling something “hate”.
There really isn’t much point to discussing WHY he’s there – Derek stepped out the first time and Mark stepped in. He’s now their go-to guy. I couldn’t care less, frankly, since I’m not in LA and even if I was I probably wouldn’t go see it even if Derek WAS the choreographer. Because I want to SEE Derek.
I’m fairly shallow and not hard to figure out in that respect. 