The spring play at Metropolitan Dance Studios in Kingstowne is a comedy ballet called Coppelia!, and a final performance before the real world for some. Some see it as an end of high school and the beginning of a professional dance and ballet career.

Like Molly Scannell who plays the starring role of Swanilda in Coppelia! but will be going on to more ballet when she graduates.

“Everything is going according to plan,” she said, and is following in her mother’s footsteps as a professional ballet dancer. Scannell has been dancing at Metropolitan since she was nine years old and now has a full scholarship to Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma this fall.

Molly Scannell, a 12th grader at Metropolitan, rehearsing with MSA instructor Charlie Abel.

 

Landing the lead role of Swanilda, she’ll be performing alongside Jacob Anderson who has the male lead role of Franz in Coppelia!. He’s also going on to dance professionally after graduation.

Even though Scannell missed some typical high school experiences like the Friday night football games, she was happy to go through school with like-minded dancers and performing artists. Her experience at Metropolitan was just as valuable, as other high school experiences, she said. “I got to be surrounded by people with the same goal,” she added.

Through the years, many from Metropolitan have gone on to movie roles, dance careers and plays on Broadway. “We’ve got a lot of alumni working in entertainment,” said Jackie Doherty who has been at Metropolitan for 16 years. Students have gone on to perform in Broadway hits such as “Wicked,” “Back to the Future,” “West Side Story,” and other productions.

At Metropolitan, Scannell was in their production of the Nutcracker several times, landing a spot at the sugar plum fairy and then the fairy godmother in Cinderella to hone her skills on stage. This variety of roles was good for her performing career, she added.

Casting Coppelia!

Coppelia! is a story featuring theater elements of hijinx, jealousy and folk dancing set in a picturesque European village. At one point, the story breaks the fourth wall with the audience, getting them involved. Metropolitan’s Charlie Abel “masterfully embodies the enigmatic Dr. Coppelius in this mesmerizing journey of romance, and illusion,” the description reads. In addition, there is a doll in the toy store window that comes alive and a romance between Swanilda and Franz so there are multiple levels of intrigue and joy.