By Mary Ann Bourbeau
DEAL PARK – Embrace the wonder of the holiday season with the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater’s world premiere of “The Polar Express,” based on the beloved children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.
The production takes place at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center (AXCBT) in Deal Park Dec. 1 through 10. Hot chocolate will be served in the lobby and children will have the opportunity to drop off letters to Santa Claus in a special mailbox.
With uplifting holiday music and original choreography by AXCBT director Gabriel Chajnik, the show tells the tale of a young boy who embarks on a magical Christmas Eve adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express train. It’s a story of friendship, bravery and the power of belief, presented as a fusion of theater and dance and brought to life with state-of-the-art visual effects and performances by members of the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater and students of the Axelrod Academy.
“ ‘The Polar Express,’ at its core, is a timeless tale of belief, wonder and the boundless magic that resides within the hearts of all,” said Chajnik. “It beautifully captures the essence of childhood innocence and the power of faith in something extraordinary, even when faced with skepticism or doubt.”
Chajnik said the idea of producing “The Polar Express” had been in his mind for years. He said when he reached out to Van Allsburg’s representatives and told them the performance would include professional ballet dancers along with more than 125 young students, they happily came on board.
“Our talented young dancers have the privilege of being mentored by our seasoned company dancers as they showcase their skills and creativity,” said Chajnik. “This collaborative effort aims to not only bring the magic of ‘The Polar Express’ to life on stage but also to nurture the growth and development of our budding artists.”
The role of the Conductor is played by Robert Taylor Jr. who performed on “So You Think You Can Dance,” with the national tour of “Hairspray” and made his Broadway debut in “The SpongeBob Musical.” Jake Ward, 11, of Brick, and Christopher Pollak, 10, of Wall Township, will play the lead role of Hero Boy on alternate days during the show’s 10 performances.
“They are both so super talented,” said Chajnik. “As young as they are, they are able to convey the emotion of the story, which is the power of belief.”
Jake began taking dance lessons at age 4, inspired by watching his older sister at her dance studio. He is trained in jazz, tap, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop and modern dance, and he takes singing lessons as well.
“My grandpa was a big influence on me,” said Jake. “He was the lead in a lot of shows. My whole family loves theater.”
His mother, Jen Ward, said Jake became enamored with theater after seeing his first Broadway show, “The Lion King,” at age 2 or 3.
“He said he wanted to be on Broadway and he hasn’t stopped since,” she said. “He had such a passion for it and begged us for dance lessons.”
Since then, Jake has performed in “Tommy” and “A Christmas Story” at the Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan and in “Peter Pan” at Spring Lake Theatre.
“Some days I’m just in awe,” said his mother. “He’s an incredible little dude.”
Christopher’s story is similar because he, too, became interested in dance while watching his older sister take hip-hop lessons.
“I tried to do her dance and just loved it,” he said.
Christopher began lessons at age 4 and is now skilled in many different styles of dance. His résumé includes performances in the New York City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” and Earle Mosley’s “Diversity of Dance.” He is looking forward to his first performance with AXCBT.
“Dancing ballet just makes me feel happy and this story is so magical,” he said.
The Polar Express runs from Dec. 1 through 10 at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center, 100 Grant Ave., Deal Park, just five minutes from Asbury Park with plenty of free parking. Tickets are $28-42 and $20 for students. For more information, call 732-531-9106, ext. 14 or visit axelrodartscenter.com.
This article originally appeared in the November 23 – 29, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
