Featured Dancers

Monique Chatel

Clara, Snow, Waltz

Monique has been studying ballet, jazz, tap, and acro-tumbling under Sharon McCormick, Lauren Harris, and her grandmother, Janine Maurecette Ellen Chatel-Shirey, for the past twenty two years. She started auditioning for The Nutcracker at Inland Dance Center when she was 7 years old and perfomed twice with them. In 1994, at the age of 10, she performed in the LACBC’s very first production of The Nutcracker. In 1997 she starred as Clara, and now, after eleven years, is performing as Clara again.

After graduating high school in 2001, she took a break from dance, still teaching jazz, but worked hard to be out on her own. In 2004 she decided to get her degree in massage therapy, and after graduating she was given a great opportunity by Lauren Harris to open up her own massage business. Monique opened Lake Arrowhead Massage Therapy on January 17th, 2005, and business is still growing.

Max Cibelli

Fritz, Mouse Commander

Max is returning for his third season in the role of Fritz, his sixth season performing in The Nutcracker.

Max has studied ballet and jazz at the Lake Arrowhead School of Dance for the past five years and hopes to continue dancing through college. But that is still quite a way off because Max is just 13 years old.

Max’s other interests include traveling and exploring the world and mechanical engineeering.

Marge Cox

Frau Stahlbaum, Narrator

Marge has performed in the LACBC Nutcracker every year since it began back in 1994. She received her dance training from Sharon McCormick, and has also danced in productions of Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, La Boutique Fantasque, and La Fille Mal Gardee. Her favorite role is that of Clara and Fritz’s mother in The Nutcracker.

When she is not dancing, she is “Doctor Marge” — greatly loved as a pediatrician.

Chris Cox

Herr Stahlbaum

This is Chris’ third season as Herr Stahlbaum.

Chris recently returned to California after living in Arizona and working in commercial project management. He is now in land development and is happily married to Marge Cox, Frau Stahlbaum.

Tom Zepko

Herr Drosselmeyer

Tom became involved with The Nutcracker as sound technician for the LACBC’s first full production 1994. He joined the cast the following year and has been immersed in many aspects of the production ever since. On stage, he has most often been the Russian party guest, but has also taken a couple of turns as Herr Stahlbaum. This is his third season as Drosselmeyer.

Tom’s diverse skills include software engineering, website construction (including the ballet company site), photography, music editing, and driving a Zamboni ice resurfacer. He is now the facility manager at East West Ice Palace, an ice skating and fitness center complex in Artesia. He’s comfortable tackling a wide variety of construction and maintenance projects, but he often wishes his toolbox contained just a little bit of Drosselmeyer’s magic dust.