From left, Kitri Held as "Kitri", Danny Bayer as "Don Quixote" and Rebecca Parlato as "Sasha Panza" in Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet’s “Don Quixote”. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG – Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet Company will present the comedic ballet “Don Quixote” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 17-18, at Blennerhassett School Auditorium.

The ballet is loosely based on the epic Miguel de Cervantes novel, “Don Quixote”.

It is a comedy and features lively character dancing with a Spanish flair as well as classical ballet pieces and depicts the adventures of the self-appointed knight, Don Quixote, according to a release from the company.

Quixote has become dismayed at the treatment of people at the time and sets out on a chivalrous journey to right the wrongs of the world. He commissions his faithful companion Sasha Panza to accompany him. As the adventures begin, Sasha becomes increasingly worried about the state of mind of her master, but being fiercely loyal, continues to aid him with his quest. Quixote takes to battling windmills thinking they are giants that threaten villages and defending the innocent by dangerously challenging duels with those he comes across.

Quixote and Panza happen upon a small village preparing for a spring festival where he discovers the beautiful daughter of one of the village families, Kitri (known as Dulcinea in the original novel). Kitri is persistently nagged by her mother to marry and seeing her distress, Quixote decides he must save her from an “arranged” marriage by proposing to her himself. Shocked and amazed at his persistence, Kitri refuses and in desperation to escape her overbearing mother and the kind, but obviously senile older gentleman, she and her two closest friends run away from the village.

Kitri Held dancing the lead role of "Kitri" in Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet’s “Don Quixote”. (Photo provided)

They find refuge in a camp but are quickly found by Quixote. To protect her, the camp provides food and drink to the Panza and Quixote where exhaustion and excess quickly catch up to them as they fall asleep. As they slumber, Quixote dreams of Kitri. The pair awake and realize the girls have fled. Everyone arrives safely as the festival preparations continue and the mayor and Kitri’s mother discover the hijinks that have ensued. As the ballet concludes, Quixote realizes he must continue on his journey and take leave while Kitri’s mother finally accepts that she is her own person who needs to make her own decisions.

The cast includes:

* Kitri: Kitri Held

* Don Quixote: Danny Bayer

* Sasha Panza: Rebecca Parlato

Mid-Ohio Valley Ballet’s cast of dancers in “Don Quixote”. From left to right, front to back: Sarah Harvey, Kitri Held, Bethany Truax, Avery White, Millicent Fleak, Danae Tibbs, Tessa Barker, Amelia Auville, Helena Smith, Keegan Marsh, Meggan Starcher, Liliana Parsons, Rebecca Parlato, Danny Bayer, Elliott Akeman, Violet Bevins, Sylvia Smith. Not pictured are: Jolene Troisi, Meredith Craig, Emma Holt and Suzy Gunter. (Photo provided)

* Kitri’s Friends: Sarah Harvey and Bethany Truax

* The Mayor: Jolene Troisi

* The Mother: Suzy Gunter

* The Villagers: Amelia Auville, Tessa Barker, Violet Bevins, Meredith Craig, Millicent Fleak, Emma Holt, Liliana Parsons, Helena Smith, Sylvia Smith, Meggan Starcher, Danae Tibbs and Avery White

* The Matadors: Elliot Akeman and Keegan Marsh

Children appearing in the village are from the MOVB Academy of Fine Arts LLC.

The official training school of the MOVB Company includes: Alexis Beha, Rosemary Britton, Brynleigh Bunner, Hannah Goff, Bridgette Hall, Arissa Kelley, Raven Kelley, Mason Flynn, Charlotte Bevins, Sienna Garner, Norah Keifer, Madeline Morehead, Emslee Whicterman, Eliana Smith, Bailee Taylor, Laurel Ware, Logan Teters and Alec Johnson.

MOVB is a professional, nonprofit dance group that performs concerts, lecture demonstrations and Arts in Education performances annually. MOVB has toured extensively throughout West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio since 1983, presenting specially produced, one-hour versions of the current ballet through the “School Days Performing Arts Series.” This special arts in education program has allowed over 30,000 public school children to see a live arts performance who may otherwise never have the opportunity.

Reserved seat tickets for the ballet are $15 for adults and $8 for children under 18. There will also be general admission seats available and additional information on how to buy tickets can be found at movballet.com and click on the performances page.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in person, with cash or check at the MOVB office: 1311 Ann St., Parkersburg. Box office hours are 4:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the performances. Visit movballet.com or contact MOVB at movdance1@gmail.com for more information.