May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 at 7:30pm
May 8, 15, 22 at 2:00pm

May is ALS Awareness Month!
Learn More about the ALS Association

33 Variations follows Dr. Katherine Brandt, suffering from ALS while trying desperately to finish her book on Beethoven before she succumbs to the disease. In preparing for the performance, BHCT partnered with the ALS Association and Dr. Mathew Simmons in an effort to learn more about the disease and honor those who have been affected by it. 

In the early nineteenth century, frequently ill and profoundly deaf, Ludwig van Beethoven spent four of his last eight years composing “Variations on a Waltz by A. Diabelli.” Why? In the early twenty-first century, musicologist Dr. Katherine Brandt spends the last year of her life resisting the onslaught of Lou Gehrig’s disease to search for the answer to that question. Woven around the spine of the musical search, 33 Variations is a delicately-spun tale about how we seek meaning in our lives and find it in our relationships.​ Adult Situations and Adult Language

​Lyudmila Belakova
​(Pianist)

Mila Belakova is Rapid City's concert pianist, an owner, teacher, and concertmaster of Mila's Piano Studio. After moving to the US from Russia 15 years ago she immediately started performing in different community venues in Rapid City. Mila was awarded Grants by SD Arts Council and the Music Teacher National Association. She has performed numerous classical solo piano concerts and chamber music concerts around SD, ND, MN and Washington DC.
 
Mila graduated from Orenburg Institute of Arts, being a fourth generation Tchaikovsky student. At the age 16 Mila started teaching piano and accompanying children’s choirs, classic ballet dancers, different orchestras and band instruments for concerts and competitions. Her students in Russia and here in the US have achieved high recognition in the various competitions. 

“I am thrilled to be directing 33 Variations as my first mainstage production at BHCT. As a reformed academic, I strongly identify with Katherine whose single-minded academic pursuit adversely affects the one’s closest to her. I am also struck by its poignant portrayal of a woman suffering from ALS, coming to terms with her own mortality and contemplation of what (and who) she leaves behind.” - Jayme Kilburn, Director

"The moment I finished reading 33 Variations, I saw the importance of the work. From the layering of music and theatre to the discussions of life, art and the end, this show has the ability to open our hearts and let us grow as people. Which has always been my favorite part of theatre." - Alexis Evon, Assistant Director 

Connie Hubbard 
(Dr. Katherine Brandt)

Hannah Bowman 
​(Clara Brandt)

Kris Monroe
​(Mike Clark)

Nicolas Christenson 
(Ludwig van Beethoven)

Bryon Christian 
(Anton Diabelli)

Marcia Kahler
(Gertrude Ladenburger)​

Daniel Petrushev
(Anton Schindler)

Cast:
Katherine Brandt: Connie Hubbard 
Clara Brandt: Hannah Bowman 
Mike Clark: Kris Monroe
Ludwig van Beethoven: Nicolas Christenson 
Anton Diabelli: Bryon Christian 
Gertrude Ladenburger: Marcia Kahler 
Anton Schindler: Daniel Petrushev

Understudies:
Katherine Brandt and Gertrude Ladenburger:
​Andrea Surovek
Clara Brandt: Karina Perusquia
Beethoven, Diabelli, Schindler, Mike: Tom Powers

Crew:
Jayme Kilburn: Director
Alexis Evon: Assistant Director
Mila Belakova: Pianist
Heidi Dehn: Stage Manager
Anne Tingley: Assistant Stage Manager
Rodger Hartley: Set Design / Choreographer
Chris Lee: Costume Design
Abby Simmons: Properties Designer
John Easton: Lighting Designer
David Andrews: Assistant Lighting Designer
Jenna Green: Projection Design
Tom Fulbright, Blake Benson: Movement Consultants