Arts-Entertainment
With Fiona Lee of the Royal Danish Ballet
Yellowstone Ballet Company (YBC) presents The Little Mermaid on Thursday, June 18th at 6:30 pm at the Willson Auditorium in Bozeman. Kathleen Rakela, YBC Artistic Director and recipient of a prestigious Montana Arts Council Fellowship in the Performing Arts, has created an enchanting multi-media production with magical costumes, delightful choreography, and projected ocean imagery that will delight fans of all ages.
Daniel Parker, former conductor of the Hartford Ballet, composed the compelling score interwoven with moving narration of the Hans Christian Anderson fairytale (not the version made popular by Disney) by orator Robert Worobec.
The title role of the Little Mermaid will be danced by Fiona Lee of the world renown Royal Danish Ballet. Ms. Lee started training at the Yellowstone Ballet Academy at age five and danced at the school for nine years. She then received a full scholarship for the School of American Ballet’s (SAB) summer program in New York City and was eventually invited to continue at the school year-round. She packed her bags, left her carefree Montana childhood behind and moved to the Big Apple to learn the rigorous Balanchine-style ballet technique. During the COVID lockdown, she auditioned for the Royal Danish Ballet and was accepted into the world-famous company.
The role of the “Prince” will be performed by Marko Micov. Mr. Micov began his ballet education at the State Ballet School in Skopje and was awarded the Special Prize at the International Ballet Competition. In 2011, Micov danced as a guest artist with Croatia Ballet in a co-production with the Madrid Ballet on an international tour in South America. In 2012, he was invited by the legendary Gelsey Kirkland to join her company, where his performances were noticed by major publications, including The New York Times and the Huffington Post. In 2016, Micov joined Ballet San Antonio where he was promoted to soloist. He then joined Milwaukee Ballet and received the national award, Menada, for Young Artist of the Year.
For every adult ticket purchased, one child may be admitted free of charge. All children will receive a free seashell. Following the performance, parents may take pictures of their child with Fiona Lee. The company will supply various costumes such as Little Nemo, jellyfish, goldfish and starfish.
Reserved seating tickets for The Little Mermaid are $30, $40, $50, $65 and $80. Please do not purchase tickets from third parties. Scammers may inflate prices or sell ticket for seats that do not exist. Authentic tickets can only be purchased online at YellowstoneBallet.info or at the door. For more information, such as group rates, email yellowstoneballetco@gmail.com
Elk River Books and Elk River Arts & Lectures present a reading, audience Q&A, and book signing with Craig Johnson, the author of the Sheriff Walt Longmire mystery series. The event will take place on Saturday, June 13th at Elk River Books, 122 S. 2nd Street in Livingston. Doors open at 3:30 pm, with the program beginning at 4 pm.
Johnson’s reading will feature his new novel, The Brothers McKay, the 22nd book in the Longmire series: “When Pepper McKay, one of the most hated men in Absaroka County, is found murdered on his ranch in Crazy Woman Canyon, suspects aren’t in short supply.”
The Los Angeles Times calls Johnson a “student of human nature,” who creates a strong yet fallible hero in Walt Longmire. Elk River Books and Elk River Arts & Lectures present a reading, audience Q&A, and book signing with Craig Johnson, the author of the Sheriff Walt Longmire mystery series. The event will take place on Saturday, June 13th at Elk River Books, 122 S. 2nd Street in Livingston. Doors open at 3:30 pm, with the program beginning at 4 pm.
Johnson’s reading will feature his new novel, The Brothers McKay, the 22nd book in the Longmire series: “When Pepper McKay, one of the most hated men in Absaroka County, is found murdered on his ranch in Crazy Woman Canyon, suspects aren’t in short supply.”
The Los Angeles Times calls Johnson a “student of human nature,” who creates a strong yet fallible hero in Walt Longmire. Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire mysteries, the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire. He is a two-time recipient of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for fiction and multiple Will Rogers Medallion Awards; his novella, Spirit of Steamboat, was the first One Book Wyoming selected. Johnson is also the 2025 recipient of the Owen Wister Award for Lifetime Contributions to Western Literature. He lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population 26.
For those who can’t attend in person, the event will live-stream on the Elk River Books YouTube channel. For more information, email info@elkriverbooks.com or call (406) 333-2330.