Donna and Rex Martin’s love for the arts began during their early years in New York City.
After graduating from Rice University in Houston, the young couple moved to New York, where Rex pursued a graduate degree at Columbia University and Donna started her career in publishing.
Living in one of the world’s most vibrant cultural hubs, they were swept away by the city’s artistic offerings.
“It was an eye-opener for us,” Donna remembers fondly. “New York was bursting with culture, and we took advantage of every opportunity.”
They attended performances by renowned dance companies, including The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and New York City Ballet, and made a tradition of seeing George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker every year. Rex often secured $3 student tickets to the theatre, allowing them to soak in even more of the city’s art scene.
“Living in New York fueled our passion for dance and the arts, laying the foundation for a lifelong appreciation of cultural experiences,” Donna says.
One unforgettable moment for Donna was seeing the legendary ballerina and Balanchine protégé Melissa Hayden perform in Central Park. The grace and artistry of Hayden’s dance, coupled with her countless starring roles in The Nutcracker and other iconic Balanchine ballets, left a lasting impression that would inspire Donna many years later.
Finding Home in Kansas City
After five years in New York, Rex’s academic career took the Martins to various places before he accepted an appointment at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, in the early 1970s.
“Kansas surprised us,” Donna admits. “I’d imagined the plains, but I discovered rolling hills and woods. And the arts scene in Kansas City drew us there frequently.”
When a prominent New York book publisher moved to Kansas City under new ownership, Rex urged Donna to apply for a job there. She secured a managerial position and briefly commuted from Lawrence until Rex suggested that he would commute and they and their two young sons should move to Kansas City.
In Kansas City, the couple became active supporters of local arts institutions, including The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Missouri Repertory Theatre (now KCRep), and Kansas City Ballet (then known as the State Ballet of Missouri). Their sons were able to take classes at the Nelson and attend holiday performances of the Ballet and Missouri Repertory Theatre. Rex and Donna passed down their love of The Nutcracker to their sons, creating a cherished family tradition.
A Kansas City Project: The Nutcracker Ballet Book
In Kansas City, Donna found a way to merge her publishing expertise with her passion for ballet.
As vice president and editorial director at Kansas City-based Andrews and McMeel, she noted that the company had committed to publish a group of small gift books including an E.T.A. Hoffmann version of The Nutcracker. This was not the story she knew and loved from attending more than twenty performances of the ballet. She envisioned a beautifully crafted book inspired by Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. She researched the history of the ballet and was delighted to learn that the next Christmas would be the 100th anniversary of the 1892 premiere of Marius Petipa’s original choreography in Russia. Then she decided to write the story as she knew it.
Her goal was to create a project that would support Kansas City Ballet and other ballet companies.
Remembering Melissa Hayden’s inspiring performances and checking an old program from the New York City Ballet that Todd Bolender had been in a performance she’d attended, Donna approached Kansas City Ballet’s Artistic Director, Todd Bolender, to see if he could reach out to his longtime friend Hayden to serve as author of the book. With Bolender’s encouragement and Hayden’s agreement, The Nutcracker Ballet was born.
“Todd was incredibly supportive,” Donna says. “We were so fortunate that both he and Melissa saw the potential for bringing the project to life.”
Bringing Art to Life
Published in 1992, the book was a tremendous success, featuring award-winning illustrations and selling 40,000 copies nationwide.
Publishers Weekly praised it, saying: “Petipa himself would like this sugarplum… Hayden, formerly a prima ballerina, tells the story with consummate grace.”
The book served as an additional fundraising tool, offering Kansas City Ballet a 50 percent discount on the retail price to raise funds through sales via direct mail and the Ballet’s boutique. “Subsequently, more than a dozen ballet companies ordered copies for their boutiques and sold them successfully,” Donna noted. “I loved the idea of combining my professional experience with support for the arts.”
After two printings in Singapore, the Andrews McMeel book sold out. When the Kansas City Ballet expressed interest in more copies, Donna had retired but was serving as a consulting editor at Kansas City Star Books. She arranged to have the negatives shipped from Singapore to the printer in Marceline, Missouri, used by Star Books. Once again, she offered the book to other ballet companies and a dozen once again came onboard. She also donated her $3,000 project director fee back to Kansas City Ballet.
A History of Arts and Books
The Nutcracker Ballet book was only the beginning of Donna’s imprint in the performing arts at Andrews McMeel.
Donna went on to develop a series of books celebrating, among others, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, The Kansas City Jazz Museum, and Missouri Repertory Theatre (now KCRep).
During the Ballet’s 50th anniversary season in 2007-2008, Donna was asked to oversee the commemorative book celebrating the company’s achievements, written by poet, author, and dancer Wyatt Townley. Wyatt and the book were celebrated as honorees at Kansas City’s Thorpe Menn Awards, where Wyatt graciously thanked Donna for organizing and overseeing the book’s photography and design.
Giving Back with Purpose
Recently, the Martins deepened their commitment by joining the Bolender Society, choosing to use funds from Donna’s required IRA distribution to support Kansas City Ballet. They’ve agreed to annually use this vehicle to support something they care deeply about. This year their motivation was to ensure that the Ballet remains a vibrant part of Kansas City’s cultural life.
“We want the Ballet to continue thriving,” Rex says. “It’s a world-class company with a strong international reputation, and we’re proud to be part of its story.”
A Gift That Keeps Giving
Becoming Bolender Society members has given the Martins special behind-the-scenes access, including open rehearsals and receptions.
“We appreciate the insight and the opportunity to meet the people who make the magic happen,” Donna says.
They have also shared their passion for ballet with their grandchildren when they visited, taking them annually from an early age to The Nutcracker performances.
Reflecting on their journey, the Martins are full of gratitude. “New York gave us an incredible foundation in the arts,” Rex says, “but Kansas City is where we’ve built a home and invested in the future of the arts.”
Thanks to their unwavering support and love for ballet, Rex and Donna have helped preserve the magic of dance, ensuring it will inspire audiences for generations to come.
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To make a gift that is meaningful to you and has a lasting impact for the Ballet, please click here. You may also contact impact@kcballet.org or by phone at 816.216.5612.
To purchase tickets to this season’s production of Devon Carney’s The Nutcracker, please visit kcballet.org or call the Box Office at 816.931.8993.
Gently used and collectible copies of The Nutcracker Ballet book are available on Amazon.
Header image: Rex and Donna Martin in their home with a copy of The Nutcracker Ballet. Photo by Kelly Leahy.
