The Nutcracker comes to stage December 12
“The Nutcracker,” a perennial Christmas favorite, comes to stage December 12 when the City Youth Ballet presents this full-length ballet with more than 30 dancers telling the story of young Clara, her beloved Nutcracker, and their journeys in an enchanted land of fairies, snowflakes, princes, toy soldiers, and even an army of mice.
Performances will be at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Veterans Administration Memorial Theater at Mountain Home. Tickets are $10; with $8 for children under 12 at the matinee. Tickets are available at Bear ‘n Friends at its new location at the Peerless Center on North Roan Street, Party Central, also on North Roan Street across from Cootie Brown’s, or at the door.
“The Nutcracker” story by German author E.T.A. Hoffman is set to the glorious musical compositions of Pytor Illyich Tchaikovsky. The production is under the direction of CYB artistic director, Susan Pace-White.
Audiences will be treated to new choreography in the opening scene showing a turn-of-the-century holiday party, plus “Waltz of the Snowflakes,” and several other dances set in the Land of Sweets featuring members of the CYB’s senior and junior companies.
“We have produced this ballet for over 25 years, but in this production we are debuting not only new costumes but also extremely creative and challenging choreography by our ballet instructors and even former students,” said Ms. Pace-White.
The new choreography was provided by Traci Honeycutt, Gwynn Root, and Sarah Sims, all instructors with the Johnson City Ballet Academy, the training school for the CYB. Splendid Victorian-era costumes by CYB wardrobe mistresses Sharon Ritchie and Coleen Schneider also highlight the production.
Edith Dunbar, a member of the City Youth Ballet’s senior company, dances the role of Sugar Plum Fairy. She has studied at Saratoga (NY) Summer Ballet Intensive, the Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia, and danced as the Sugar Plum Fairy at the Buffalo (NY) City Ballet’s Nutcracker productions. Edith is a senior at Science Hill High School. Guest performer James Walters of the University of Buffalo (NY) will portray the Cavalier and Snow King.
Clara’s role will be performed by E. J. Bailey, a member of the CYB’s junior company. She is a seventh grader at Indian Trail Middle School. Colin Jeffress, who has held several lead parts for children’s productions with Jonesborough Repertory Theatre, portrays Clara’s pesky brother, Fritz.
For more information, call (423) 434-2195.
