Have you ever heard of the Nutcracker, seen the movies, read the stories, or seen the ballet? Well now you can! Center Stage Studios is hosting their annual Nutcracker Ballet on December 2, 3, and 4. There is one show on Friday, it is the evening show at 7pm. Then there are two shows on Saturday, one matinee show at 1pm and an evening show at 7pm. Finally, the last show is on Sunday, a matinee show at 1pm.
The Nutcracker is a story that has taken many forms and has taken many different variations. The story that Center Stage Studios is putting on is about a young girl named Clara, who this year is getting put on by Josephine Schoeneman during the matinee show and Brynne Berger during the evening show. Her family is holding their yearly Christmas party when Clara’s creepy uncle, Herr Drosselmeyer, played by James Paton, arrives. He gives Clara a nutcracker for Christmas and plays a magic show for the kids by having dancing dolls perform for them.
After the party is when the real magic takes place, the evil mouse queen comes to take Clara's nutcracker, the mouse queen being played by Elaine Johns for one show and our very own drama teacher Carrie Eve-Laubach performing in the other show. However, with the help of Herr Drosselmeyer the Nutcracker grows big, played by Charles Ochs. Him and his soldiers have a big battle and defeat the Evil Mouse Queen. Herr Droselmeyer comes back taking the Nutcracker to surprise Clara with turning him into a handsome prince.
The Nutcracker leads Clara to the Land of Sweets; but to get to it, they must go through the Land of Snow. This is where they meet the Snow Queen, played by Krista Messer in the matinee show and Caelyn Ochs in the evening. The Snow Queen greets them and dances them through the Land of Snow with her snowflakes.
The above photo is of Krista Messer and Caelyn Ochs, both playing the Snow Queen
They then finally arrive at the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Queen of the Land of Sweets. She is played by Hana Seal in the matinee show and Elaine Johns in the evening show. The Sugar Plum Fairy has her and her citizens perform a show for the Nutcracker and Clara. They see the performance with some of them being the trio dance of the Spanish Chocolate, the group dance of Arabian Coffee, with the lead Arabian being performed by Hana Seal in the evening show and Caelyn Ochs in Matinee. They see the famous Waltz of the Flowers dance with the main flower, Dew Drop being performed by Emily Bullaro in one show and Giselle Marchais in the other. They also get to see The Sugar Plum's Famous solo with the music most known in the Nutcracker.
The above photo is of Hana Seal and Elaine Johns, both playing the Sugar Plum Fairy
The above photo is of Giselle Marchais and Emily Bullaro, both playing Dew Drop
The above photo is of Caelyn Ochs and Hana Seal, both playing soloists in Arabian Coffee
After seeing many beautiful dances from the delicacies around the world, Clara and the Nutcracker finally have to go home. They are given one last big group dance before finally saying goodbye and going back home. In some variations, the Land of Sweets is a real world with Clara transforming into the Sugar Plum Fairy in the end; though for Center Stage Studios, this is all just a dream.
To see this beautiful ballet please visit centerstage.studio to get your tickets for the show.
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