Submitted by Studio West Dance Academy
Falling snow. Dancing flowers. An enchanted dragon. Extraordinary dreams. What more could you want to help celebrate the season? How about a magician for an uncle? A grand holiday party? Come enjoy all of these moments December 14-16 at Studio West Dance Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker.
Wondering if there is something for every member of the family? While it is a ballet, it also has a mighty dual between a prince and a king. A Rat King. The fight scene is replete with soldiers, mice, rats, and Clara. There’s even a miniature model cannon.
Coming for the first time? The story of The Nutcracker is iconic, but the portrayal is unique to each production. Here are some fabulous elements to watch for in Studio West’s depiction of the tale. A wheel of cheese 6 feet across. Clara’s Uncle Drosselmeyer way up in the theatre balcony and then just a blink later down on the stage. A gaggle of Mini-Drosselmeyers (Mini-D’s as a nod to the mini-me character of Mike Meyer). A dancing bear. The flashing of fireflies in the night sky. Life-sized dolls that pop out of enormous presents. An Arabian genie who rises up out of a giant lamp, and dances suspended from the ceiling. A working grandfather clock. And a pair of white mice that appear throughout the story (have your little ones keep count of how often they are on stage).
Is attending Studio West’s Nutcracker already a family tradition? One of the hallmarks of the dance theatre’s production is the commitment to create change each year. Says co-director Stephanie Wood, “We know that we are welcoming both first time audience members as well as those who come back year after year. They return because of their memories, and we want to add to that- so there is always something new to surprise them.”
A sleigh is being debuted this year, designed and built by studio crew chief Don Wood. It is currently in the hands of trusted crewmember Leslie Brodie, and being decorated in her shop. Not even the directors know what it will look like, “They are keeping it hidden away until the big reveal. We can’t wait to see it!” says Wood’s partner Mary Cecelia Zechmann.
Other details for the seasoned audience member to watch for? Mother Ginger, played in drag and on sky-scraping stilts by Nat Boggs, has a brand new dress, all 25 feet of it. And for the eagle-eyed among you, watch for the book Clara’s mother reads while seated on the couch. Can you see the cover? It is updated annually with the ballet’s production poster.
All of this magic and so much more takes place at SPSCC’s Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts December 14-16. Tickets are available under ‘Studio West Dance Theatre’s The Nutcracker’ at olytix.org.
