Savor the Sugar Plum Fairy’s World with Your Loved Ones

Dress Rehearsal Wednesday evening was especially un-nostalgic, as it was not the customary quiet few in the auditorium. Usually, there are a few of us in the seats, taking pictures, the directors taking notes, staff and dance school members offering moral support. The stage is set, the dancers adjusting to their new costumes, crew getting it right behind the scenes and the pyro-guys getting the timing correct for their special effects. It all goes along in a very orderly professional solitude.

This year’s Nutcracker dress rehearsal was different in that the seats were full of rambunctious 6^th graders, who were excited from the moment they stepped into the theatre, most for the first time in their short lives. They knew the evening was special, that they were to see authentic dancers in full costume...many of them being their own age. The young dancers were completely fascinating to them. Most didn’t even know that younger dancers have a place in ‘real’ theatre. Coaching from their ‘handlers’, their teachers, circulating as crowd control, shared snippets of what was to be expected of them and the evening’s performance (and the occasional remonstrance to ‘hold still’). Overall, the atmosphere in the theatre was clear—they were happy to be there.

Ballet is very athletically demanding. These youngsters recognized that, offered voluble admiration, much clapping, calling out at particularly inspiring movements (a feeling I often have, to which, of course, I do not give voice), they laughed at the antics, whoa’d at the magic and pyrotechnics, and generally offered the dance company a resounding welcome for their performances.

One of the staff mentioned she wished everyone responded like that. I thought, she’s right. These athletes weave through highly demanding maneuvers, every bit as challenging as any other athletic endeavor, and in totu’s, satin, tights and velvet no less, impressive stuff when you must do it all without looking mussed—and we praise them with proper theatre etiquette. Possibly, these young viewers, new to the wonder of ballet and theatre, know the best level of admiration, the way to watch a magical, lovely bit of nostalgia, set to the Rusk strains of Tchaikovsky, as a wonderful Holiday Treat. It made my evening.

Take the child in yourself, and any others you know to the Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Holiday staple—their newly refurbished Nutcracker. Yoomi Lee, Kyudong Kwak, Rachel Hummel-Nole, Zeb Nole—all of the company—will be there to dance their hearts out for you—with true holiday enthusiasm.

The Nutcracker is the most treasured of Holiday fare. A brief synopsis may be in order, though, for those who haven’t relished it in some time.

Nevada Ballet Theatre Nutcracker Synopsis

It’s Christmas Eve, 1899 in the German Embassy in St. Petersburg. The Ambassador and his wife are entertaining other Ambassadors and their families. Their children, Clara and Fritz, also have invited friends. The most welcome guest is Herr Drosselmeyer, a magician, who provides entertainment with his magic tricks and dancing dolls. He also brings gifts to Clara and Fritz – a stuffed Mouse King for Fritz and a Nutcracker doll for Clara.

After the guests leave and the family goes to bed, Clara and Fritz return to the living room to look for their toys. They fall asleep on the sofa and are awakened by an invasion of mice led by the Mouse King. The magician repels the mice, and turns the Nutcracker into a live Prince.

The Prince brings Clara and Fritz to his Kingdom of Sweets, where they are honored guests. Dancers from many different countries entertain, and the Prince himself also entertains with his Princess, the Sugar Plum Fairy. Then it is time for Clara and Fritz to return home, and they float away in a beautiful sleigh. Was this a dream or reality? You decide...     

Wednesday Evening Dress Rehearsal Impresarios!

Supplied by Nevada Ballet Theatre:

Cast List Run Down:

Cast A is performing:

Thursday Dec 14^th  8 pm (Alexandra Keft and Jackie Buckmaster)

Wed Dec 20^th  8 pm  (Penelope Borg and Kerry Sandhu)

Sat Dec 23^rd  2 pm (Alexandra and Jackie)

Tues Dec  26^th 8 pm (Jorin and Ernest)

Leads Roles and who is dancing them: 

Cast B is Performing:

Friday, Dec 15 8 pm (Penelope and Kerry)

Sunday Dec 17 1pm (Penelope & Kerry)

Friday, Dec 22 8 pm (Penelope & Kerry)

Sunday Dec 24 1pm (Penelope & Kerry)

Wed Dec 27^th 8 pm (Penelope & Kerry

Leads danced by:

Cast C

Saturday, Dec 16 2 pm  (Alexandra and Jackie)

Sunday, Dec 17 4:30 (Alexandra and Jackie)

Thursday Dec 21^st 8pm (Alexandra and Jackie)

Saturday  Dec 23 8 pm  (Alexandra and Jackie)

Leads danced by:

Cast D

Sat Dec 16^th 8 pm  (Jorin and Ernest)

Tues Dec 19^th  8 pm (Jorin and Ernest)

Friday Dec 22^nd  2 pm (Jorin and Ernest)

Sunday 24^th 4:30 (Alexandra and Jackie)

Leads danced by: