Arts Guides Fall 2019 Preview: North Jersey | Page 68

This is one of many fairytale
stories to come alive each year
through ballet. When asked why
fairytales work so well with ballet,
McRae says, “I think it’s because of
the magic. We like to tell these sto-
ries. They’re stories that everyone
knows, so when you come to the
theater you’re coming with some
kind of framework or understand-
ing. And the stories transfer well
into movement. This Hansel & Gre-
tel is staged to music from Engel-
bert Humperdinck (composed in
1891-92) and it’s really beauti-
ful. George Tomal did this back in
1982 and we’re still performing it.”
As December rolls around, it be-
comes time for the Nutcracker
performances. New Jersey Ballet
will kick off its Nutcracker season
on December 1st with two per-
formances at the Levoy Theatre
in Millville. The company moves
on to BergenPAC in Englewood
for four performances December
7-8, and then basically takes over
Mayo Performing Arts Center in