feature
BALLET
The Nutcracker
by TERRY RICHARDS
An annual Christmas tradition in Valdosta is gearing up for its 52nd year .
The annual performances of Pyotr Tchaikovsky ’ s classical ballet “ The Nutcracker ” are scheduled for 7 p . m . Dec . 1 , at 1 p . m . Dec . 2 in a children ’ s narrated version and 7 p . m ., and at 2:30 p . m . Dec . 3 at the Valdosta Performing Arts Center , said Allison Shenton with Dance Arts Valdosta .
The Christmas favorite has been performed annually by Dance Arts since 1970 , except for one year in the 1970s when renovations to the show ’ s then-venue , Mathis City Auditorium , made it impossible , said Shenton , Dance Arts ’ artistic director .
“ The Nutcracker ” focuses on a little girl named Clara , who must be protected from the villainous Mouse Army and the sinister Mouse King by a brave wooden Nutcracker , who is really a handsome prince .
Auditions for this year ’ s edition of “ The Nutcracker ” have already been held , she said . The production alternates between two casts ; Angela Brown and Anna Elliott play Clara , Emma Thomas and Elizabeth Grace Gibbs play the Sugar Plum Fairy , Mikayla
Ooten and Marry Todd Parramoure play the Snow Queen and Talley Reed and Kate Haire play Dew Drop . Landon Gibbs plays the Nutcracker Prince and William David Brandon plays the Cavalier in all performances .
All cast members are part of Dance Arts except for certain guest performers and adult community members , Shenton said .
In years gone by , the famed music for “ The Nutcracker ” was provided live , “ but COVID-19 stopped our ability to do live music ,” she said .
A move from Mathis City Auditorium to the Valdosta Performing Arts Center also impacted operations , Shenton said ; the cast now has to dance above a covered-up orchestra pit .
“ There ’ s not a dancer in ballet who doesn ’ t have some kind of connection to ‘ The Nutcracker ,’” she said .
Tickets for all shows start at $ 20 and all seats are reserved . Tickets are available online at www . danceartsvaldosta . com starting Oct . 15 . Any remaining tickets will be sold at the theater box office one hour prior to each performance .
For more information on The Nutcracker , call Dance Arts at ( 229 ) 563-6681 .
10 Valdosta Scene | December 2023