New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet’s narrated version of
THE NUTCRACKER
WHEN: Dec. 17 at 2:00 & 7:00 PM, and Dec. 18 at 3:00 PM
WHERE: The new Lackland Center, Sitnik Theater (715 Grand Avenue) in Hackettstown.
TICKETS: $22.50-$25. They available through the Centenary Stage Company box office by calling 908.979.0900, and online at www.centenarystageco.org.
The performance is appropriate for ages 3-103.
The Centenary Stage Company will present The New Jersey Civic Youth Ballet’s (NJCYB) performances of the annual Nutcracker this year in the David and Carol Lackland Center in Hackettstown. With a cast of 60 talented dancers from Morris, Sussex and Warren Counties, The NJCYB’s Nutcracker is unique because it’s narrated by Janine Byrnes who tells the story from the perspective of young Clara Stahlbaum.
In this dramatic presentation, the audience is invited to Dr. And Mrs. Stahlbaum's Christmas Party. As the theater darkens, and some of the world’s most beautiful music plays, Ms. Byrnes takes the audience on a storybook adventure. Clara’s Godfather presents his magic show of dancing dolls enchanting the children who attend the party. He has gifts for all, but one touches the young Clara's heart, an ugly Nutcracker. As Clara falls asleep under the beautiful Christmas tree, the noise of mice wake her. To save Clara, the Nutcracker and his army battle the giant Mouse King. The Nutcracker turns into a handsome prince and takes a grown-up Clara through the enchanted forest into the land of Christmas.
“This is the most enchanting fairy tale of a child's most unforgettable Christmas,” says NJCYB Director, Christine Taylor, “Through Ms. Byrne’s narration, young children understand a fanciful story, while the rest of us realize that his is truly a story of life, love and the holiday spirit.”
This season the coveted role of Clara will be shared by Michelle Quiner from Chester, and Kayla Walsh from Long Valley. The role of Clara isn’t new to these two rising dancers; Quiner performed Clara with Radio City Music Hall last year, and Walsh performed the role in 2009 for the NJCYB. The role of Fritz will be performed by Hayden Slaff of Mansfield. Guest performer Sean Patric and partner Shanna Heverly from New York City join the company this year to dance the Arabian Dolls. Patric and Heverly’s backgrounds include the National Tour of Cats as Tumblebrutus and Rumpleteazer. Guest artists Kirk Henning and Elisabeth Holowchuk Sollog, from the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, in Washington, D.C. will dance the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy, Cavalier and Godfather Drosselmeyer.
