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THE NUTCRACKER
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The Nutcracker
DATE December 21, 2024 VENUE Florissant Performing Arts Center
TIMES 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm ADDRESS 1 James J. Eagan Dr. Florissant, MO
63033
Choreography & Staging: Kristin Fakhrzad, Shea Flaherty, Libby Hausman and Silvia Young
Music: P.I. Tchaikovsky
Come and experience the magic and beauty of The Nutcracker this year with your loved ones and help support a great cause! For each ticket purchased, a charitable donation is made in your honor to our favorite St. Louis Charity, Friends of Kids with Cancer.
In our adaptation, you can join Clara and her Prince on their magical journey to the Land of the Sweets, where your little prince or princess will not be able to stop dancing as they are entranced by life size toys, waltzing snowflakes, and giant candies made of dreams. It's a holiday tradition that inspires and ignites the enchanting feeling of the holiday season.
Giving back to our friends is a seasonal tradition our company is excited to continue every year, truly honoring the holiday spirit. Uniquely, our show changes year after year to providing our audience with new surprises and exciting new choreography that will make sure to entertain and engage our returning patrons.
Our Special Version of the Nutcracker Ballet Story-
There once was a young girl named Clara who admired by all she came in contact with. She had many hobbies and pastimes like the love of reading books and imagining being in far off places, she loved collecting dolls, and spending time with her family, but most of all she loved dancing! She dreamed of becoming a ballerina. She would have visions of beautiful ballerinas dancing in her head all day and all night. Her favorite time of the year was Christmas. Not because of the presents and the fancy party her family threw, but because it was the only time of year, she got to see her Godfather and his nephew who was also her very best friend!
Although he was a bit younger than she was, they shared a special bond. When her Godfathers wife grew ill, the nephew was sent to live with Clara and her family for some time so Godfather could tend and care for his wife. They spent lots of time together, playing for hours in the garden. They dreamed of adventures they would go on, traveling to places such as Asia and the Middle East. They especially loved it when it snowed. They loved to play in the snow and make snow angels. Their fondest memory of all was sneaking into the kitchen to eat some sweets late at night while everyone was fast asleep. Once while hiding out under the kitchen table and trying to eat a piece of cake as fast as they could, they were startled by a mouse. He was just as scared since he’s usually the only one in the kitchen that late at night. Clara screamed with fright and jumped up on the kitchen table. Nephew knew he needed to be brave, so he threw the last bite of cake at the Mouse, grabbed Claras hand and led her to safety. The truth was even though he was younger she looked up to him because after all he had been through, he was always still willing to help others, he was always kind, and brave, plus he could always make her laugh and most of all he believed she could accomplish anything.
She couldn’t wait wait for Christmas to arrive so they could spend time and create more memories together.
Clara was so happy to see Godfather and nephew walk into the party. Godfather always brought her and her little brother Fritz special gifts. Clara always thought Godfathers gifts were the best! This year Godfather arrived with a loud and obnoxious whistle which Fritz absolutely loved, and a special doll for Claras collection. This doll however was much different than all the rest, it was a Nutcracker. She always longed to have a real Nutcracker! Fritz was always a little jealous of Clara and nephews' relationship. He would pick on Clara all the time. This time he went a little too far and accidentally broke Claras beloved Nutcracker. Clara was sad and nephew comforted her while Godfather fixed her new doll. She thought he worked some kind of magic, because how could he have fixed her Nutcracker so fast?
After the party everyone gathered their things to go home. Nephew and Godfather went to stay with some other family members this time, but Clara and nephew had plans of spending time together the next day. Clara and Fritz were very tired after their long night of dancing and celebrating Christmas. Clara fell fast asleep holding her beloved Nutcracker and thinking of all the memories her and Nephew had made long ago, and all the memories she was going to make tomorrow!
Clara was awoken suddenly by the sound of Pitter patter all around her. She looked around. Although she recognized the room it just didn’t feel the same. Where was she? Who was there with her? Why did she feel like she was in a fog? Was she dreaming? Clara felt lots of confusion and jumped up to run to her parent's room only to be stopped by mice. Where did these Mice come from thought Clara, what is happening? The mice began to attack Clara and fight her for her Nutcracker. All of a sudden, her Nutcracker was alive! He brought in his army of toy soldiers to fight off the mice. There was something completely familiar about the Nutcracker. Like she knew him. She trusted him and he protected her. Little did they know all the fighting had upset the Mouse Queen. She came barreling out full force and went straight for the Nutcracker. They battled back and forth as did the mice and toy soldiers. Clara couldn’t take all the fighting any longer, so she took off her ballet shoe and threw it at the Mouse Queen which completely distracted her. The Nutcracker was able to give the final blow but not before getting injured himself....
Clara cried thinking she had lost her beloved Nutcracker. All of a sudden, a prince arrived by her side, just like the Nutcracker he too looked, and he felt just as familiar to her. He led her to a sleigh that was waiting perfectly in the snow. Clara was still just as confused as she had been. Why did everything feel so real, yet it just had to be a dream?
The snow began to fall, and the most beautiful crisp white shimmering dancing snowflakes appeared. They danced with grace and passion all around. Wow, Clara thought, that’s the kind of ballerina I want to be. She told the prince how only she wished she could dance like that. Just like Nephew, the Prince encouraged her to never give up on her dreams and to always believe in herself. The snowflakes continued dancing and with their snow queen they led them on a magical journey to the Land of Sweets.
The land of sweets was filled with everything Clara and Nephew had always sneaked from the kitchen. The Christmas angels greeted them upon entering the Land of Sweets. They introduced them to the most beautiful of all, the Sugar Plum Fairy.
The Sugar Plum Fairy was the most loved and respected in the land of sweets. She could dance with such beauty and grace. Sugar Plum was so happy to have Clara and Prince in her realm. She showed them around and introduced them as royalty to all the others. She made a feast of candies, and cookies, tea and hot chocolate and placed Clara and Prince on a thrown for all to see.
Sugar Plum knew everything about Clara. Such as her longing to be a ballerina and how much she loved to play in the garden and loved to read about places far far away but most of all how much she wanted to be a ballerina.
Sugar Plum put on a wonderful surprise full of dancers from far off places. Clara watched in awe as each group would dance and dance and dance. She would clap and clap and would ask for more. Oh, how she wished she too could dance like this. Sugar Plum asked Clara to join her by her side. She told her if she believed in herself this wish would come true. Clara closed her eyes and believed it in her heart and with a wave of the wand Clara turned into the ballerina she had longed to be. Clara full of excitement, was dancing just as beautifully as all the other ballerinas she had watched that night. Her wish had come true with the help of the Prince and Sugar Plum Fairy, but most of all for believing in herself. She hugged the prince and thanked him for always believing in her. They returned back to their sleigh and continued on with their journey both full of sweets and excitement.
The clock struck midnight and woke up Clara. She opened her eyes and reached for her Special Nutcracker. She hugged him tightly kissed his head and danced her way back to her bed.
"We dance to give to our friends."
Each ticket purchase benefits a donation in your honor to "Friends of Kids with Cancer."