Highlands Ballet's "Santa's Nutcracker" is updated and performed at Emory & Henry College's McGlothlin Center for the Arts.
"Santa’s Nutcracker" was first produced by Highlands Ballet Directors Deanna Cole-Roberts and Deirdre Cole in 1997 /1998 as "Santa’s Nutcracker Fantasy." This year’s version has been updated with new costumes, choreography, production effects and backdrops. Performances are Friday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. andSaturday, Dec. 11, 3 p.m. at the McGlothlin Center for the Arts, Emory & Henry College, Emory, Virginia.
“The Nutcracker” traditionally centers around Clara, her mysterious godfather Drosselmeyer, aninventor of lifelike toys and the Sugar Plum Fairy who rules the Kingdom of Sweets. “Santa's Nutcracker” centers around Santa Claus, his godchild, the beautiful Holly Berry and the Sugar Plum Fairy and the excitement that surrounds the holiday season.
Santa will be there in his toyshop creating wonderful surprises for young and old alike.
The evening opens in Santa’s Enchanted Toyshop as Santa, Mrs. Claus and their godchild Holly Berry prepare for the Christmas Holidays.Envision delectable foods and confections, lights, toys and gifts, and the whirl of happy people preparing for upcoming festivities. A favorite highlight is the packing of Santa’s toy sack, and Mrs. Claus will be there serving her Christmas cookies and trying to keep everyone on schedule.
Santa and Mrs. Claus, secretly followed by the beautiful Holly Berry, leave the toyshop to travel through a dense forest to gather extraordinary gifts from exotic lands.In the Snow Glade the Snow Queen summons beautiful snowflake maidens to welcome Santa as he prepares for his holiday journey around the world.
Santa's gift to Holly Berry is the Sugar Plum Fairy Doll, and fantasy follows. Fantastic visions are spun by the Sugar Plum Fairy as her exotic gifts are gathered from around the world: bold and trumpeted Spanish Dancers, graceful Candy Flower Petals led by a delicate Sugar Crystal, fragrant Chinese teas, daintily frosted Marzipan, a beautiful mysterious Arabian Dancer, and cheerful shopkeepers assisting Santa in his preparations, while prancing Reindeer eagerly await Santa’s nocturnal voyage.
For more information, visit www.highlandsballet.org. Tickets are $6-$15 and may be purchased athttp://ehc.tix.com.
