PNB Nutcracker

Eight strikes on the clock as mysterious Drosselmeier presents young Clara with her Nutcracker, and the time-honored, much-beloved holiday story begins. And lucky us, because last week we got a peek behind the scenes of the new PNB Nutcracker with sets designed by Ian Falconer of Olivia the Pig fame and classic choreography by George Balanchine.

This is a big change at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the first new Nutcracker in 31 years, replacing the hugely popular set designed by Maurice Sendak and choreography by Kent Stowell. Balanchine’s choreography was originally created for New York City Ballet in 1954 and it is still performed there every holiday season.

Falconer’s sets are distinctly different, brightly colored and graphic whereas Sendak’s sets were muted pastels. Clara is decked out in red and white stripes which harken back to Miss Olivia, the pig, herself. Drosselmeier is kinder and less scary, his own cape lined with red and white stripes. The spirited stripes are repeated throughout the performance in both costumes and sets.

This Nutcracker is at once magical and whimsical. There is even a magnificent Dale Chihuly glass star hanging over the birch trees in the spectacular snow scene. As the ballet begins, the audience is shown a video (from local Straightface Studios) and you feel as though you are flying over a snowy New England forest, to a mid-19th century town and then ushered inside a grand country home where a party is about to start.

Some of my favorite costumes were the villainous Mouse King, re-imagined with multiple heads. I also loved the angels who seemed to float above the stage, their golden wings and skirts aglow.

There were even a few new characters like Mother Ginger, enthusiastically played by a man on stilts, who wears a 10-foot wide, 60-pound skirt that hides eight child dancers and a bunny army!

The entire audience let out an audible “Ahh…” when, at the end, Clara and Drosselmeier’s nephew (Clara’s hero and crush) are flown home–airborne–in a red sleigh drawn by reindeer.

See PNBs latest vision of the Nutcracker and start a new tradition! By your tickets here. 2015 Nutcracker performances continue through December 28.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

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“Where the bed go?”

“I want to see bed.”

“What happened to bed?”

I’ve seen the Nutcracker countless times, and I must confess that the whereabouts of the bed never crossed my mind. But this was my little sugar plum’s primary concern at the Evergreen City Ballet’s performance. It was her very first Nutcracker experience, and she was enthralled with every little detail. Especially, the bed.

The Evergreen City Ballet’s Nutcracker couldn’t be more kid-friendly. Not only have they created a masterful abbreviated version of the original (read: one hour in length including a brief intermission), they allow the audience entré into the secret world of theater. Before the intermission we find out “How’d they do that?” for a few key stage “tricks,” such as how the snow falls (a folded curtain with slits, filled with faux snow, is shaken back and forth), how the sets are changed for Act II, and how the bed magically moves across the stage (a “bed boy” maneuvers from underneath). Oh, that clever bed!

But wait. There’s more! Evergreen’s show was filled with many delights: portly mice running through the audience, hefting their bellies this way and that, the ethereal sugar plum fairy and her snowflake entourage, mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer, a gaggle of children and–of course–the handsome Nutcracker and lovely Clara.

“Those crazy boys,” my little one exclaimed with a chuckle.

We are very fortunate in the Pacific Northwest to have a rich Nutcracker history, as anyone who has attended Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker will attest (sets designed by Maurice Sendak, aka Where the Wild Things Are). Whenever I’ve been able to go, PNB’s Nutcracker is an absolute delight.

So I was wondering if Evergreen City Ballet would be able to adapt E.T.A. Hoffman’s story and Tchaikovsky’s musical score, and make the story believable without feeling clipped during the one-hour performance. And they did! The essence of Nutcracker was all there: the wonder, the music, the dancing, and the magic.

After the performance, some of the dancers come out into the lobby in costume. Little ones posed with real ballerinas, but my little one shied away when Uncle Drosselmeyer came near. However she loved touching the tulle skirts and bejeweled leotards.

Although the shortened version is over, there are still shows in Auburn and Renton with tickets available! Visit their website at: http://evergreencityballet.org. Evergreen Ballet’s Nutcracker is the perfect introduction for little sugar plums.

Take the road less traveled, Beth

And a heartfelt thank you to Wendy and James Kirchner (“Aunt Wendy” and “Uncle Jamie”) for sharing Evergreen City Ballet with Baby Bird and with us. The evening was a huge treat for all.

Behind the scenes at the new PNB Nutcracker

Nutcracker for kids: It’s all about the bed