Texas Ballet Theater
Presents
The Nutcracker
The annual North Texas family favorite waltzes in to
Bass Performance Hall and the Music Hall at Fair Park
North Texas – Ben Stevenson, artistic director of Texas Ballet Theater, is proud to present a holiday season filled with magic, including the annual favorite, The Nutcracker, performed at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall and Dallas’ Music Hall at Fair Park, promotional appearances by the Nutcracker, the King Rat, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy, and spectacular events for the whole family. Tickets for The Nutcracker are $18 to $74 and can be purchased by calling toll-free
1-877-212-4280 or by visiting www.texasballettheater.org.
A Texas Ballet Theater favorite since the late 1960s, this production is a holiday tradition performed annually at Bass Performance Hall and the Music Hall at Fair Park. Audience members will delight in Artistic Director Ben Stevenson’s staging of the holiday story of Clara, whose Nutcracker Prince takes her to the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets. Campbell Baird’s vivid costumes are set against glorious backdrops that include Texas Ballet Theater’s legendary enchanted sleigh, making its way through snow falling on both the dancers and the members of the audience. With more than 90 local children performing in the production, a tree that grows to 40 feet and a life-size Nutcracker, children and adults will be enchanted by a production that makes lasting memories for all.
Texas Ballet Theater presents four additional public performances this season totaling 24 opportunities for audiences to attend The Nutcracker. The production opens Friday, December 1, at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, and concludes Saturday, December 23, at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas. In addition, Texas Ballet Theater hosts the Caren Koslow Fashion Show on the set of The Nutcracker at Bass Performance Hall, and invites patrons to join the Company for crafts, treats and more by attending one of the four scheduled Children’s Nutcracker Parties.
The Nutcracker
Bass Performance Hall
Friday, December 1, 2006 at 8 p.m.*
Saturday, December 2, 2006 at 2 p.m.* and 8 p.m.*
Sunday, December 3, 2006 at 2 p.m.*
Thursday, December 7, 2006 at 7 p.m.
Friday, December 8, 2006 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 9, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 7 p.m.
Friday, December 15, 2006 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 16, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Music Hall at Fair Park
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 at 8 p.m.*
Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, December 21, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Friday, December 22, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 23, 2006 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.*
*Free Pre-Performance Lectures open to all audience members are held on the Mezzanine 45 minutes prior to curtain. Lectures for The Nutcracker are held for select performances only.
Performance Information
Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography by Ben Stevenson from the original concept by Marius Petipa and original choreography by Petipa assistant Lev Ivanov in 1892
Set and Costume Design by Campbell Baird
Lighting Design by Christina R. Giannelli
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Opera Orchestra, both conducted by Jack Buckhannan
Performance Tickets
Single tickets $18-$74
Toll-free 1-877-212-4280 or www.texasballettheater.org
The Nutcracker - Special Events
Caren Koslow Fashion Show & Luncheon
Presented by Texas Ballet Theater and Stanley Korshak
11:30 a.m. Thursday, November 30, 2006
Bass Performance Hall, 300 East Fourth Street
Fashion Show on The Nutcracker set at Bass Performance Hall featuring the dancers of
Texas Ballet Theater modeling the best of Stanley Korshak and benefiting the Caren Koslow Scholarship Fund. Luncheon immediately following.
Call 214.369.5200, ext. 104 or 817.763.0207, ext. 104 for more information.
Children's Nutcracker Parties
"Kingdom of Sweets"
Saturday, December 9, 2006, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 16, 2006, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Kelle Albertson, Mimi; Crystal Bolt, Max and Margo; Katie Farmer, Patrick and Caroline;
Kelly Hanley, Abby, Trip and Kate; Heidi Schutts, Reagan and Aspen Jones; Chairs
Dian Garnett, Honorary Chair
Mezzanine Lobby, Bass Performance Hall
"Land of Snow"
Sunday, December 10, 2006, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 17, 2006, 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Carie Burnette, Isabella, Mary Frances and William; Cari Davis, Devon; Mitzi Davis;
Wendy Gerrish, Anna; Lisa Fischer, Emily Anne, George, Meg and Henry;
Kathryn Laughlin, Kate; Carter Martin and children; Leslie Moritz, Meg and Anna;
Anna Turner, Anna Caroline and Estella; Chairs
Dian Garnett, Honorary Chair
Green Room & Richardson Room, Bass Performance Hall
Call 214.369.5200, ext. 104 or 817.763.0207, ext. 104 for more information.
Texas Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker Fun Facts
The Nutcracker is based on the story Der Nussknacker und der Mausekonig (The Nutcracker and the Mouse King) written by E. T. A. Hoffman in 1816.
Texas Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker will be performed in 2 different venues with seven different casts.
It takes a crew of 30 stagehands and 10 wardrobe/dressers to put on each performance.
Our Christmas tree grows to over 40 feet.
More than 90 local children will appear in the run of The Nutcracker.
More than 200 costumes are used in Texas Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker.
More than 300 pounds of snow is used during the run, made from a combination of plastic and flame retardant ½ inch paper squares.
The Nutcracker turns 114 this year. Its official premiere took place on December 18, 1892 at the Maryinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Nutcracker uses 398,300 watts of electricity during each performance.
Female dancers wear 2,000 pairs of pointe shoes a year.
About The Nutcracker
A classical ballet in two acts, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s tale of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816)
Herr Stahlbaum and his wife are giving a Christmas party. Clara and Fritz, their children, greet the guests. The parents give toys to all the children. Suddenly, the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer arrives and entertains the children with his magical tricks and wind-up dolls.
Dr. Drosselmeyer brings a special gift for Clara – a wooden nutcracker. In a jealous fit, Fritz breaks it. Dr. Drosselmeyer quickly repairs it.
The party ends, the guests leave, and the Stahlbaums retire for the night. Clara awakens as a mouse runs through her room. The clock strikes midnight. Suddenly, the room fills with giant mice who attack Clara. Life-size toy soldiers, led by the valiant Nutcracker, come to her rescue. The King Rat attacks the Nutcracker, but Clara hits him with her shoe and the Nutcracker wins the battle. After the battle, the Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome prince.
The Nutcracker Prince turns the mansion into the Land of Snow. The Snow Queen and the Nutcracker Prince dance with the Snowflakes. Clara and the Nutcracker Prince depart for the Kingdom of Sweets in an enchanted sleigh.
-20 Minute Intermission-
Clara and the Nutcracker Prince continue their journey. When they arrive in the Kingdom of Sweets, the cooks are preparing delectable treats for their arrival. They are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. In Clara’s honor, the Sugar Plum Fairy arranges for the inhabitants of her kingdom to entertain them while they eat: chocolate, a Spanish Dance; coffee, an Arabian Dance; and tea, a Chinese Dance. Clara is also entertained by the Dance of Mirlitons, a dance with Madame Bonbonaire and her children, a Russian dance, and the Waltz of Flowers. Then, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince dance a grand Pas de Deux. As the celebration draws to a close, Clara drifts off to sleep. She awakens in bed, as the Nutcracker Prince salutes his princess Clara.
ABOUT TEXAS BALLET THEATER
Founded in 1961, Texas Ballet Theater is the premier resident professional ballet company of North Texas. Under the direction of artistic director Ben Stevenson, O.B.E., the Ballet brings unprecedented talent, beauty and artistic expression to the stages of Fort Worth's Bass Performance Hall and Dallas' Music Hall at Fair Park and Historic Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. Texas Ballet Theater will become the resident ballet company for the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts when it opens in 2009. Season sponsors include the Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, WRR Radio, TACA, the City of Dallas and Texas Commission on the Arts, American Airlines and The Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County. For more information, go to www.texasballettheater.org.
Photo Credit
Artist: Carolyn Judson. Photo: Ellen Appel.