Reimagined Nutcracker Ballet Premieres At Baltimore School For The Arts
Baltimore, M.d. (WJZ) -- The Baltimore School for the Arts is putting on an original and contemporary version of the Nutcracker ballet over the next two weekends.
"It's not the traditional [Nutcracker], what everyone thinks Nutcracker is," said Kyleigh Johnson, a junior playing the Sugar Plum Fairy in the production.
The production called The Nutcracker: A Magical Tale in Mount Vernon is the brainchild of the school's dance department head, Laura Halm Hamilton. She says the show is updated and includes Baltimore-inspired elements.
"We include modern technology in it," said Hamilton. "So we've just sort of brought it to a place where we hope it's tangible for our audiences, especially for our young people."
The show has also been curated with diversity, inclusion, and equity as important priorities.
"So the casting is like what we call colorblind casting it doesn't matter what you look like what your skin color is what your body type is." -said Rosiland Cauthen, the school's director.
The show is set in Mount Vernon and includes influences from the neighborhood like lemon peppermint stick costumes, a set design inspired by the Walter's Art Gallery, and a Baltimore rowhome.
Students say they are excited to see the show premiere.
"It was really nice to see all of these things that we were working on for several months, and some ideas that have been coming for years, all come together," said Samuel Greco, who is the master electrician and lightboard operator for the production.
Tickets are $20 and may be purchased online.
Here's the schedule for the show:
- Friday, December 10, 2021 - 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 11, 2021 - 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 11, 2021 - 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, December 16, 2021 - 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 17, 2021 - 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 18, 2021 - 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 18, 2021 - 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
