http://www.svherald.com/content/staff/2013/12/05/363824
The Sierra Vista Ballet Company will present its 35th annual production of “The Nutcracker,” a magical Christmas favorite for all ages on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. The children and adults of the Sierra Vista community will bring Tchaikovsky’s delightful ballet to glowing life on the stage. Each participant takes much pride and joy in making this colorful and dramatic contribution to the Christmas festivities of our area.
“The Nutcracker” tells a fairytale which unfolds through beautiful music, shimmering lights, ingenious special effects, breathtaking scenery and elegant costumes. As the show starts, in front of the curtain on the left side of the stage, the audience will see a father reading to his young daughter the story of “The Nutcracker.” This legend takes place in a wealthy European home during the late 1800s. In the first scene, the families are arriving at a Christmas Eve party. The ballet is considered as part of the festivities of this season because the show starts at a Christmas party.
In this first part, Clara, the daughter of the host family receives, as a gift from her godfather, a nutcracker doll. These dolls were used at the time to crack walnuts and hazelnuts. Clara’s naughty brother breaks her doll sending her in tears to her bedroom. She falls asleep and has a dream. This dream then becomes the central part of the ballet.
In Clara’s dream she is surrounded by a gang of mice. Then at midnight the Christmas tree in the living room grows to enormous proportions. The mice capture her and drag her into the cave of their king mouse where they try to feed her an evil brew that is supposed to turn her into a doll. The mice have done this before to the nutcracker. Clara fights back, and with the help of the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Nutcracker and his soldiers they defeat the wicked mice and their king. Clara’s Nutcracker doll now reverts to his true identity, which is the Prince of the Kingdom of the Sweets.
The Prince, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy then begin their long journey back to the Prince’s far-away kingdom. They must first travel through the Land of the Snow, then through the Land of the Flowers before they can arrive at the Land of the Sweets. The prince and his guests receive a great welcome upon their return to his kingdom and to his Castle of the Sweets.
Clara wakes up and returns to her Christmas tree in the living room. The show then closes with the father reading to his daughter the final chapter from the “The Nutcracker” book.
In the 2013 “Nutcracker” by the Sierra Vista Ballet, some of the principals are Christina Ibarra as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Carlos Rivera as the Nutcracker. Carlos and Christina have been ballet partners for more than four years. The chemistry they share on stage, along with their passion for dance and the arts, truly infuses the show with life, excitement and romance.
The role of Clara is performed on Friday by Kathryn Kelliher and on Sunday by Kayleigh Michell. Sabrina Barnet performs the part of the Sweets Fairy. The Godfather will be played on Friday by David Harris and on Sunday by Jim Herrewig. The adult roles in the show are performed by the parents of the dancers.
“The Nutcracker” will be staged at Buena Performing Arts Center on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. and again, as a Sunday matinee, at 3 p.m. on Dec. 8.
As a gift to the community, there is no charge for children, who are welcomed as cherished guests of the Sierra Vista Ballet. Tickets for adults are $15, and may be purchased at ACE Hardware, Safeway, Oscar Yrun Community Center and at the door before performances.
Attendees are asked to be seated before the start of the show so as not to miss the introduction, which sets the stage for the fantasy. For information contact Hilda Bergsneider at 458-1560.
Really feel sorry for all those kids who practiced for this only to be pushed out by Dear Leader and “Tingle Leg” - hope they sleep well at night ... I for one will not watch that charade. But then, I don’t watch MSNBC anyway.