THE NUTCRACKER Brings A Great Start to the Holidays in Worcester

Ballet Arts Worcester and The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts Conservatory present Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, Thanksgiving weekend, November 24 through November 26. Tickets go on sale to members Tuesday, July 11 at 10 a.m. and to the general public Tuesday, July 18 at 10 a.m.

This spectacular treat for the whole family kicks off the holiday season as the only New England Nutcracker outside of Boston to feature a full-sized, live orchestra. Richard Duckett of the Telegram & Gazette described the production as "a significant artistic occasion" and "the coming together of a ballet school's dance company, an orchestra and a great venue."

The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet based on the stories of E.T.A. Hoffmann and Alexandre Dumas and was first performed in Russia in December, 1892. The story revolves around Clara, a young girl who receives a nutcracker doll as a Christmas gift and then enters a magical world where the nutcracker and other characters come to life.

"This production provides so much to the city of Worcester and takes us on a sweet adventure reminding us of the power of magic," said Jennifer Agbay, director of Ballet Arts Worcester. "The city can declare a treasured production as its own. It is amazing to see 200 dancers come from Worcester and beyond to take part. The cast prepares for 11 weeks to bring this storybook ballet to life and into your hearts!"

This year's Nutcracker also marks Ballet Arts Worcester's final production before it merges with The Hanover Theatre Conservatory and Agbay becomes the conservatory's director of dance.

Tickets to The Nutcracker start at $28. Discounts are available to members of The Hanover Theatre, students and groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available online at TheHanoverTheatre.org, by phone at 877.571.SHOW (7469) or at The Hanover Theatre box office located at 2 Southbridge Street in downtown Worcester.

About The Hanover Theatre

The Hanover Theatre continues to draw over 197,000 patrons annually with world-class performances and headlining acts including Broadway hits ("Les Misérables," "Kinky Boots"), comedians (Dave Chappelle, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld), musical acts (Neil Young, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Tony Bennett) and everything in between ("A Christmas Carol," Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Alton Brown, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson). POLLSTAR consistently ranks The Hanover Theatre as one of the Top Theatres in the World. After nine seasons, the award-winning, historic theatre continues to establish its place as a world-class performing arts venue, acting as a catalyst for the economic development of downtown Worcester. The Hanover Theatre's recently acquired 551 Main Street houses new function space, offices, rental space for a restaurant on the ground floor and The Hanover Theatre Conservatory for the Performing Arts on the lower level.

Worcester Center for Performing Arts, a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, owns and operates The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts and Conservatory. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.