NJ Foundation for Dance and Theatre Arts Presents THE NUTCRACKER

The New Jersey Foundation for Dance and Theatre Arts has been presenting "The Nutcracker" in the North Jersey area for the past 21 years. The show is considered one of New Jersey's finest dance and theatrical presentations. Revues of the performance have called it a superb production of the "Nutcracker" with a twist. The "twists" are Nancy King's special additions to this 100 year old ballet. The opening scene is a musical theatre production of this 1900's festive ball with Holiday vocalists and specially choreographed dances.

The Nutcracker begins at the home of Judge Silberhaus, his wife and their children: Clara, Louisa, Sabrina, and Fritz. As the party guests enter, the children play games and the dancing begins. However, all stops as the children's dear Godfather Drosselmeyer enters. He is a creator of wonderful magical things and he has brought presents.

Clara receives a colorful Nutcracker. The doll breaks and Drosselmeyer casts a magical spell on the broken Nutcracker. The spell begins: great mice appear and are chased by toy soldiers, the Christmas tree magically grows to great heights, the Grandfather clock comes alive... and the Nutcracker becomes a Prince. In the NJF production the mice are acrobats, the soldiers are tap dancers, the tree grows, snow falls, and the fight scene is done with real swords.

Clara meets the handsome Prince and their journey begins including visits to foreign lands and a visit from Mother Ginger and her children (clowns). The Dew Drop Fairy arrives with her candied roses who dance the glorious Waltz of the Flowers. Finally the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform the Grand Pas de Deux. Everyone joins the final farewell waltz to Clara and the Prince, as the court pays their final tribute to the little girl who saved the Prince.

Nancy King is proud to announce this year's Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. Guest artist
and alumnus of the King Centre and The American Youth Dance Company, Casey Garvin, will return to perform The Cavalier and Snow King. Casey was the lead Chad in "All Shook Up" and Deisel and Riff in the National Tour of "West Side Story", in "Bare "in New York City and the ensemble in "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in Pennsylvania and Maine. Casey made his Broadway debut in "Bullets Over Broadway" and has also performed in "The Christmas Spectacular" with the famous Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. He recently filmed the movie "Hail Caesar" with Channing Tatum, George Clooney and Scarlett Johansson. Casey has performed the roles of Fritz, Russian, Arabian ensemble, lead Soldier, Snow King and The Cavalier in the The Nutcracker. The Sugar Plum Fairy will be performed by Arlene Howell an alumna of the King Centre and The American Youth Dance Company. Arlene was the lead, Natalie in "All Shook Up", Brooke, in "Legally Blonde" and ensemble in "Into The Woods" and "Anything Goes". She has danced the roles of Clara, Arabian lead, Marzipan lead, Snow Queen, Dewdrop and Sugar Plum Fairy. She currently attends Montclair University as a BFA dance major and recently performed in "Dance Works", "Works a Foot" and "Dance Collage".

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