Review: Ben Stevenson's THE NUTCRACKER Graces the Stage

Since its debut in 1892, THE NUTCRACKER, based on E.T.A. Hoffman's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," has been a holiday staple, its music, by Romantic composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, ubiquitous.

And since 1987, Ben Stevenson's version has been a Houston institution.

THE NUTCRACKER opens with a procession of guests traveling through a snowy wonderland. As they arrive one by one (and two by two, and three by three) at the Stahlbaum family home, they like the audience are warmed by the golden hue illuminating the stage. The entire production exudes warmth, holiday cheer, and the familiarity of visiting with old friends. The adults talk and the children play, Stahlbaum daughter Clara (Tyler Donatelli) flitting happily across the stage while her impish brother Fritz happily gets in her way.

The party comes to an abrupt halt when the mysterious, be-caped Dr. Drosselmeyer (Oliver Halkowich) arrives. Halkowich cuts an intimidating figure as the ultimately benevolent magician who entertains the children with tricks and dancing dolls, and who gifts Clara the titular wooden nutcracker. Clara is instantly taken with her new gift, which her bratty brother breaks in no time at all. But Dr. Drosselmeyer not only fixes the nutcracker, he later returns as Clara lay nestled, all snug in her bed, to plant the most wondrous of dreams inside her head, with sugar plum fairies and delectable treats, a battle, a prince, and the most athletic of feats.

Majestic sets, beautiful costumes, and superb dancers combine to make THE NUTCRACKER a can't miss, deft navigation of the fine line between grotesque and whimsy. I might be the only one, but I find the giant mice attack, led by King Rat (Shahar Dori), adorable, as cute as the cooks flying across the stage in the second act or the appearance of Mother Bonbonaire with her quick, red stockinged feet and her delightful clowns, each decked out with a jaunty little hat and lollipop.

Once the rodent battle is won, the Nutcracker transforms into a prince, and Clara finds herself in the Land of Snow, where the Snow Queen (Katharine Precourt) and Nutcracker Prince (Linnar Looris) dance with the snowflakes - 18 snowflakes, to be exact, dancing with perfect synchronicity. Precourt is flawless, her pas de deux with Looris ethereal.

Together, Clara and the Nutcracker Prince cross the Lemonade Sea to the Kingdom of Sweets, where Clara and audience alike are entertained by a series of divertissements, an impressive array of solos, duets, trios, and group dances that contrast and complement each other brilliantly.

Chocolate (a Spanish dance performed by Katelyn May, Shu Kinouchi and Hayden Stark) is sharp and tart. Danced by Madeline Skelly and Dylan Lackey, Coffee (the Arabian dance) is rich. As Tea (the Chinese dance), Shogo Hayami and Rhys Kosakowski are biting. And Aaron Sharratt and Alyssa Springer glide across the floor in a light and airy Waltz of Flowers.

Halkowich returns for the Russian dance, a crowd-pleasing favorite. Halkowich displays a dizzying athleticism, his solo all crisp turns and high-flying leaps.

Looris then returns to dance the Grand Pas de deux with Soo Youn Cho as the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dreamy and beautiful, they dance together before Looris returns for a dynamic solo with high, twisting jumps. Cho then returns for the famous Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. She makes a dizzying trip around the stage, showing off an impressive amount of balance and boasting seemingly effortless point work.

Houston Ballet's THE NUTCRACKER is a picture of consistency. The only difference this year is that it is the last. Like all good things, this too must come to an end. But let's not weep. Let's look on, one last time, at Stevenson's masterpiece and commit to memory the magic. And then look ahead, with anticipation, to Stanton Welch's take on the most classic of holiday staples.

THE NUTCRACKER. Through Dec. 27. $39 - $139. 713- 227-2787. Wortham Theater Center, 501 Texas Ave. houstonballet.org

Photos courtesy of the Houston Ballet

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