Holiday Classic Expands Performance Schedule and Community Appearances

One of Nashville's newest holiday traditions, Nashville's Nutcracker, will return to TPAC's Jackson Hall Dec. 9 - 23 for the fifth year with additional performances and an expanded youth cast.

"Adding additional performances this year will give more Nashvillians an opportunity to incorporate Nashville's Nutcracker into their family's holiday traditions," Nashville Ballet Artistic Director & CEO Paul Vasterling said. "And with more youth cast members, more young dancers can become part of our own tradition."

Vasterling's updated version debuted with original concept and choreography as Nashville's Nutcracker in 2008. The production celebrates Nashville's rich history and personality, complete with characters inspired by well-known local residents, such as President Andrew Jackson, former Vanderbilt University Chancellor James Kirkland and the actress Lucille La Verne, a Nashville native who provided the voice of the witch in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Along with all 46 members of the professional dance company and Second Company, the performance will include more than 170 young dancers from the School of Nashville Ballet and the community at large.

"Our students in the School of Nashville Ballet have demonstrated such a level of artistic and technical proficiency that we added additional youth cast roles this year to offer more challenging performance opportunities for them as they continue to grow and develop their dance skills," Director of Artistic Operations Sharyn Mahoney said.

Members of the youth cast come from Kentucky and 13 Middle Tennessee counties including Bedford, Cheatham, Coffee, Davidson, Dickson, Maury, Montgomery, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Summer, Williamson and Wilson.

Two full casts will alternate performances to tell the story of young Clara's magical journey, which starts at the 1897 Centennial Exposition in Nashville where she meets an exotic cast of characters from far-away lands displaying their native wares. It is there that her magical Uncle Drosselmeyer promises her a very special gift-a wooden Nutcracker.

After Clara receives her special gift, she falls asleep and the Nutcracker comes to life to guide her through a fantastic dream. They visit a series of magical worlds and encounter an array of diverse characters she previously saw at the Centennial Exposition, in addition to the Snow Queen and King and the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

Characters from Nashville's Nutcracker will make appearances all around town throughout November and December, including a performance at The Mall at Green Hills Saturday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m. and Vanderbilt's Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital Nov. 27 at 2 p.m.

Nashville's Nutcracker will be held at TPAC's Jackson Hall for 11 performances:
Sunday, December 9 at 2 p.m.
Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 16 at 2 p.m.
Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m.
Friday, December 21 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 22 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 23 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Ticket Information
Tickets to Nashville's Nutcracker start at $35. They can be purchased in person at the TPAC box office in downtown Nashville, by phone at (615) 782-4040 or online. Season tickets that offer up to 25% discount for adults and 50% discount for children are available online or by calling (615) 297-2966 x10.