MY FIRST NUTCRACKER Comes to the New York City Children's Theater

New York City Children’s Theater will continue its 29th season with  MY FIRST NUTCRACKER, a holiday classic reimagined for ages 3 to 8 to provide family entertainment in a  50-minute holiday show. Adapted for young audiences by Barbara Zinn Krieger and directed and choreographed by  Kristen Brooks Sandler, MY FIRST NUTCRACKER celebrates imagination, family, tradition, and female  empowerment. Clara-Marie and the Prince travel to a magical kingdom filled with dancing flowers, delicious treats, and  a pesky mouse king in this reimagined interactive holiday classic running December 6-21 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). 

The cast features Gabbie Ballesteros (Clara Marie); Morgana Mauney (Mother); Adam Wedesky (Fritz); Quincy  Southerland (Prince/Drosselmeyer); Chauncey Pauley (Swing); and Unissa Cruse (Swing). 

“We’ve reimagined My First Nutcracker so that children become part of the story from the moment they enter the theater.  They’re welcomed as Clara Marie’s friends, invited to dance beside her, and discover the joy of storytelling through  movement and imagination. It’s a Nutcracker unlike any other, where families don’t just watch the magic unfold, they  help create it,” said Barbara Zinn Krieger, Writer and Artistic Director. 

MY FIRST NUTCRACKER has scenic design by Theron Wineinger; costume design by Sophie Lee Morris; lighting  design by Shelbey Loera; and sound design by Evan Cook. Props Manager is Emily Mustillo and Kat Vaccaro is  Wardrobe Supervisor. Lindsay Pierce is Production Stage Manager with Eleanor Rauschenberg as Assistant Stage  Manager. 

ABOUT MY FIRST NUTCRACKER: 

MY FIRST NUTCRACKER is a spellbinding reimagined production designed to inspire young children and stir the  hearts of adults who cherish the full-length ballet. It weaves a fantastical tapestry of Nutcracker magic that sparks  children’s imagination while rekindling nostalgia in parents. Written by Barbara Zinn Krieger and directed and  choreographed by Kristen Brooks Sandler, it will run December 6-21 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). This  wonderful holiday tradition, featuring the music of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, is best for ages 3 to 8 and runs  approximately 50 minutes.