Replacement Nutcracker Costumes Beginning To Arrive At Festival Ballet Providence In Wake Of November Warehouse Robbery

Costumes from nine ballet companies and schools are beginning to arrive at Festival Ballet Providence after the discovery last month that more than fifty of the company's own costumes for their production of The Nutcracker had been stolen from a Pawtucket storage facility. Among the items are two complete sets of tutus for the large corps de ballet numbers (Snow and Flower waltzes), and costumes for many soloist and principal characters, including The Nutcracker and Sugar Plum Fairy.

All told, more than sixty costumes are either being rented from large and small companies or are being built from scratch. A theatrical scenic design company from Massachusetts has also volunteered to recreate a number of props that were also stolen.

"The past two weeks have been a flurry of activity for us. We got so many messages and offers of support from ballet companies around the country," said Artistic Director Mihailo Djuric. "Because of their generosity, we have been able to find replacements for most of what was lost and are deeply grateful for the companies that stepped up and offered what they could," he said. There were some costumes that could not be rented, and are going to be recreated by a team of assembled skilled costumers who volunteered their talents after news of the theft surfaced.

Pawtucket Police are continuing their investigation of the theft. The Nutcracker will be performed at PPAC (220 Weybosset St, Providence) December 16-18, 2016.

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