Oakland Ballet to Present Graham Lustig's THE NUTCRACKER

Returning to Oakland's magnificent Paramount Theatre, Oakland Ballet Company is pleased to present its tenth annual production of Graham Lustig's The Nutcracker, Saturday and Sunday, December 21 - 22, at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. both days. This season marks the 48th year that Oakland Ballet will present a production of The Nutcracker.

As in previous years, Tchaikovsky's iconic score will be performed live by the Oakland Symphony, under the direction of Michael Morgan, with members from the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir. Each year, the production features more than 40 Bay Area dancers, ages 7 to 17, in the roles of snowballs, mice, soldiers and candies, performing alongside the company's professional ensemble. Supplementing the weekend of public performances at the Paramount, the company will also devote the entire month of December to community outreach, offering extensive educational programs and in-school performances to thousands of schoolchildren who might otherwise have no access to live performing arts.

Set in Vienna in the posh Edwardian era, Lustig's version of The Nutcracker is based on the original story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, in which a young girl named Marie receives a nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer. Overnight, her Nutcracker Prince comes to life and battles larger-than-life mice and a Rat King. In the second act, Marie and the Nutcracker Prince meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier in a magical land of sweets.

The production's elegant art nouveau set design as well as its imaginative costumes are designed by Emmy- and Tony Award-winning designer Zach Brown. This year, Skylar Burson makes his debut in the role of the Nutcracker Prince, and Marie will be danced by Paunika Jones, a former principal ballerina with Dance Theater of Harlem who also danced with Oakland Ballet from 2005-2007. This will be Jones' first time in the role of Marie, and she will be the first woman of color to dance the part in the 55-year history of the Oakland Ballet. Returning dancers include Jackie McConnell as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Thomas Panto as her Cavalier.

TICKET INFORMATION

General admission tickets for Graham Lustig's The Nutcracker range between $24 - $99, with discounts available for seniors, children 12 and under, and groups of 10 or more. Tickets for the Sweet Dreams children's parties are $15. Tickets for the Encore Reception following the 5 p.m. performance on December 22 are $30 for adults and $20 for children age 12 and under. Tickets are on sale now at oaklandballet.org/wp/performances/graham-lustigs-the-nutcracker or in person at the Paramount Theatre box office.