Audience Favorite John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker Returns To The Sarasota Balle

Choreographed by Matthew Hart and designed by Peter Docherty, John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker is a full length family friendly ballet envisioned as a gift to the City of Sarasota. Sarasota, FL (November 30, 2017) - The Sarasota Ballet's production of Matthew Hart's John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker entwines the history of John and Mable Ringling, and Sarasota's unique connection to the Circus with Hoffman's classic tale of The Nutcracker. Opening December 15 at the Van Wezel for three performances, the ballet is performed with a full orchestra-the Sarasota Orchestra-making it the only Nutcracker in the Sarasota Manatee area with live music.

"Whether it is watching the Arabian animal tamers with their exotic elephant and harem of wild cats or Clara and the Nutcracker battling the Mouse King in the lobby of a New York hotel, this is a Nutcracker like no other," enthuses Iain Webb, Director of The Sarasota Ballet. Creating a story that is a wonderful tribute to the original ballet and the Ringling Circus, John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker has thrilled and delighted audiences since its World Premiere in 2012. "Attending The Nutcracker is a family tradition the world over," says Joseph Volpe, Executive Director of The Sarasota Ballet. "As the performance begins and Tchaikovsky's iconic score commences the atmosphere in the theatre is unlike anything else you can experience. This production in particularly is a truly magical reimagining of this beloved story, and whether you have seen one or one hundred Nutcrackers, this is something you have to experience."

"This is a perfect moment for this ballet to return to the Sarasota stage," explains Margaret Barbieri, Assistant Director of The Sarasota Ballet. "With the closing of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, an important era in American Entertainment has come to an end, and we felt that we should pay tribute to this rich history." Since its premiere, thousands of audience members from across Florida have watched Clara run away to the Circus with the Nutcracker and John Ringling, and the ballet was hailed by dance critic Carrie Seidman as an "over-the-top" production that "works beautifully, giving a fresh injection of life to a more than century-old ballet."

John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker is sponsored by Sarasota Magazine and WUSF. Live music is sponsored by BMO Private Bank.

Individual tickets for John Ringling's Circus Nutcracker, starting at $30, are on sale now at www.SarasotaBallet.org or by calling 941.359.0099.

About The Sarasota Ballet
Since 1990, the mission of The Sarasota Ballet has been enriching lives, captivating emotions and strengthening the community through the art of dance. Under the leadership of Director Iain Webb, Executive Director Joseph Volpe and Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri, The Sarasota Ballet has received national and international recognition for its diverse repertoire of rarely performed ballets, as well as the integrity and artistry of its performances. The Company's expanded repertoire includes works by world-renowned choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Sir Matthew Bourne, Dame Ninette de Valois, Michel Fokine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Jerome Robbins, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Antony Tudor and Christopher Wheeldon. In the last five years, The Sarasota Ballet has been invited to perform twice both at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center, as well as week-long residencies at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and The Joyce Theater in New York. In May 2017 The Sarasota Ballet performed at the inaugural National Choreographic Festival in Salt Lake City.
Photo Credit: Frank Atura

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