Photo by Carol Pratt
David M. Rubenstein Chairman
Where Did The Nutcracker Come From? Originally a short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Nutcracker was adapted into a ballet in 1892 by Russian choreographer Marius Petipa (PEH-ti-puh). He made many alterations to transform Hoffmann’s tale into a story told entirely through movement. Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (chy-KOFF-skee) composed the music. Since its creation, many choreographers have adapted the story. Choreographers make it their own by creating new movement, usually keeping Tchaikovsky’s score. Some even choose to set the ballet in different time periods, locations, or cultures.
Performance Guide
Photo by Luke Isley.
Cuesheet
The Nutcracker fights the Mouse King near the large Christmas tree.
Ballet West Wor ki ng R e h earsal
Michael M. Kaiser President
The Nutcracker
Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education The Kennedy Center’s Ballet Season is presented with the support of Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian.
Choreography by Willam Christensen
Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by Adobe Foundation; The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; U.S. Department of Education; Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge
The Nutcracker’s winter scenes and themes of gift giving and family gatherings are a natural connection to the holiday season, leading to the annual appearance of the ballet around the United States.
Ballet West’s Nutcracker Willam Christensen choreographed his version of The Nutcracker in 1944 for the San Francisco Ballet, creating the first full-length version of the ballet to be staged in the United States. In 1951, Christensen moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to establish Ballet West. The company has the longest unbroken performance history of The Nutcracker in the world.
Cuesheets are produced by ArtsEdge, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ArtsEdge is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning. Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!
Christiana Bennett and Christopher Ruud in The Nutcracker. Photo by Luke Isley.
Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by
Understanding The Nutcracker The Story Act I It is Christmas Eve and Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum and their children Clara and Fritz are getting ready for a holiday party. Guests arrive, including Clara’s Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer (pronounced DROSsel-MY-er). He has a special gift for Clara—a nutcracker made to look like a soldier. Clara adores her new toy. Later that evening, Clara returns to the living room for one more look at her nutcracker, holding it close before falling asleep. Strange things happen: Huge mice dance in front of the Christmas tree that grows to an enormous size and her nutcracker comes alive. A battle begins between the evil Mouse King and the Nutcracker. Clara, wishing to aid the Nutcracker, removes her shoe and throws it at the Mouse King. While he is distracted, the Nutcracker fatally stabs him with his sword.
Mother Buffoon has two male dancers: one for the head and body and another for the legs. The dancer on top stands on a platform which is steered by the dancer on the bottom. Photo by Luke Isley.
Now magically-transformed into a prince, the Nutcracker thanks Clara and invites her to accompany him to the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy. On their way, they pass through the exquisite land of the Snow Queen and her Prince. Act II In the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and the Nutcracker are entertained. Chinese, Spanish, and Arabian dancers perform, as does Mother Buffoon, who hides her many children under her skirt. The performances end with the grand pas de deux, (PAH-d’-DUEH) or duet, between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Afterward, Clara flies away in a sled with her Nutcracker. Watch how: n the
Cavalier lifts the Sugar Plum Fairy high at the musical climax, her head and feet arching upward.
n the Cavalier supports the Sugar Plum
Fairy while she balances on pointe and executes rapid turns called pirouettes.
Exclusive: A Peek Behind the Ballet West Curtain Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? Read on!
The Cast: n There
are at least two different dancers to play every role. That way, they have days off and substitute for one another if needed.
n The
dancers who perform as a group are called the corps (kohr), like the Snowflakes in the Land of Snow. They learn as many as six different roles.
n About
A scene from the grand finale of The Nutcracker. Photo by Luke Isley.
73 children dance in The Nutcracker. Rehearsals start in September for a December performance.
The Costumes: n It
takes 40 hours for the stitchers, (the people who sew each tutu skirt worn by the ballerinas) with more than 16 yards of netting in each one.
n Each
Sugar Plum Fairy’s tutu has more than 200 hand-sewn jewels and is worth over $2,500.
n Pointe
shoes cost about $90; a ballerina can go through a pair of pointe shoes in a few days. About 162 pointe shoes are used in each Nutcracker season.
The Set: n On
stage, the Christmas tree grows to 40 feet. The tree is painted on a scrim, or cloth backdrop, with lights attached. It is folded carefully before each performance so it can rise seamlessly.
n Around
110 pounds of dry ice are used in each performance to produce the fog that is blown onstage to create an illusion of snow and ice.
Understanding The Nutcracker The Story Act I It is Christmas Eve and Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum and their children Clara and Fritz are getting ready for a holiday party. Guests arrive, including Clara’s Godfather, Herr Drosselmeyer (pronounced DROSsel-MY-er). He has a special gift for Clara—a nutcracker made to look like a soldier. Clara adores her new toy. Later that evening, Clara returns to the living room for one more look at her nutcracker, holding it close before falling asleep. Strange things happen: Huge mice dance in front of the Christmas tree that grows to an enormous size and her nutcracker comes alive. A battle begins between the evil Mouse King and the Nutcracker. Clara, wishing to aid the Nutcracker, removes her shoe and throws it at the Mouse King. While he is distracted, the Nutcracker fatally stabs him with his sword.
Mother Buffoon has two male dancers: one for the head and body and another for the legs. The dancer on top stands on a platform which is steered by the dancer on the bottom. Photo by Luke Isley.
Now magically-transformed into a prince, the Nutcracker thanks Clara and invites her to accompany him to the Kingdom of the Sugar Plum Fairy. On their way, they pass through the exquisite land of the Snow Queen and her Prince. Act II In the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and the Nutcracker are entertained. Chinese, Spanish, and Arabian dancers perform, as does Mother Buffoon, who hides her many children under her skirt. The performances end with the grand pas de deux, (PAH-d’-DUEH) or duet, between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. Afterward, Clara flies away in a sled with her Nutcracker. Watch how: n the
Cavalier lifts the Sugar Plum Fairy high at the musical climax, her head and feet arching upward.
n the Cavalier supports the Sugar Plum
Fairy while she balances on pointe and executes rapid turns called pirouettes.
Exclusive: A Peek Behind the Ballet West Curtain Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? Read on!
The Cast: n There
are at least two different dancers to play every role. That way, they have days off and substitute for one another if needed.
n The
dancers who perform as a group are called the corps (kohr), like the Snowflakes in the Land of Snow. They learn as many as six different roles.
n About
A scene from the grand finale of The Nutcracker. Photo by Luke Isley.
73 children dance in The Nutcracker. Rehearsals start in September for a December performance.
The Costumes: n It
takes 40 hours for the stitchers, (the people who sew each tutu skirt worn by the ballerinas) with more than 16 yards of netting in each one.
n Each
Sugar Plum Fairy’s tutu has more than 200 hand-sewn jewels and is worth over $2,500.
n Pointe
shoes cost about $90; a ballerina can go through a pair of pointe shoes in a few days. About 162 pointe shoes are used in each Nutcracker season.
The Set: n On
stage, the Christmas tree grows to 40 feet. The tree is painted on a scrim, or cloth backdrop, with lights attached. It is folded carefully before each performance so it can rise seamlessly.
n Around
110 pounds of dry ice are used in each performance to produce the fog that is blown onstage to create an illusion of snow and ice.
Photo by Carol Pratt
David M. Rubenstein Chairman
Where Did The Nutcracker Come From? Originally a short story by E.T.A. Hoffmann, The Nutcracker was adapted into a ballet in 1892 by Russian choreographer Marius Petipa (PEH-ti-puh). He made many alterations to transform Hoffmann’s tale into a story told entirely through movement. Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (chy-KOFF-skee) composed the music. Since its creation, many choreographers have adapted the story. Choreographers make it their own by creating new movement, usually keeping Tchaikovsky’s score. Some even choose to set the ballet in different time periods, locations, or cultures.
Performance Guide
Photo by Luke Isley.
Cuesheet
The Nutcracker fights the Mouse King near the large Christmas tree.
Ballet West Wor ki ng R e h earsal
Michael M. Kaiser President
The Nutcracker
Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education The Kennedy Center’s Ballet Season is presented with the support of Elizabeth and Michael Kojaian.
Choreography by Willam Christensen
Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by Adobe Foundation; The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; U.S. Department of Education; Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge
The Nutcracker’s winter scenes and themes of gift giving and family gatherings are a natural connection to the holiday season, leading to the annual appearance of the ballet around the United States.
Ballet West’s Nutcracker Willam Christensen choreographed his version of The Nutcracker in 1944 for the San Francisco Ballet, creating the first full-length version of the ballet to be staged in the United States. In 1951, Christensen moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to establish Ballet West. The company has the longest unbroken performance history of The Nutcracker in the world.
Cuesheets are produced by ArtsEdge, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ArtsEdge is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning. Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!
Christiana Bennett and Christopher Ruud in The Nutcracker. Photo by Luke Isley.
Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by