Nutcracker tradition

The Nutcracker Tradition in Jacksonville It is hard to imagine a time when The Nutcracker was not part of our holiday tradition.

But prior to 1972, only selected vignettes, known as “Nutcracker Suites,” had been presented in Jacksonville. At that time Thelma Johnston Baggs, a prominent supporter of the ballet and well-known teacher, was inspired by George Balanchine’s production of The Nutcracker and wanted to bring a full production of the ballet, complete with a live orchestra, to Jacksonville.

Furthermore, she envisioned that this production would showcase the talents of the many non-professional students of ballet in the area. Given the scope of her dream, she needed a sponsoring organization, so she enlisted the support of The Women’s Guild of the Jacksonville Children’s Museum. Incoming Guild President Connie Green and Nutcracker chairman Anis Daley secured $10,000 seed money from the Museum’s Board of Trustees, and the project was launched. Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker was deemed a very appropriate vehicle for the Museum’s support because it is so linked to children – for the involvement of children in the actual production and the enjoyment of the many children in the audience.

The first four artistic directors – Ms. Baggs, Marta Jackson, Betty Balfour Marks and Mervyn Rickard – oversaw the production, approving the principal dancers, Lydia Diaz Cruz of Ballet Spectacular Company and Royes Fernandez of the American Ballet Theater, and choreographer Gayle Parmalee of the Louisiana Ballet Company. They also conducted the rehearsals of the local dancers. The Women’s Guild took on the myriad duties required to bring the production to the stage. Raul Maier of New Orleans designed the costumes and sent the sketches to Jacksonville costume makers for sewing and fitting while Virginia Fox designed the sets, props and lighting, and painted the three drops still in use at the production’s tenth anniversary. The ballet, performing with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Willis Page, opened for two sold-out performances at the Civic Auditorium on December 16, 1972. The inaugural production drew 6,400 people, paying $3 for tickets to the matinee and $4-$7 for the evening performance. For $20, patrons could sit in the Magic Circle and attend a champagne reception. These two premiere performances were so popular that the Guild ran a newspaper ad apologizing to people who were turned away at the door.

The ballet continued to be presented by the Women’s Guild of the Children’s Museum and then the Jacksonville Museum of Arts and Sciences until 1988. Given the involvement of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, it was decided that a partnership between the Jacksonville Symphony Guild and the City of Jacksonville, called The First Coast Nutcracker Ballet, Inc., would take over the tradition and that the funds would be directed to programs and services for the children of Jacksonville.

From the beginning, there was a concern that provisions be made to enable children to attend the ballet who might otherwise not have the opportunity. At the suggestion of Ms. Fox, tickets were provided for children from the Children’s Home Society and within a few years, one or two special school performances were added to the schedule each year. What was started in 1972 continues to flourish to this day, with four performances this year delighting thousands of school children, who also benefit from an Education Guide prepared by the Symphony Guild. The First Coast Nutcracker also makes complimentary tickets available to youth-serving organizations throughout the First Coast region.

Over the years the First Coast Nutcracker has spawned a number of additional community and fund-raising events — from the Nutcracker Sweet Cookbook to the sale of Nutcracker ornaments, raffles of a life-sized stuffed Nutcracker doll, Sugar Plum Parties, and art contests.

For the 15th Anniversary, Mayor Jake Godbold declared a Nutcracker Week and the Jacksonville Museum of Arts & Sciences hosted an exhibit of 14 years of Nutcracker memorabilia, a celebrity autograph party, a children’s shopping party at the museum store, a Nutcracker poster contest, a Cast Party and a Patron’s Party.

This year’s production is under the direction of choreographer and artistic director Rhonda Stampalia. The First Coast Nutcracker showcases internationally renowned principal dancers Irina Sapozhnikova and Joseph Phillips, our area’s finest young dancers, and Tchaikovsky’s best-loved melodies performed by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, all staged in the Jim and Jan Moran Theater at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. Add Linda Holmes’ beautiful costumes and John Pettegrew’s three-dimensional sets and a magical Christmas tree that grows to 33 feet and you have an especially enchanting production.

For more than 40 years, the First Coast Nutcracker has been enjoyed by more than a quarter-million people over the generations, provided thousands of young dancers a chance to perform in front of a large audience, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children’s programs. Thelma Baggs’ gift to the children of Jacksonville lives on. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of the many corporations, businesses and individuals who have given so freely of their time and financial support. Without this continuing sponsorship and the support of the community, this beloved holiday tradition, and the year-long gifts to children that it funds, would not have been possible.

Keep up the good work, Jacksonville!

Yumelia Garcia and Ogulcan Borova, from the Joffrey Ballet, return to this year’s First Coast Nutcracker as principal dancers.