Welcome back! We are so glad you are here. While we could have never anticipated that a worldwide pandemic would necessitate a 20-month intermission from live, indoor programming, we were fortunate to fi nd some silver linings. First and most importantly, you are our most loyal patrons. You stood by our side, kept your tickets, gave generously to keep our doors open and returned despite the temporary measures we have implemented to protect the health and well-being of our actors, artists and audiences. We would not have withstood the shutdown without your overwhelming support. On behalf of our Board of Trustees, Management Team and entire staff , bravo! You are the ones who deserve a standing ovation. Second, for those of you who have returned to the Bonfi ls Theatre Complex for A Christmas Carol, you are the fi rst audiences to see our transformation. We were able to complete our $54 million project to renovate The Marvin & Judi Wolf (formerly Stage) Theatre, The Dorota & Kevin Kilstrom (formerly Space) Theatre, and The Singleton (formerly Ricketson) Theatre as well as the creation of a new central lobby, extensive accessibility improvements and technology upgrades that literally advance our capabilities by decades. Additionally, Robert & Judi Newman made a signature gift to rename our Education theatre in honor of the DCPA’s late president; the Weeks Conservatory Theatre will host the return of our Theatre for Young Audiences programming in 2022. Thank you to our Denver voters for supporting the Elevate Denver Bond Fund, our Trustees and the many donors to our capital campaign. Finally, the DCPA is furthering its eff orts to advance equity, diversity and inclusion across the organization. You will continue to see these eff orts refl ected in the work on our stages, in our classrooms, and in our practices. As we seek to create a culture of belonging, we have adopted a land acknowledgement to off er recognition and respect to the Indigenous communities in Colorado with whom we are creating long-lasting relationships. On we have printed our offi cial land acknowledgement and included a link to more information about this practice. Now, we invite you to relax, sit back or lean in, laugh or cry, soak it in or let your emotions go, and be immersed in the power, the joy and the magic of live theatre. Welcome home.

The fi rst theatre to be renovated was the Dorota & Kevin Kilstrom Theatre (200 seats), which began in March 2016 and was completed September 2017. After being entirely gutted, it was rebuilt in its original pentagonal confi guration with two seating levels and increased main-fl oor seating. Renovation of the former Stage Theatre, Ricketson Theatre, Bonfi ls lobby and backstage areas was announced in June 2018. Despite the mandatory closure of public venues due to COVID-19, construction continued, ensuring that the theatres were ready when performance could resume. The Wolf Theatre (689 seats) was dismantled to the ground. Its former wooden undergirding was replaced with fi re-retardant steel beams, platforms and a sprinkler system. The stage and seating area were rebuilt with new seats, increased wheelchair seating, and an acoustic paneled back wall. Despite being the largest theatre in the Bonfi ls Complex, the Wolf retains its intimate seating area with just 13 rows. Alterations to the Singleton Theatre (199 seats) include increased backstage space for props and set pieces and an improved trap space beneath the stage. The adjacent lobby features a repositioned bar and new restroom location to improve patron fl ow. One of the most signifi cant transformations is the central lobby. Instead of entering the Singleton Theatre from a separate entrance, all patrons will enter a unifi ed lobby. “We have added fi ve elevators to the building,” said Giff ord. “Three are public facing and two allow performers and technicians to get to stage level in the Wolf and Singleton theatres.” When miners fi rst settled in Colorado, Denver boasted 13 legitimate theatres before it had a hospital or school, illustrating a long and deep commitment to the arts. Now, in 2021, the “crown jewel” of downtown Denver sparkles anew, thanks again to our community — the voters, Trustees, individuals, businesses, foundations and employees who voluntarily gave of themselves to ensure the future of the DCPA.

HONORING OUR ELDERS

We invite our audiences to join the DCPA as we honor our Elders for the care of the land on which we perform with an offi cial land acknowledgement. These words are shared at company meetings, fi rst rehearsals, public forums and in the pages of Applause to recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples, their traditional territories and the care they have shown to all who reside here.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts honors and acknowledges that it resides on the traditional and unceded territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 contemporary Indigenous Tribes and Nations who have historically called Colorado home. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future, and to all those who have stewarded the land and water for generations. May this acknowledgment express the DCPA’s commitment to grow and deepen its relationships with the vibrant Indigenous communities who continue to thrive and uphold their sacred relation to this land.

Learn more about land acknowledgements.

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER and Executive Producer EVA PRICE present

Adapted by MIKE FITELSON

Based on The Nutcracker by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky with Special Guest MC KURTIS BLOW

Produced by NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER JOHN SCHREIBER, President & CEO DAVID RODRIGUEZ, Executive Producer SIMMA LEVINE, Producer

Lighting Designer Video Designer

BRANDON STIRLING BAKER MOE SHAHROOZ

Directing Fellow Associate Director & Choreographer Original Beats & Remixes

ASHLEIGH KING RANDI FREITAS DJ BOO

Company Manager Production Stage Manager Stylist

REBECCA EASTON SARAH GOSHMAN LAURIEN DE MUNCK

Social Media Marketing Tour Marketing Press

BIZ CHICA MEDIA ALLIED GLOBAL TELLEM GRODY PR MARKETING

Directed & Choreographed by JENNIFER WEBER

Featuring freestyles by the Company

powered by

THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER CAST

Maria-Clara ................................................................................................................. ANN-SYLVIA CLARK The Nutcracker..........................................................................................................GABRIEL EMPHASIS Mom.................................................................................................................................................... LILY FRIAS Dad............................................................................................................................... BRYAN LONGCHAMP Drosselmeyer.............................................................................................LISA “L-BOOGIE” BAUFORD Mouse King/Ensemble.............................................................................RANDI “RASCAL” FREITAS Toy/Ensemble ...................................................................................... ANTHONY “OMEN” CABRERA Tea/Ensemble .....................................................................................................JACKIE “JK-47” AGUDO Toy/Ensemble ....................................................................................................................ZUCE MORALES Russian/Ensemble ................................................................................. SETH “REAKTION” HILLARD Chocolate/Ensemble......................................................................................JON “GIFTED” JIMENEZ Flute/Ensemble...........................................................................................DUSTIN “D-PAYNE” PAYNE Swing.........................................................................................................................................ETHAN EVARO Violinist............................................................................................................................. JARVIS L BENSON Performance DJ ...................................................................................................................................DJ BOO

Place New Year’s Eve – Uptown, USA

The Hip Hop Nutcracker will be performed with one 20-minute intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF CREDITS Dance Captain .....................................................................................................................RANDI FREITAS Associate Lighting Designer........................................................................COBY CHASMAN-BECK Moving Light Programmer....................................................................................DALTON HAMILTON Production Manager...................................................................................................... SHANE CASSIDY Assistant Company Manager/COVID Safety Manager............................ BRYNN GRAMBOW Wardrobe Supervisor..................................................................................................... KATY FREEMAN Wardrobe Consultant...................................................................................................CAMBRIA CHICHI Original Company Associate Director/Choreographer........................................... TAEKO KOJI Original Costume Design ..........................................................................................WHITNEY ADAMS Additional Casting......................................................................MEISHA LEE and JANET LANGER Physical Therapist .........................................................................................NATALIE FARAH, PT, DPT Director of People & Inclusion.................................................................................COLETTE LUCKIE Creative & Production Services....................................................ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING

General Management MEP

EVA PRICE CARL FLANIGAN JOSH ALTMAN CASEY McDERMOTT ERIC EMAUNI AVRAM FREEDBERG MARY BETH DALE

Tour Marketing ALLIED GLOBAL MARKETING Andrew Damer Jennifer Gallagher Scott Praefke Hayden Anderson Jessica Cary Amenkha Sembenu

Physical Therapy by NEURO TOUR Physical Therapy, Inc.

Exclusive Tour Direction

BROADWAY AND BEYOND THEATRICALS

Tracey McFarland Barbara Cooley Robin Mishik-Jett Social Media Marketing

BIZ CHICA MEDIA

Tracy Chapman-Nolan Krystle Carmona

Mauricio Urquilla Kelly Chapman

Khomari Flash Gilesa Thomas

Act I

During the annual uptown holiday street party, Maria-Clara is upset by her parents’ constant bickering. The mysterious Drosselmeyer appears, bringing magical toys to the party. Drosselmeyer then introduces Maria-Clara to a street vendor selling roasted nuts, who catches her eye because he is different from the other boys on the block. After the party breaks up, Maria-Clara heads home, but on her way, she runs into the menacing Mouse Crew. The Nutcracker, aided by a magic pair of sneakers, defeats the Mouse King and the couple enjoys the romance of winter’s first snowfall.

Act II

Drosselmeyer meets Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker and takes them back in time to the Land of Sweets nightclub on New Year’s Eve, 1984. Invisible, the couple watches the party-goers show off the dance styles of the day. Suddenly Maria-Clara realizes she is witnessing the night her parents first met and is overcome by how they were once deeply in love. Back in the present, and with a little more magic, Maria-Clara and The Nutcracker help Mom and Dad reconcile. The community joins them in the celebration.

WHO’S WHO

Kurtis Blow (Special Guest MC) is one of the founders and creators of recorded rap. A timeless artist and hip hop legend, Kurtis blazed the trail for early hip hop artists and continues to carry the torch for hip hop music in new arenas. Kurtis is credited with many accolades and was the first rapper to ever be signed to a major label, release a certified gold rap album (The Breaks), tour the United States and Europe, record a national commercial (Sprite), use the drum machine, sample, and sample loop, release a rap music video, and become a millionaire.

In 1979, at the age of 20, Kurtis Blow became the first rapper to be signed by a major label. He released Christmas Rappin’, which sold more than 400,000 copies and became an annual classic. Its gold follow-up, The Breaks, helped ignite an international “rap attack,” solidifying the new art form. He released 10 albums over 11 years and his early projects made him an instant success at home and across Europe. Pioneering records like Party Time introduced the fusion of rap and go-go. Hit songs like “8 Million Stories,” “AJ,” and “Basketball” were simply ahead of their time, and still get spins by DJs today. Fellow rap legend Nas debuted at #1 on the Billboard Charts with a cover of Kurtis’ “If I Ruled the World” in 1997. Beyond his own hits, Kurtis contributed to the success of The Fat Boys and Run DMC. In fact, Run began his career billed as “The Son of Kurtis Blow.” Among countless others, Wyclef Jean, Lovebug Starski, Sweet Gee, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Full Force, and Russell Simmons all have been produced by or have worked with Kurtis in the past. Kurtis’ multidisciplinary skillset has taken him across the country and overseas to score, produce, and act in various films. Most notably, he played a large role in the production of the hit film Krush Groove. The New York Daily News called his cinematic works a “noteworthy, dynamic presence.” Kurtis Blow’s reach transcends that of your typical entertainer. He has completed multiple world tours since the turn of the new millennium, and continues to work on other creative endeavors. His innate ability to reach people is evident in his work as an activist, radio personality, and most recently, an ordained minister and leader of the Hip Hop Church. Artists still pay their respects to Kurtis’ trailblazing in a number of ways. His influence has been mentioned in seemingly every important HipHop film in the past decade, from Get Rich or Die Tryin’ to Notorious and Straight Outta Compton. He has a prominent presence on Television as well, with his music appearing on shows such as “Dancing With The Stars” and “SportsCenter.” He also was an associate producer on the Netflix hit series “The Get Down. ” Outside of music, Kurtis has long been a very spiritual man. He went back to school to become an ordained minister, and has been preaching at churches around the world. His work with The Hip-Hop Church has helped bridge the gap between the art form and the church. Education has long been important to Kurtis. He has been a champion of higher education, and advocates for bringing Hip-Hop culture into the curriculums of our institutions. The rap pioneer has given talks at schools such as Berklee College of Music in Boston and CalArts in California and plans to continue to carry the culture into the classroom. For more information, visit www.Kblow.com

ANN-SYLVIA CLARK (Maria-Clara) was born and raised in Norway. She started out as a gymnast at an early age, but later on focused her interest more toward dance. She studied dance at Flow Dance Academy (DK). She performed with Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs)