Posted November 22, 2021
DAYTON, OH (November 17, 2021) – On Friday, December 10 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, December 11 at 2:30 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, December 12 at 2:30 pm; Friday, December 17 at 7:30 pm; Saturday, December 18 at 2:30 and 7:30 pm; Sunday, December 19 at 2:30 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, the Dayton Ballet, accompanied by the full Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, will present the holiday favorite The Nutcracker, the second ballet of the DPAA 2021-2022 season.
Dayton Ballet’s beloved The Nutcracker is Dayton’s biggest and best holiday performing arts tradition. With choreography by Artistic Director Karen Russo Burke, sets by designer Ray Zupp, and costumes by Lowell Mathwich, the story of little Clara, her prized Nutcracker, the Rat King, the handsome Cavalier, and, of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy comes alive on stage this December. The elegance, grace and sheer athleticism of the full company of Dayton Ballet dancers brings the magical story to immediate, colorful life.
The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Neal Gittleman, again takes up residence in the orchestra pit, giving Tchaikovsky‘s music the full, rich, gorgeous interpretation that it requires. There is no better way to enjoy this classic ballet and experience the full depth of this wonderful music than at the Schuster Performing Arts Center, a world-class venue that stands as a jewel in the Gem City.
In addition, Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker involves a cast of 29 children from the Dayton area, representing the following communities: Arcanum, Beavercreek, Bellbrook, Centerville, Dayton, Englewood, Enon, Franklin, Kettering, Oakwood, Springboro, Tipp City, Troy, West Carrollton, and Xenia. The following young dancers, including dancers from Dayton Ballet II Senior and Junior Companies, will appear this year on stage at the Schuster Center, alongside the 19 professional dancers from Dayton Ballet:
Trudie Arling**
Ellie Arnold
Emma Barrentine*
Blakely Barton
Izabella Bell
Audrey Blackburn
Eva Borbonus
Chelsea Brecht**
Carissa Buehler*
Adele Davis**
Molly Dunn**
AJ Gross**
Mollie Juniewicz**
Parker Karban
Sophia Krapf*
Annabelle May*
Jane Middleton
Jenna Mumford**
Alexia Nalls
Emma Rubin**
Ellie Savage
Mckenna Steneman**
Ella Strehle*
Karson Stubbs**
Claire Takizawa**
Bailee Waltersheide
Matthew Warren**
Caitlyn Wehner**
Caroline Woessner**
** Denotes Dayton Ballet II Senior Company Dancer
* Denotes Dayton Ballet II Junior Company Dancer
Before the performances and during intermissions, the Schuster Center Wintergarden bustles with the excitement of the holiday season. Find the perfect holiday gift at the Dayton Ballet Boutique, peer into the famous whimsical Rike’s window boxes, or treat yourself with candy and ice cream at the Graeter’s Sweet Shoppe.
Several events are planned to highlight the Dayton Ballet’s presentation of The Nutcracker as follows:
- Behind the Ballet – After each performance, ticket holders are invited free of charge to “Behind the Ballet,” a Q&A with Ms. Burke and professional dancers from Dayton Ballet in the orchestra area of the theatre, giving audiences the opportunity to learn more about the life of a dancer at Dayton Ballet.
- Nutcracker Boutique – The Dayton Ballet Nutcracker Boutique opens before each performance and during intermissions and features hundreds of holiday nutcrackers of all sizes, painted pointe shoes, and ballet-themed items for sale. The Boutique is a wonderful display of unique pieces to purchase as a way to remember your lovely visit to The Nutcracker or to give as the perfect holiday gift to a loved one.
- Graeter’s Sweet Shoppe – To complete everyone’s visit to the Land of Sweets, Graeter’s Ice Cream will offer holiday goodies available for purchase at each performance.
- Rike’s Holiday Windows in the Wintergarden – For those seeking a walk down memory lane, the former Rike’s Department Store animated holiday windows are on display in the Schuster Center Wintergarden once again this year. The Rike’s Windows are a holiday tradition for countless Dayton families since the elves first appeared in the windows of Rike’s Department Store in the 1940s.
Safety Protocols
The DPAA is excited to welcome audiences back to the 2021–2022 Season. The health and safety of patrons, performers, staff, and volunteers is our top priority. Beginning November 22, 2021, in partnership with DPAA’s venue partner Dayton Live, the following new health and safety protocols will be in place at all performances and events until further notice:
- Vaccination and Testing – Proof of vaccination or COVID-19 testing will no longer be required to attend performances at Dayton Live venues, including the Schuster Center and the Victoria Theatre.
- Masks – Masks will be required for all patrons over the age of 6 during the entire visit while attending a DPAA performance or event. Mask must cover both nose and mouth.
Tickets for Dayton Ballet’s The Nutcracker start at $19 and are available at the box office by calling (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.
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About the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) was formed in July 2012 as the result of a groundbreaking and innovative merger between the Dayton Ballet, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Together, they are the largest performing arts organization in the greater Dayton community, with a mission to be the community’s indispensable source for traditional, diverse and innovative experiences in ballet, opera, and orchestral music. The vision of the DPAA is to transform lives through the power of music and dance. The DPAA offers a wide variety of performance and education programs, setting a new standard for artistic excellence. DPAA performances reach an audience of more than 90,000 people annually, and their rich arts education programming serves over 60,000 schoolchildren in 150 schools in the Miami Valley. These performances and education initiatives are made possible in part through major support provided by the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, the City of Dayton, Montgomery County and the National Endowment for the Arts.