THE NUTCRACKER

Delaware’s Holiday Tradition at The Grand 

Join Delaware’s professional ballet company on a magical journey through a swirling snow storm to the Land of Sweets in this sparkling production.

Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 2 pm

Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7 pm

Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 2 pm

Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 2 pm

Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 7 pm

Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 2 pm

Copeland Hall

Tickets: $25-$65

THE NUTCRACKER

Music by PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY

Choreography by PASHA KAMBALOV and KRISTINA KAMBALOV after LEV IVANOV and MARIUS PETIPA

Premiere: December 18, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Russia

ACT I

The Stahlbaums and their children Marie and Fritz are hosting their annual Christmas party. The mysterious Herr Drosselmeyer enters and entertains the children. Drosselmeyer later appears disguised as a magician and presents a puppet show, followed by three life-size dancing dolls, to the delight of the guests.

 The children begin to open gifts and Drosselmeyer presents his gift of a beautiful nutcracker to Marie. Marie admires it more than all the other toys. Fritz wants to play with the new doll; he pulls it away from Marie and throws it on the floor. Marie is heartbroken, but Drosselmeyer quickly repairs the nutcracker.

 As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Marie comes downstairs to steal one last glance at her nutcracker under the Christmas tree. She falls asleep. In a dream she sees the drawing room. A mouse scurries out of a hole, and then mice scamper out from everywhere. The mice try to take the nutcracker from Marie until the Mouse King enters. Marie is terribly frightened and hides behind a chair. Suddenly her nutcracker appears life-size. Overcoming her fear, she runs up to him. The Nutcracker leads a regiment of soldiers to defend Marie. The Mouse King is defeated and disappears with his army. Drosselmeyer transforms Marie into a lovely maiden and the Nutcracker into a handsome prince. Together, they set off on a journey to the Land of Snow where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes.

 ACT II

Marie and the prince arrive in the Land of Sweets and the festivities begin. First comes Chocolate, then Coffee and Tea, followed by Honey Cake, Marzipan and Gingerbread, Gumdrops and the Waltz of the Flowers. Marie and the prince dance merrily with the rest.

 At last the wonderful dream is over and Marie awakens.

Length: 1 hour 45 minutes including one intermission

Casting

Marie/Princess - Aoi Tashiro (12/14/24 7 pm, 12/21/24 7 pm)

Angela Zielen (12/14/24 2 pm, 12/15/24 2 pm, 12/21/24 2 pm, 12/22/24 2 pm)

Prince - Joseph Huberty (12/14/24 2 pm, 12/15/24 2 pm, 12/21/24 2 pm, 12/22/24 2 pm),

Antonio Rosario (12/14/24 7 pm, 12/21/24 7 pm)

The Young Marie - Rosalyn Gregg 

Herr Drosselmeyer - Stephen Everson

Dr. Stahlbaum - Lance Posternak

Frau Stahlbaum - Sarah Scandrett

Fritz - Kyle Cloutier

Party Girls - Valerie Chow, Taylor Legum, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Liliana Stabosz 

Party Boys - Violet DaGrossa, Persephone Gregg, Lauren Reed, Ishmael Stabosz, Giovanni Saldivar 

Party Children - Percy Masiello, Rin Masiello

Parents - Cade Bolz, Erick Campos, Reese Dixon, Hayley Miller, Marina Profy, Ken Shiozawa, Olivia Sparling, Brian Warkentien

Maids - Hailey Fairhurst, Sophia Schwinghammer

Dolls - Kate Heulitt, Pearl Smith, Carlos Martinez 

Mouse King - Erik Campos

Mice - Cade Bolz, Carter Bush, Kate Heulitt, Carlos Martinez, Lance Posternak, Ken Shiozawa, Pearl Smith, Briana Redfearn, Brian Warkentien

The Nutcracker - Joseph Huberty (12/14/24 7 pm, 12/21/24 7 pm), Antonio Rosario (12/14/24 2 pm, 12/15/24 2 pm, 12/21/24 2 pm, 12/22/24 2 pm)

Soldiers - Kyle Cloutier Gia Cotton, Violet DaGrossa, Zoe Dyson, Aleksandra Fratta, 

Taylor Legum, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Ishael Stabosz, Liliana Stabosz, 

Giovanni Saldivar, Lily Townsend, Riley Vinson

Snow Maidens - Kate Heulitt, Olivia Sparling

Snowflakes - Taylor Ciampi, Reese Dixon, Ava Gray, Hailey Fairhurst, Abby Fletcher, Isabella Flickinger, Jacqueline Jerome, Jordyn Jones, Genevieve Lunger, Hayley Miller, Isobel Milne, Kaelynne Moore, Marina Profy, Sarah Scandrett, Sophia Schwinghammer, Pearl Smith

Angels - Mila Bogdanova, Tirzah Brisson, Matilda Brucher, Morgan DeAllie, Anastasia Fratta, Josephine Campbell-Jusino,Taylor Legum, Ruby Lamotta, Adelaide Leonard, Arabella Little, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Lauren Reed, Penélope Saldivar, Serena Shen, Liliana Stafosz, Zélie Stabosz, Georginna Shields, Kayleigh Sommers, Catherine Wu

Hot Chocolate - Aoi Tashiro (12/14/24 2 pm, 12/15/24 2 pm, 12/21/24 2 pm, 12/22/24 2 pm), Angela Zielen (12/14/24 7 pm, 12/21/24 7 pm), Cade Bolz, Stephen Everson, Erik Campos, Brian Warkentien

Coffee - Kate Heulitt, Abby Fletcher, Hayley Miller, Marina Profy, Sarah Scandrett

Tea - Reese Dixon, Hailey Fairhurst, Carlos Martinez, Pearl Smith

Honey Cakes - Sophia Schwinghammer, Carter Bush, Ken Shiozawa

Marzipan and Gingerbread - Olivia Sparling, Lance Posternak

Gumdrops- Kyle Cloutier, Gia Cotton, Morgan DeAllie, Zoe Dyson, Aleksandra Fratta, Lilly Townsend, Lauren Reed, Giovanni Saldivar, Penélope Saldivar, Ishmael Stabosz, Riley Vinson 

Dew Drop Fairy - Taylor Ciampi

Flowers – Violet DaGrossa, Ava Gray, Rosalyn Gregg, Isabella Flickinger, Jacqueline Jerome, Jordyn Jones, Genevieve Lunger, Isobel Milne, Kaelynne Moore, Briana Redfearn

Little Flowers - Valerie Chow, Persephone Gregg, Taylor Legum, Allison Peacock, Katlyn Peacock, Liliana Stabosz