Ballet Quad Cities' “The Nutcracker" at the Adler Theatre -- December 9 and 10.
Saturday, December 9, and Sunday, December 10
Adler Theatre, 136 East Third Street, Davenport IA
On December 9 and 10, one of the Quad Cities' most adored holiday traditions returns to Davenport's Adler Theatre when the professional talents of Ballet Quad Cities perform Tchaikovsky's holiday dance classic The Nutcracker, this eagerly awaited family experience boasting choreography by Artistic Director Courtney Lyon, live musical accompaniment by Orchestra Iowa, a cast of 60, and the return of popular guest artist Domingo Rubio, the longtime portrayer of the company's dancing Dracula.
Adapted from the 1816 story by E.T. A. Hoffman and debuting as a two-act ballet in 1892, The Nutcracker tells of the magical adventures of Clara, a young girl who falls asleep on Christmas Eve and dreams of an enchanted world filled with dancers from many continents, ambulatory toys, an ethereal Sugar Plum Fairy, and much, much more. With Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky contributing perhaps the richest and most instantly recognizable of his compositions, The Nutcracker has been a holiday perennial worldwide for generations, whisking audiences to such delightfully otherworldly realms as the Land of Sweets, the Land of Snow, and a battleground for soldiers and mice. Tchaikovsky's ballet has also been the subject of innumerable film and TV adaptations, with familiar portions of its score referenced in everything from Disney's Fantasia to The Simpsons to Grand Theft Auto V.
Domingo Rubio will assume the role of Clara's godfather, the mysterious toymaker and magician Herr Drosselmeyer, with Clara herself danced by professional company dancer Madeline Kreszenz (understudied by Kira Roberts). Company member Christian Knopp performs triple-duty as The Nutcracker's Nutcracker Prince, a Toy Soldier, and one of the ballet's Ukrainian dancers, while Jillian Van Cura, as she did last year, portrays the villainous Rat Queen. The ballet's dazzling Sugar Plum Fairy is played by Eleanor Ambler, with Marcus Pei's Cavalier partnering her on their Grand Pas de Deux. There will also be featured dance roles for fellow Ballet Quad Cities' company members Sahsha Amaut, Ruby Anderson, Sierra DeYoung, Stephanie Eggers, Jayne Friscia, Madeleine Rhode, Kira Roberts, Stephen Scott, and Mahalia Zellmer, with Daniel Gleason also featured in the Christmas-party sequence.
And with additional choreography provided by Emily Kate Long, The Nutcracker ensemble is completed by a number of student dancers from the Quad Cities region, including those from the Ballet Quad Cities School of Dance, Davenport Junior Theatre, the Family Museum, Jenny’s Dance Academy, Myrna Rae’s Studio of Dance, Tina’s Dance Studio, Turning Pointe, and the West Liberty Dance Center. Among those participating this year are: Celia Arnold; Bella Baker; Olivia Behr; Betsy Bergthold; Thalia Boyd; JayLyn Burroughs; Madilyn Casel; Lila Castro; Lillyanna Cool; Macy Kate Crawmer; Julia Ellis; Jayne Friscia; Kate Girskis; Amelia Gomez; Vivika Gonzalez; Adley Hampton; Emma Isaacson; Emmy Jackson; Availlah Jones; Ava Kruse; Kate Mahraun; Emersyn Mielke; Tya Miles; Evelyn Nelson; Vivian Peterson; Leah Randleman; Alexandra Ripley; Kate Rosenboom; Aria Smith; Angela Soebbing; Annelie Stollenwerk; Molly Strickler; Shiori Suzuki; and Madeline Traman.
Ballet Quad Cities' The Nutcracker will be performed in downtown Davenport at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 10. Admission is $11-36, tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000, and more information on this year's performances is available by visiting AdlerTheatre.com and BalletQuadCities.com.
