STERLING, ILLINOIS (November 6, 2024) — Woodlawn Arts Academy invites the community to kick off the 2024 holiday season with three live performances of The Nutcracker. Presented by Edward Jones and Savant Wealth Management, The Nutcracker will be performed at 2PM and 7PM, Saturday, November 23, and at 2PM, Sunday, November 24 at Centennial Auditorium, Sterling High School. Tickets are $15 each and on sale now at centennialauditorium.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
In addition to the ballet performances, the Academy is excited to offer a pre-show Character Experience at 1PM, Saturday, November 23, before the 2PM show. Character Experience participants will interact with the nutcracker, Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Rat King, the Snow Queen, and many other Woodlawn Arts Academy dancers. They will enjoy sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy, see what it’s like on stage, take photos on stage with the characters, get autographs and more. Character Experience tickets are $20 each and include the 2PM Saturday show ticket. Character Experience tickets will not be available at the door but must be purchased online in advance.
The holiday kick-off performances are a fundraiser event for Woodlawn Arts Academy, a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization. The two-act production casts more than fifty dancers and actors age six through adult from Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, Morrison, Tampico, Milledgeville, Harmon, and Lanark.
“Planning and preparations are well under way for our upcoming production of the classic holiday ballet The Nutcracker! Our 2016, 2018, and 2021 productions of the ballet offered an incredible, unique experience to the participants and the community, and we are excited to bring this show back to the stage in 2024,” said Woodlawn Executive Director Christy Zepezauer. “We encourage everyone to attend our upcoming production and be a part of The Nutcracker magic. What a great way to kick off the holiday season and support the arts locally!”
Woodlawn Arts Academy is an agency of United Way of Whiteside and Lee Counties. Woodlawn Arts Academy acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council. Registration is available throughout the year for various programs.
Visit WoodlawnArtsAcademy.com for details on programs and financial assistance.
