Backstage at Broadway's Nutcracker
Ed Fuentes
A dancer rehearses for Saturday's performances of "The Nutcracker Swings" at the Orpheum Theatre.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — This is the season when it seems every city claims The Nutcracker as its own tradition.
This year is the 75th anniversary of the first British production of the full Tchaikovsky ballet, and in New York, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker has been a tradition since 1954. Even Ballet Austin’s Nutcracker is in its 47th year.
For 2009, City Ballet of Los Angeles gave Broadway a Nutcracker of their own with Saturday’s debut of Robin Gardenhire's “The Nutcracker Swings” at the Orpheum Theater. It begin in the traditional manner, then Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker arrangement kicked in––after all the baby mice broke loose.
Why this ballet every holiday season? Subject it to all the critical analysis you can package, but it was all said in one backstage moment on Saturday’s performance when a young dancer lit up as she saw a leap, music, and lights come together like Christmas magic.
Bartleight on December 21, 2009, at 01:58PM – #1
It truly was a grand holiday experience, and very fitting to have it performed right in our neighborhood, at The Opheum. Thank you Robin Gardenhire and thank you Steve Needleman!
Emily Rosina on January 06, 2010, at 08:00PM – #2
I was one of those lucky enough to be in the audience of City Ballet's "Jazzy Nutcracker". I must say - with no hesitation - that it was one of the most elegant and fun performances I've seen. The talent brought to the stage was breathtaking! I particularly enjoyed Mary Tarpley as Sugar Plum Fairy. Combining stage pressence with raw talent, Tarpley delivered an unforgetable performance. Kudos!!