Children's Edition Program
Production made possible by producing partner Mary C. DeFeudis
Based on the story by E.T.A Hoffmann
Music by Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Artistic Director • Jennifer Agbay
Choreographers • Jennifer Agbay, Jamie Brown, Mark Harootian, Ana Luisa Thompson, Jolanta Valeikaite
Music Director and Conductor • Jonathan McPhee
Scenic Design • Christine Peters*
Lighting Design • Paul Miller*
Production Stage Manager • Kim Pheymannicie
Production Manager • Kevin McGerigle
Assistant Stage Manager • Grace Donnelly
Company Manager • Maria Schantz
Conductor Emeritus • Eric Culver
Lighting Supervisor • Austin Boyle
Master Electrician / LX Board Operator • Matt Chrostowski
Wardrobe Managers • Perri Sylvester and assistance from Natalie Cusimano
Sophia Agbay • Green Room Manager
Prop Managers • Kristy Kocou
Costume Design • Freda Bromberg, Bernadette Genatossio, Beth Laperle, Julie McGowan, Nancy Smith, Perri Sylvester
Scenery • John Creech Design & Production, Scenic Art Studios, Inc., Keegansmission Creative Inc. and Prop & Paint Creative Studios
Producer • Sharon Hart
*Member of United Scenic Artists
The Cast & Scenes of The Nutcracker
PROLOGUE CAST
Chestnut Girl: Amelia Kocou
Carolers: Mia-lilianna Berrios, Sadie Bjork, Arianna Cousineau, Sophie Ethier, Rhea Stratton, Amaya Teixeira
Troublemakers: Kyrie Dell’Aera, Molly McCormick
Townspeople: Jacqueline Arce, Danielle Benkert, Justin Bennes, Nina Bennes, Maren Caulfield, Nora Jenkins, David Newhall, Erin Reid-Eriksen, Bryanna Reilly, Tina Spencer, Carly Taylor
ACT I
PARTY SCENE
Clara Silberhaus: Sophia Shliapa
Fritz Slberhaus: Jackson Gardner
Herr Silberhaus: Hale Pulsifer
Frau Silberhaus: Ana Luisa Thompson
Herr Drosselmeyer: Mark Harootian
Maids: Sadie Davidson, Nova LaCroix
Butler: Thomas Woods
Soldier Doll: Mikel Roth
Kissy Doll: Katherine Totman
Party Parents: Ted Achtem, Missy Gleckel, Alexandria Magann, Matthew Mange, Charlotte McNutt, Scott Norrie, Ralph Rensing, Mike Rose, Corinne Stratton, Amanda Vollum
Party Boys: David DeMings, Levi LaCroix, Calder Jenkins, Wyatt Jenkins, Bennett Skowyra
Teen Party Girls: Clementine Doyle-Bouvier, Cora LaCroix, Emily Piel, Claire Reid-Eriksen, Violet Sabel, Catarina Sabourin
Young Party Girls: Jillian Benoit, Nina Browning, Isabella Cook, Lyla Mange, Oliana Prado Gleckel, Kathryn Rosenthal, Chanelle Sabourin
Household Staff: Michelle Davidson, Michelle Italiano, Shannon Laptewicz, Kelly Monaco, Alissa Schimmel, Korey Seney, Lisa Skowyra, Kirsten Tselios
BATTLE SCENE
The Nutcracker Prince: Teddy Grillo
Mary Mouse*: Raegan Spencer
Mice: Aleithia Adu-Boakye, Gabriella Burkitt, Nora Darisse, Eleanor Ferreira, Giada Garcia, Penelope Markey, Kora Reale, Sophia Ryan, Sydney Theriault
Rats: Jericho Howe, Danielle Lamica, Kiya McCart, Quinn McDowell, Alexis Savary
Lead Soldier: Emmaly Waugh
Soldiers: Penelope Bennett, Alexandra Holman, Ellie Matt, Arya Monaco, Juliana Ortiz, Elena Perez, Caitlyn Quintard, Lailah Seider, Alivia Rutkiewicz, Irie Satchwell Kaune
Rat Queen: Brooke Farrington
Mini Rat Queen: Madison Browne
Mini Nutcracker: Aubrey White
* Role named in honor of benefactor, Mary C. DeFeudis, who helped make The Nutcracker scenic design possible.
LAND OF SNOW
Snow Queen: Delaney Washington
Snow King: Micah Bullard
Corps de Ballet: Violet Atwood, Adrianna Cook, Casey Reid, Stella Seney, Katherine Totman, Ava Tselios
Lead Reindeer: Josephine Porter
Reindeer: Cecilia Arce, Sofia Ballta, Lilian Benkert, Emerson Blount, Angelina Bolentini, Adèle Bryant Le Tiec, Nella Copeland, Charlotte Dyrmi, Jordan Hallaman, Isabella Iacovelli, AspenRose Marshall, Ayla O’Keefe
Intermission (20 minutes)
ACT II
ANGELS
Angel Principal: Nova LaCroix
Demi-Soloist Angels: Sarah O’Donnell, Emily Pulsifer
Senior Angels: Sarafina Bennes, Kira Boitchenko, Alexandra Bruce, Hannah Burkhard, Sadie Davidson, Caroline Fletcher, Sedona Marshall, Carla Pacheco, Olivia Schiavo, Olivia St. Laurent, Rosalie Stark, Emmaly Waugh
Junior Angels: Olivia Aucoin, Samantha Carr, Briley Gardell, Emma Louis, Olivia Merrick, Sarah Newhall
LAND OF SWEETS
Spanish Hot Chocolate: John Egan, Ava Tselios
Arabian Coffee: Grace Armour
Chinese Tea: Stella Seney
Chinese Dragon: Savannah Christenson, Zoe Lavigne, Mckenzy Rogers
Russian Trepek: Adrianna Cook
Russian Corps de Ballet: Elle Angarita, Ella Hurley, Karissa Kocou, Oliwia Ucher
Shepherdess Marzipan: Casey Reid
Sheep: Carly Aucoin, McKenna Barrows, Payton Collette, Lucia Montiverdi
Black Sheep: Sadie Schimmel
Mother Ginger: Mark Harootian
Polichinelles: Ayla Alfeo, Jamie Ashton, Julia Ashton, Ellie Blount, Nadia Boitchenko, Ada Caulfield, Emma Laptewicz, Molly McCormick, Jacqueline Murphy, Mia Totaro
WALTZ OF THE FLOWERS
Dew Drop Fairy: Rachele Perla Corps de Ballet: Violet Atwood, Adrianna Cook, Brenna Kinnes, Casey Reid, Stella Seney, Katherine Totman
GRAND PAS DE DEUX
Sugarplum Fairy: Mia Steedle (appears through the courtesy of The Sacramento Ballet) Sugarplum Cavalier: Noah Parets
Understudies: Elle Angarita, Violet Atwood, Carly Aucoin, Olivia Aucoin, Kayleigh Bledsoe, Alexandra Bruce, Hannah Burkhard, Michelle Davidson, Ella Hurley, Calder Jenkins, Brenna Kinnes, Karissa Kocou, Nova LaCroix, Emma Laptewicz, Lydia Logan, Scott Norrie, Penelope Markey, Kiya McCart, Jacqueline Murphy, Sarah O’Donnell, Emily Piel, Oliana Prado Gleckel, Emily Pulsifer, Casey Reid, Dale Rensing, Mike Rose, Mikel Roth, Violet Sabel, Stella Seney, Katherine Totman, Oliwia Ucher
The Story of The Nutcracker
Act I
Prologue - On a snowy Christmas Eve, Drosselmeyer puts the finishing touches on a magical nutcracker. It’s his gift for the Silberhaus family, who have invited him to join their holiday festivities. Customers pass by his shop and Drosselmeyer displays his toys and clocks. Later that evening, outside of the Silberhaus’ house, the street bustles with preparations for the holidays. Drosselmeyer arrives with his beautifully wrapped gift.
Christmas Eve Party Scene - In the Silberhaus’ sitting room, the family prepares for their party. Clara, Fritz, and their parents greet their guests as they arrive. The children jump with glee at the sight of the beautiful Christmas tree. As they play with new Christmas toys, Herr Silberhaus invites the guests to dance. Drosselmeyer, known as “Uncle Drosselmeyer” to the Silberhaus children, makes a grand entrance and entertains the families with magic. The children are delighted by an acrobatic soldier doll and a beautiful, life-sized ballerina. Drosselmeyer then opens his gift and presents the nutcracker to Clara. Captivated, she dances with the magical doll. Fritz is envious. He mischievously pulls the nutcracker from his sister’s hands, breaking it. Drosselmeyer carefully bandages the doll and returns it to Clara, who plays with it gently. As the hour grows late, guests drift home and the Silberhaus family heads upstairs to bed.
The Battle Scene - Too excited to sleep, Clara returns to the darkened sitting room in search of her nutcracker doll. As the clock strikes midnight, she falls asleep on the sofa with her treasured nutcracker in her arms. As Clara dreams, she relives memories of the evening. Deep within her dream, Uncle Drosselmeyer appears and mends the nutcracker doll. As Clara wakens into her dream, her house begins to expand around her. Drosselmeyer makes the Christmas tree grow wondrously large over now tiny Clara. Giant mice appear, frightening her. The nutcracker doll
comes to life to defend Clara. He summons an army of toy soldiers and a fierce battle ensues. The ferocious Rat Queen challenges the Nutcracker to a duel. Clara’s quick thinking helps the Nutcracker defeat the Rat Queen. Magically, Drosselmeyer transforms the Nutcracker into a dashing Prince. The Prince thanks Clara for saving him, and together they embark on an enchanting journey through the Land of Snow.
Land of Snow - As snow falls, snowflakes begin to dance. The Snow Queen and King send Clara and the Prince off to their next adventure in a beautiful sleigh.
Act II
The Land of Sweetsthe Prince enter the Land of Sweets, they encounter angels that guide them along on their journey. The Sugarplum Fairy welcomes Clara and the Prince to the Land of Sweets and asks them to tell her about the adventure that brought them to her world. The Prince recounts his battle with the Rat Queen and describes Clara’s bravery. The Sugarplum Fairy commands a festival of dancing to honor her guests. The celebration begins with a lively Spanish dancer and continues with the entrance of the Arabian peacock and her attendants. Chinese dancers perform a fast dance before Russian dancers leap and twirl across the stage. A Shepherdess appears to dance with her little sheep before Mother Ginger arrives with her Polichinelles. The Dew Drop Fairy and her flowers perform a beautiful waltz before the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier ends the celebration with their Grand Pas de Deux. Once the celebration ends, the Sugarplum Fairy waves goodbye to Clara and the Prince as Clara drifts off to sleep.
Christmas Morning - Clara awakens, still smiling from her joyous dream. It is Christmas morning, and the nutcracker is safe in her arms.
Characters
You can usually tell who a character is by looking at the costume they are wearing. Read below to find out what each of the characters will be dressed in and see if you can spot them all!
Clara is the young girl who is the heroine of the story. She receives the Nutcracker doll at her parents' annual holiday party, which begins the adventure. She wears a pretty cream colored dress and a nightgown.
Fritz is Clara’s mischievous younger brother. He breaks the Nutcracker doll. He wears a velvet suit with ruffles around the neck.
Herr Drosselmeyer is Clara’s godfather, a toy maker, and also a mysterious, fun loving magician. His holiday gift to Clara is the Nutcracker doll. He wears dark colors, a long cape, and an eye patch.
Herr and Frau Silberhaus are Clara and Fritz’s parents and hosts of the holiday party where Clara receives the Nutcracker doll. They wear fancy party clothes like their adult guests.
The Nutcracker is the Nutcracker Doll and handsome man who is brought to life by Drosselmeyer. He leads the toy soldiers in battle with the Rat Queen. He looks similar to the doll that Clara receives from Drosselmeyer.
The Rat Queen is an evil, scary creature that along with her rats and mice, battles the Nutcracker and toy soldiers. She is large and wears a crown and cape.
The Snow Queen & King are the protectors of the enchanted Kingdom of Snow that Clara passes through on her way to the Land of Sweets. They dress in white and dance a beautiful Pas de Deux (dance for two people).
The Sugarplum Fairy & Sugarplum Cavalier are the guardians of the enchanted Land of Sweets. They welcome Clara with an international celebration of many dances. They dress in classical ballet costumes: a tutu for the Sugar Plum Fairy and a tunic for her Cavalier. They dance a Pas de Deux at the end of Clara’s visit.
Other characters that Clara meets along the way include Mother Ginger, dancing flowers, and many dancers from faraway lands such as Spain, Arabia, China, and Russia.
REINDEER
SHEEP
SIBERHAUS
SOLDIERS
RATS
SNOW
Guess the Characters
After reading the character descriptions, try to guess which characters are in the pictures below!
