Ruth Page’s “The Nutcracker” was presented at The Center for Performing Arts for three showings: Dec. 6 at 1 and 5 p.m., and Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.
“The Nutcracker” is a classic wintertime ballet with elaborate choreography, beautiful costumes, and charming wintertime set design. Often, the ballet includes snow falling from the ceiling, and Tchaikovsky’s well known music. The ballet begins with Clara and her sister looking through a keyhole to get a glimpse of their Christmas gifts, the stage decorated with a large holiday tree. Mice costumes, The Nutcracker, and toys coming to life give the story whimsy, and Clara then embarks on a trip to the Kingdom of the Sweets and the Land of Snow.
During intermission, those at the show were able to take photos with a Ruth Page staff member dressed in elaborate costume that resembles the dancers in the ballet.
The show was well received among most. One audience member commented that, “It was amazing! I loved it. Never seen a ballet before in my life, and I’ll be here every year.”
A mother and daughter attended the show together, as it was the daughter’s first time seeing “The Nutcracker.” The woman thought it was “a really awesome performance. I loved the dance! They did an awesome job. There were a lot of different types of dances, and I liked the costumes.”
A man agreed that the show was well performed: “The ballet was awesome. I’ve seen it twice a year for the last eight years, in different places.” When asked how Ruth Pages’ “The Nutcracker” compared to other showings, he said: “It was well produced and well-acted. It was unique with the narration: most Nutcrackers don’t have that.” This showing of “The Nutcracker,” danced in two parts, began with a narration by the characters themselves. While he felt that the narration was different, he believed that they executed it very well.
Other audience members from the first show felt that there were issues with the audio, making it difficult to follow along in the first half. They also mentioned that some of the show’s dances “did not age well.”