An intriguing variation on the theme:<P><B>Dallas Children's Theatre</B><BR>DCT's 'Nutcracker' draws in children with effects and no ballet <BR>By NANCY CHURNIN / The Dallas Morning News<P><BR>You don't have to be a preschooler to get a thrill from the puppet version of The Nutcracker by the Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts. <P>But the pure peals of joy that emanated from those ages 2 and up added to the wonder for the rest of us at the Crescent Theater on Sunday afternoon. <P>You won't see ballet in this Nutcracker, but you'll marvel at puppets and objects moving as fluidly and gracefully as if they are dancing in the air. Special effects and the technique in which black-clad puppeteers manipulate figures against a black backdrop render the humans invisible. <P><A HREF="http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/STORY.ea9a6a4414.b0.af.0.a4.3804.html" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A>