Cash-strapped Oakland ballet to use taped music for `Nutcracker'

Anita Amirrezvani
San Jose Mercury News

As a further indication of the budget woes affecting many dance companies in the Bay Area, the Oakland Ballet announced this week that it will perform its ``Nutcracker'' to taped music this year instead of using the Oakland East Bay Symphony as scheduled. <a href=http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/7368627.htm target=_blank>more</a>

Spirited Oakland Ballet back on its toes

Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle

There's a tense moment in Oakland Ballet's "Nutcracker" when little Marie drops the nutcracker doll and breaks it. The Tchaikovsky score halts and the stage falls silent while Drosselmeyer's handsome young nephew hurries to fix her beloved gift. <a href=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/22/DDGG53R9UA1.DTL target=_blank>more</a>

Surprise guests enliven a pared-down `Nutcracker'

Anita Amirrezvani
San Jose Mercury News

The audience at Oakland Ballet's ``Nutcracker'' erupted with laughter Friday at the antics of local celebrities, who joined the Sugar Plum Fairy and her kin on stage as part of All-Star Night. <a href=http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/7545514.htm target=_blank>more</a>