Forgive my ignorance, but I have only ever seen the name Clara used. Where does Marie come from?

Nice story, Nancy. Did I tell you the time I was asked to... never mind...

I dont know where Marie actually comes from Stuart;I'll have to look it up. I just know its a variation of the girl character. Theres another one I believe.......

Maybe Martin Short should play Clara,JaneGrey. I agree with you Bree about the crying kids-besides,not playing it at 11 or so gives a girl something to look forward to later on.....I DID see Gelsey play Clara on TV-it still plays on PBS every Christmas.......wonderful.<BR>Nancy it must of been very exciting playing a dream role.<BR> An adult playing Clara/Marie is interesting-the concept of a young girl between adolescence and adulthood...maturing,falling in love.....

In G.B.L.Wilson's "A Dictionary of the Ballet" (page 100), in the Russian version Clara/Marie is called Masha.<P>I don't know if that is still the case.

Thanks Basheva-I need to buy that dictionary!!!

In the New York City Ballet version, she is called Marie. Masha sounds like maybe the diminutive form of something...like maybe Marie? Or Clara?<P>

The PNB (Stowell/Sendak) version uses a child as Clara through the party scene and battle; at the onset of the "Snow" pas de deux music, she emerges as an adult and the Nutcracker Prince is her cavalier who guides her to the enchanted realm of the second act. There is no Sugar Plum in this production; Clara dances her variation startlingly early in the second act, divorced from the adagio of the pas de deux, which comes toward the end of the act. At the very end of the act, the enchantment dissolves and we see the child Clara tossing and turning in her bed, and realize that everything post-party has been Clara's dream.

That sounds like a nice variation of casting Francis! This way both child and adult fufills their dream.......

[color=white]<p>[This message has been edited by Marga Anto-Raudsepp (edited July 11, 2001).]

THANKS Marga for the info!!!