Pennsylvania Ballet brings classic show to Cleveland `Nutcracker' puts emphasis on youth - Roll over, Baryshnikov, and tell Tchaikovsky the news: Kids get central roles here. By Elaine Guregian for The Beacon Journal (Ohio)
There's a new Nut in town.
For the first time in its history, the Pennsylvania Ballet is taking its production of The Nutcracker on the road, and the destination is Playhouse Square in Cleveland. The company will give eight shows, Tuesday through next Sunday, at the Allen Theatre.
About 70 Northeast Ohio dance students will perform along with a professional cast of 48. (See sidebar with details.) Cleveland's Singing Angels will sing the vocal parts in the Snow scene, and a pit orchestra of some 45 area musicians will play Tchaikovsky's score.
Representatives from Playhouse Square visited Philadelphia a couple of years ago to view the show there. They asked artistic director Roy Kaiser if he might be interested in bringing the show to Cleveland for Playhouse Square's new dance series. The answer was yes, so the Philadelphia company is following the American Ballet Theatre on Playhouse Square's ambitious first dance season.
click for more