A classic holiday favorite returns

Oklahoma City Ballet’s The Nutcraker features exciting scenes from this Christmas favorite. Photo provided.

Oklahoma City Ballet returns to the Civic Center stage with Robert Mills' adaptation of the holiday classic The Nutcracker. This version of the holiday classic stays true to the original libretto inspired by the E.T.A. Hoffman story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. Tchaikovsky's enduring score is performed live at every performance by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. The  ballet opened last weekend, and continues Friday, Dec. 20 through Sunday Dec. 22 at the Civic Center Music Hall in downtown Oklahoma City.

A favorite for the entire family, this classic fairytale tells the story of Clara who receives a beautiful wooden Nutcracker doll from the quirky Heir Drosselmeyer at a Christmas Eve party. That night Clara sneaks downstairs at midnight to play with her new Nutcracker doll where she is swept away to a fantasy land of toy soldiers, giant mice, and dancing snowflakes. After saving her beloved Nutcracker from the King of the Rats, she is whisked away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets where she is treated to performances by fanciful, dancing confections including the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Nutcrackerperformances are Fridays, December 13 and 20 at 7 pm; Saturdays December 14 and 21 at 2pm and 7pm, and Sundays, December 15 and 21 at 2pm. Single tickets start at $25 and may be purchased at OKC Ballet offices, 7421 N. Classen Blvd., OKC; by phone at (405) 848-8637; online at okcballet.com/nutcracker; or at T.H.E. Box Office at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker, OKC, (405) 297-2264. Three performance Season Subscriptions are also available for the remainder of 2013-14 season "From the Page to the Stage."

About Oklahoma City Ballet:  Founded in 1972 by Ballet Russe dancers Yvonne Chouteau and Miguel Terekhov, Oklahoma City Ballet has been the city's professional ballet company for over 40 years.  It is the resident dance company of the Civic Center Music Hall and currently boasts 29 dancers from around the world.  Led by Artistic Director Robert Mills, the company produces 4 main stage productions per season in Oklahoma City and tours across Oklahoma and the surrounding states.  It is the only ballet company of its size to regularly debut world premiere story ballets with original commissioned scores and also commission's new works from the industry's leading choreographers.

The Gayly – December 16, 2013 @ 12:15pm