Maine State Ballet ushers in the holiday season with its classic production of “The Nutcracker” at Merrill Auditorium from Nov. 24 through Dec. 3.
Artistic director and former New York City Ballet dancer Linda MacArthur Miele directs and choreographs the story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince as they travel through the Land of Sweets to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. Costumes and scenery were handled by Associate Director Gail Csoboth, while Robert Lehmann debuts as conductor of the Maine State Ballet orchestra and chorus.
Emma Davis and Brooke Sowerby return to dance the role of Clara with Arie Eiten and Trevor Seymour dancing the role of Nutcracker Prince. Rachel Paradis joins Adrienne Pelletier and newcomer Agnes Norman as the Sugar Plum Fairy with Glenn Davis and Arie Eiten as the Cavalier. David Jon Timm plays the mysterious Uncle Drosselmeyer. Thirty professional company members with over 300 additional dancers round out the cast.
Performances of “The Nutcracker” run two weekends — Friday, Nov. 24, Saturday, Nov. 25, and Sunday, Nov. 26, all at 2 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m.
Tickets range from $28-$87 with discounts available for groups, seniors and children at mainestateballet.org, (207) 842-0800, and at the Merrill Auditorium Box Office located on Myrtle Street in Portland.
Maine State Ballet, a nonprofit based in Falmouth, is one of the state’s leading arts organizations whose mission is to uplift the Maine community through inspiring dance education and performance. Maine State Ballet houses the Maine State Ballet Company, the 150-seat Lopez Theater, and its School for the Performing Arts, with over 100 years of dance instruction in ballet, tap and jazz.
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