American Repertory Ballet’s 50th annual Nutcracker season is set to run Nov. 23 through Dec. 22 at venues across New Jersey.
The company has been performing Nutcracker for 50 consecutive years, making it the longest-running Nutcracker production in New Jersey and one of the longest consecutively-running in the United States next to a very few, including New York City Ballet, Ballet West, Ballet Austin, San Francisco Ballet and Washington Ballet.
ARB’s Nutcracker has been a holiday tradition since 1964 when the company, then known as Princeton Regional Ballet, began to perform the ballet annually.
Founder and then artistic director Audrée Estey initially staged her version of Nutcracker in 1956 as a spring Princeton Ballet School performance at McCarter Theatre in Princeton. William Lockwood, who still works at McCarter as director of special programming, suggested that the company perform the production at McCarter every holiday season; ARB presented Nutcracker in 1963 and has back every year since.
Before ARB kicks off its Nutcracker season, the company is set to present its 50th Annual Nutcracker On Pointe Enrichment Series event 5:15 p.m. Nov. 1 at Princeton Ballet School, 301 North Harrison St., Princeton.
This On Pointe will be a lecture-demonstration summarizing highlights of the 50-year history of the company’s Nutcracker. The lecture also includes a discussion of Tchaikovsky’s score with music scholar and Princeton University professor Simon Morrison. Additionally, ARB’s dancers will perform excerpts from the ballet.
The season is scheduled to open 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at Union County Performing Arts Center’s main stage in Rahway.
Performances at McCarter are scheduled for Nov. 27, 29 and 30.
Following the Nov. 30 performances is ARB’s Celebrate the Legacy reception at the Nassau Club in Princeton. This event is open to ARB and Princeton Ballet School alumni, as well as community members. The reception features hors d’oeuvres, open bar, 50/50 raffle and silent auction. Tickets are $50.
The schedule continues Dec. 7 at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, Dec. 14 and 15 at Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan and Dec. 21 and 22 at State Theatre in New Brunswick.
Performances at State Theatre are set to feature a live orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Pratt, and the Princeton GirlChoir.
ARB is also set to host its annual Nutcracker Sweets party 3:15 p.m. Nov. 29 -between the 1 and 4:30 p.m. performances. Participants can dine on homemade treats, tea, coffee and hot cocoa served in china teacups, story time, and free photos with costumed characters. Tickets for Nutcracker Sweets are sold separately from performance tickets.
Many local businesses are partnering with ARB in support of their 50th Nutcracker. As they have in the past, the Terra Momo Restaurant Group will offer ARB’s Nutcracker ticket holders 20 percent off a meal at any of their three restaurants Eno Terra in Kingston, Mediterra in Princeton or Teresa Caffe in Princeton.
The Bent Spoon is set to release a special Nutcracker-themed ice cream flavor in November and donating a portion of proceeds from sales of this flavor to ARB’s Keep the Magic Alive Nutcracker fund.
Princeton Soup and Sandwich Company is set to offer a Nutcracker lunch special. Jazams is set to donate proceeds from all Nutcracker-themed toys and books sold to Keep the Magic Alive fund.
More information is online at arballet.org.
