It’s nearly time for the return of a holiday favourite.
Royal City Youth Ballet is bringing its Nutcracker production to the stage at Michael J. Fox Theatre in Burnaby on Friday, Dec. 1.
The annual full-length ballet - now in its 29th season - features a cast of more than 100 dedicated and enthusiastic dancers under the artistic direction of Camilla Fishwick-Kellogg, performing to Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved music.
For those unfamiliar with the story, it opens on Christmas Eve – “a time when dreams may come true,” as a press release says.
“Drosselmeyer, godfather to Clara, brings gifts and magic to her parents’ home for the annual Christmas party. His special gift to Clara is a large Nutcracker soldier. When she falls asleep after the party, Clara is cradling the Nutcracker in her arms and begins to dream.
“In her dream her Nutcracker soldier fights a battle and transports her on a sleigh through the Land of Snow to the Land of Sweets, where the meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and people from faraway lands.”
Along the way, audiences will enjoy everything they have come to expect from the Nutcracker: magical soldiers, fighting mice, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Snow King and Queen, the Arabian and Spanish dancers, and much more.
Once again, the performance comes to the stage against a backdrop of sumptuous sets designed by Jean-Claude Olivier and extravagant costumes by Chris Sinosich.
The company’s regional tour starts in Abbotsford on Sunday, Nov. 26, with 1 and 4 p.m. shows. It then moves to Burnaby for the Friday night show at 7 p.m. Dec. 1.
It makes stops in Maple Ridge, Surrey, Duncan and North Vancouver before then returning home to New Westminster for its wrap-up shows on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 2 and 7 p.m.
See www.royalcityyouthballet.org for information.
For tickets to the Burnaby and New Westminster shows, see www.ticketsnw.ca or call 604-521-5050.
