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The Chicago Tribune presents THE JOFFREY BALLET OF CHICAGO |
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In Robert Joffrey’s production of THE NUTCRACKER
ROBERT JOFFREY and GERALD ARPINO, Founders, The Joffrey Ballet GERALD ARPINO, Founder and Artistic Director, The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago
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 Maia Wilkins and Willie Shives |
Mark Zipperer, Managing Director
Charthel Arthur, Ballet Mistress Cameron Basden, Ballet Mistress Mark Goldweber, Ballet Master Adam Sklute, Artistic Coordinator A Ballet in Two Acts based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816) A ROBERT JOFFREY PRODUCTION Conceived and Directed by Robert Joffrey Choreography for “Waltz of the Snowflakes” & “Waltz of the Flowers” by Gerald Arpino Originally Staged by George Verdak* and Scott Barnard Music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Scenery by Oliver Smith Costumes (including Mother Ginger) by John David Ridge Creative Design for The Mice, Mother Ginger and Clara’s Horse by Kermit Love Lighting by Thomas Skelton |
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*After the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo1940 production that was revived by Alexandra Fedorova from the original Petipa/Ivanov production for the Maryinsky Ballet. |
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 Scene 1 It is Christmas Eve in an American city in the 1850s. Mayor and Mrs. Stahlbaum and their servants are preparing for a party. The two children, Clara and Fritz, join their parents in the parlor and exclaim over the Christmas tree and its treasures. Soon their guests arrive, laden with gifts.The last to appear is the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer, Clara and Fritz’s godfather, and Drosselmeyer’s nephew.They have brought many wonderful gifts and surprises for the Stahlbaums and their friends. Young and old are delighted and amused by the mechanical dolls — Columbine and Harlequin, the Vivandiere and the Soldier — that dance for the guests. As a special gift for Clara, Dr. Drosselmeyer has brought a Nutcracker. Fritz, who with his friends has been teasing the girls, grabs it away and accidentally breaks it. Godfather Drosselmeyer bandages the Nutcracker and comforts the heartbroken Clara. But now it grows late; the guests take their leave, and the family goes upstairs to bed.
Scene 2 It is midnight. Everyone is sleeping but Clara, who has returned to the parlor to fetch her Nutcracker from under the tree. She hears a noise. A small mouse scurries by, then another. The mice begin to tease her, but Godfather Drosselmeyer has returned to shoo them away and transform the small Nutcracker into a life-size Nutcracker Doll. All at once the parlor disappears, and the Christmas tree grows before our very eyes. The toy soldiers that have been standing guard under the tree have also grown to life size. The Nutcracker Doll summons the soldiers to battle with the mice, who are now led by the seven-headed Mouse King. Clara returns with her Godfather Drosselmeyer, and just in time she throws her slipper at the Mouse King and saves the Nutcracker Doll. With Clara’s kiss, he is transformed into the Nutcracker Prince, who bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Drosselmeyer’s nephew.
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Scene 3 Godfather Drosselmeyer leads Clara and the Nutcracker Prince into the Land of Snow. Here they meet the Snow Queen and King — who look remarkably like Clara’s Mother and Father — and the Snow Prince, who reminds her of Fritz. The enchanted journey continues to the Kingdom of Sweets.
 The Sugar Plum Fairy welcomes Clara, the Nutcracker Prince and Dr. Drosselmeyer to the Kingdom of Sweets. The Nutcracker Prince tells the Sugar Plum Fairy about their magical battle with the mice. Gifts are presented to Clara. The subjects of this enchanted kingdom — all the dolls from under Clara’s tree and all the flowers from her Victorian bouquet — have grown to life size and dance in her honor. But all dreams must come to an end, and children must return home to their loving families. So, Clara too must depart the land of dreams and return home where her parents wait to welcome her back.
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 Calvin Kitten |