Nutcracker comes alive!
Northwest Ballet amazes
by Christopher Key
In case you might have forgotten how fortunate we are to live in an area with extraordinary artistic talent, I suggest you make it a point to see one of the productions of Northwest Ballet’s The Nutcracker. It’s a potent reminder.
While The Nutcracker was not always a holiday tradition, it has certainly become one since debuting at St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1891. The soaring romantic themes by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovski perfectly illustrate the classic tale by E. T. A. Hoffman.
Artistic Director John Bishop has assembled an astonishingly gifted group of dancers to perform this delightful fantasy. Not only is there a small army of performers, but some of the roles are double-cast in order to get still more dancers onstage. There are far too many to mention here and you might not see the same cast I did, depending on which performance you attend.
There are three you are guaranteed to see that merit special mention. The always amazing Angus McLane presides over the affair as Herr Drosselmeyer. Lovely Miye Bishop dances the role of Clara, Drosselmeyer’s niece. Seth Weatherby performs the title role as a doll who becomes a handsome prince in Clara’s Christmas Eve dream.
Angus McLane performs the role of Herr Drosselmeyer in Northwest Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.
Another small army is required to accomplish the technical prestidigitation that makes this production sing. Costume coordinator Beth Sanchez has worked miracles with this daunting challenge, along with seamstresses Laura Brauner and Nancy Hamilton. Three new backdrops for the production were designed and painted in Russia by Vera Altunina and Christopher Wise contributed a couple more. Gary Garritan does an exceptional job of providing flawless digital sound. Technical and Lighting Director Dave Wright is a true wizard at his craft.
The Nutcracker will be performed in three different venues, so pay close attention to dates and times. Saturday, December 13, the performance will take place at Western Washington University’s Performing Arts Center. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available by calling (360) 650-6146 or www.tickets.wwu.edu.
Sunday, December 14, the show will be back at Mount Baker Theatre, where I saw tonight’s performance. Curtain time is 2:00 p.m. and reservations can be made at the MBT box office (360) 734-6080 or www.mountbakertheatre.org.
Friday and Saturday, December 19 and 20, The Nutcracker moves to McIntyre Hall in Mt. Vernon with curtain time at 7:30 p.m. There will also be a matinee on Sunday, December 21, at 2:00 p.m. The McIntyre Hall box office number is (360) 416-7727, or see www.mcintyrehall.org. Tickets for all performances are $10 to $25 with student, group and senior discounts available. Got all that? There will be a quiz later.
If you’ve never been to the ballet before, this is a great opportunity to experience the stunning grace and athleticism that is required from dancers at this level. If you’re a ballet aficionado, you’ll be thrilled by the professionalism of this local company. www.northwestballet.org.
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