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Schrader ballet to perform ‘The Nutcracker (Clara’s Dream)’

The Schrader Youth Ballet Company of Parkersburg will present “The Nutcracker (Clara’s Dream)” 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Smoot Theatre, a matinee at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Peoples Bank Theatre in Marietta and a performance for the schools at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Smoot. Tickets are available. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — This year’s Schrader Youth Ballet Company’s “The Nutcracker (Clara’s Dream)” will mark 50 years of holiday performances by the organization.

Shows will be held 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Smoot Theatre, a matinee performance in Marietta at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Peoples Bank Theatre and a performance for the schools at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Smoot. A reception will follow the Dec. 17 performance at the ballet company studios at 601 Market St.

Friends of the ballet and former students are invited to attend and to celebrate Velma Schrader’s 50th anniversary.

A matinee performance will be held in Marietta 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Peoples Bank Theatre.

“The Nutcracker” has been through several transformations since it premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 17,1892. Ivanov’s original choreography was changed many times before it was seen in the West.

The first presentation of “The Nutcracker” in the United States was a one-act version by the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, which was choreographed by Alexandra Fedorova, a former Mariinsky dancer. Schrader Youth Ballet choreographer and mentor Duncan Noble was a member of Ballet Russe and he incorporated elements of its production into his choreography, which captures the essence of the original story.

Different scenarios have been developed to make each production unique. Sometimes the story takes place only in the imagination of the little girl, who was originally called Marie, but later called Clara, Masha, Marya and Louise.

The Schrader production begins with Clara, a little girl about to become a young lady, who has fallen asleep and dreams the entire story.

The mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer has a magical plan to get her and The Nutcracker Prince together.

He presents Clara with gifts of dolls which come to life and perform for her entertainment. He casts a spell on Clara, putting her to sleep while he conspires with the mice to stage an attack.

The Nutcracker Prince arrives in the knick of time to save Clara and together they journey into the Land of Snow.

Thirty members of the Schrader Youth Ballet will be joined by college dancers who were members of the ballet company and professionals to bring the magical and timeless story to life.

Robert Royce and Jesse Tidquist will return as Dr. Drosselmeyer and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Dee Dee Rosner from Winston-Salem, N.C., will dance the Snow Queen and the first act pas with Christian Knopp of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

Knopp also will dance the Nutcracker Prince. Jack Thompson of Morgantown Ballet will partner Rosner as the Snow King.

The production is funded in part by a grant from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation.

For tickets to the Saturday performance at the Smoot, call 304-422-PLAY, and for the Peoples Bank performance, call 740-371-5152.

Tickets for both performances are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.

For tickets to the special performance for schools, email the company at Schrader.Youth.Ballet@gmail.com.

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