Casting Announced For THE NUTCRACKER At Segerstrom Center For The Arts

Segerstrom Center announces the return of its popular holiday tradition - American Ballet Theatre's captivating production of The Nutcracker. Co-presented by the Center and ABT with choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, The Nutcracker was praised by The New York Times as "A production like no other, made with complete theatrical authority from first to last." The ballet will be given 12 performances December 13 through 22 in Segerstrom Hall. ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie has released principal casting, which will include Hee Seo as Clara, the Princess and Cory Stearns as The Nutcracker Prince on opening night December 13. Pacific Symphony will perform for all performances.

Additional casts include Misty Copeland, Sarah Lane, Isabella Boylston, Christine Shevchenko, Thomas Forster, Blaine Hoven, Joo Won Ahn and Aran Bell.

Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker start at $29 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

Principal Casting for The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Artists and program are subject to change.
*Indicates first time in role

Friday, December 13 at 7 p.m.
Hee Seo
Cory Stearns

Saturday, December 14 at 2 p.m.
Sarah Lane
Joo Won Ahn*

Saturday, December 14 at 7 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
Aran Bell*

Sunday, December 15 at 12:30 p.m.
Hee Seo
Cory Stearns

Sunday, December 15 at 5:30 p.m.
Misty Copeland
Blaine Hoven

Wednesday, December 18 at 7 p.m.
Misty Copeland
Blaine Hoven

Thursday, December 19 at 7 p.m.
Christine Shevchenko
Thomas Forster

Friday, December 20 at 7 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
Aran Bell

Saturday, December 21 at 2 p.m.
Sarah Lane
Joo Won Ahn

Saturday, December 21 at 7 p.m.
Misty Copeland
Blaine Hoven

Sunday, December 22 at 12:30 p.m.
Christine Shevchenko
Thomas Forster

Sunday, December 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Isabella Boylston
Aran Bell

The Nutcracker is a beloved holiday story based on The Nutcracker and the King of Mice written by E.T.A. Hoffmann and set to a magical score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. The Los Angeles Times declared Ratmansky's production "an unreserved classic" and "ravishing and clever enough to inspire multiple viewings." Scenery and costumes are by award-winning designer Richard Hudson (Disney's The Lion King) and lighting is by Jennifer Tipton. Performances of The Nutcracker at Segerstrom are accompanied live by the renowned Pacific Symphony. Students from the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School at Segerstrom Center for the Arts will perform alongside the renowned ABT dancers in this classic tale that takes the young, romantic Clara and her Nutcracker Prince on a dreamlike journey.

The 2019 engagement of The Nutcracker continues an on-going relationship between Segerstrom Center and American Ballet Theatre. The Company has appeared at the Center since 1987. Important engagements include the world premiere of Mikhail Baryshnikov's Swan Lake in 1988, the West Coast premiere of Kevin McKenzie's new production of The Sleeping Beauty in 2007 and the world premiere of a new production of Firebird by Alexei Ratmansky in 2012. In 1999, ABT's production of Le Corsaire was taped in Segerstrom Hall for broadcast on PBS' Dance In America, winning an Emmy Award. In 2003, The Dream was also taped at the Center for broadcast on Dance In America. In 2008, the Center and ABT co-commissioned Twyla Tharp's Rabbit and Rogue, receiving its world premiere in New York and West Coast premiere at the Center. Two more recent world premieres have also taken place including the 2015 presentation of ABT's new production of The Sleeping Beauty, as choreographed by Marius Petipa with staging and additional choreography by Ratmansky, and 2017's Whipped Cream, also choregraphed by Ratmansky, with design and costumes by pop-surrealist Mark Ryden. ABT's opulent new production Harlequinade, newly choreographed by Ratmansky, received its West Coast Premiere in January 2019. ABT will premiere another full-length production choreographed by Ratmansky on March 5, 2020 at Segerstrom Center, inspired by the Greek romance novel Callirhoe by Chariton with music by Aram Khachaturian, arranged by Philip Feeney, and sets and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant.

The Center applauds special underwriting from Connie and Peter Spenuzza, the Huang Family Foundation and Tiffany's & Co. The Center's International Dance Series is made possible by the Audrey Steele Burnand Endowed Fund for International Dance and The Segerstrom Foundation Endowment for Great Performances. Segerstrom Center for the Arts thanks its corporate partners including Kia Motors America, Official Automotive Partner and United Airlines, Official Airline. COAST Magazine is the official media partner of the Dance Season.

American Ballet Theatre is one of the great dance companies in the world. Few ballet companies equal ABT for its combination of size, scope and outreach. Recognized as a living national treasure since its founding in 1940, ABT annually tours the United States, performing for more than 300,000 people, and is the only major cultural institution to do so.

Over nearly 80 years, the Company has appeared in a total of 132 cities in 50 countries and has performed in all 50 states of the United States. Under the artistic direction of Kevin McKenzie since 1992, ABT has recently enjoyed triumphant successes with engagements in Paris, Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Oman and Hong Kong.

On April 27, 2006, by an act of Congress, American Ballet Theatre became America's National Ballet Company.

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