Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre's THE NUTCRACKER Begins Tonight

José Mateo Ballet Theatre presents its 27th annual production of The Nutcracker through December 21, 2014 in Cambridge and Dorchester. After opening Thanksgiving Weekend at The Duxbury Performing Arts Center, the Company returns to The Sanctuary Theatre in Harvard Square, Cambridge (tonight, December 4-14), and The Strand Theater in Dorchester (December 19-21). Magical, thrilling, inspiring, and affordable, Mateo's The Nutcracker creates memories that will last a lifetime.

From Artistic Director Jose Mateo
"Children everywhere, from one to ninety-two, revel in Tchaikovsky's imaginative score as if it were the perfectly universal soundtrack for all the many ways in which our global society's diverse cultures celebrate togetherness during the winter holidays ," says Artistic Director José Mateo. "It is in this spirit of affectionate closeness and inclusion that I first approached the choreography to Ballet Theatre's own production of this classic ballet. Our original version may very well be New England's longest running interpretation of the holiday classic. Since its premiere it quickly distinguished itself as one of the first versions anywhere to focus more on the dancing rather than on the usual caricatured mime, pomp, and special effects of its predecessors."

The Production
Choreographed by Artistic Director José Mateo, and inspired by Tchaikovsky's glorious score, Mateo's 'Nutcracker' brings Clara's dream world to life with festive sets, sumptuous costumes, and spectacular dancing. The role of Clara is danced this season by four young dancers rotating the role in all venues: Amy Chan (14) from Cambridge, Safiyya O'Connor (13) from Cambridge, Samin Charepoo (15) from Quincy, and Cecelia Zevallos (15) from Somerville.

Over 200 children, ages 6-18 from throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, join Ballet Theatre's skilled company dancers as Party Children, Mice, Soldiers, Polichinelles, Cherubs, and Angels. It is the only professional Nutcracker production in the area to hold open auditions for students outside of its own school.

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