Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker at Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

An exhilarating story told in dance, SUGAR HILL is set to the music of the genre-defying collaboration between jazz icons Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn in a captivating way that has never been done before. SUGAR HILL reveals the glamour of the 1930s as seen through the lens of the nonconformist daughter of a high-society Black family in Manhattan and her fantastic dreamworld in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem. A jazz-steeped reimagining of the classic tale, this Nutcracker sends a stirring message that champions individuality and the journey to find the power of your unique self: “Go find what makes you different to find your magic”. With Libretto/Concept by Jessica Swan, this original production features Direction/Choreography by Emmy Award Winner Joshua Bergasse, with Co-Choreography by Jade Hale-Christofi. Additional Choreography/Dance Consultation by Caleb Teicher, Jon Boogz, and Graciela Daniele (Tony Award). Orchestrations/Arrangements by John Clayton (GRAMMY® Award) and Larry Blank (three-time Tony Award Nominee).