Cincinnati Ballet Stages World Premiere of New Nutcracker 12/15-24

Cincinnati Ballet, its Board of Trustees and Frisch's Restaurants debut the world premiere of Frisch's Presents The New Nutcracker December 15-24, 2011 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati. The production features all new sets and scenery, costumes and choreography by Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director and CEO Victoria Morgan.

"I began contemplating this New Nutcracker four or five years ago. I watched our 2001 version, thinking 'What if we added this, or reinterpreted that character, or added new ones?' This New Nutcracker will be spectacular, with vivid colors and whimsical design, quick-moving action, and lively, entertaining, even surprising moments," Morgan said. "Ballet is often so serious. My intention is to bring more humor and a lot of magic to this family holiday tradition."

Morgan promises that many beloved aspects of The New Nutcracker will not change. "There will be a Nutcracker who comes magically to life; there will be snow... lots of it! And the Christmas tree will grow giving the young heroine the curious feeling that she is shrinking while everything around her grows larger. When the tree grows -- it is one of my favorite moments in the music, and visually it's astounding," added Morgan. "That's the moment when the stage really does become a world of magic, and we're all transported to another land."

The production features entirely new sets of full-stage, seamless drops by renowned set designer John Ezell and hand-painted by scenic artists at Michael Hagan studio. Cincinnati Ballet's local I.A.T.S.E. union will fabricate 15 large deck units and hundreds of props. More than 200 new costumes designed by Tony Award-nominated designer Carrie F. Robbins are being constructed by Cincinnati Ballet's wardrobe department, Playhouse in the Park and Madcap Puppets workshop. Swirling special effects, lighting and projected images will add to the visual excitement.

Frisch's Presents The New Nutcracker is generously sponsored by Frisch's Restaurants, Inc., with additional support from PNC and the Robert H. Reakirt Foundation and Great American Insurance Group. For more information visit visit www.cballet.org.