THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER With MC Kurtis Blow Returns To The Palace

A holiday mash-up for the entire family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a contemporary re-imagining of Tchaikovsky's timeless music performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, an on-stage DJ, and an electric violinist. Through the spell cast by the mysterious Drosselmeyer, Maria-Clara and her Nutcracker prince travel back in time to the moment when her parents first meet in a 1980s' Brooklyn nightclub. MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop's founding fathers, will open the show with a short set before rapping the introduction.

CAPA presents The Hip Hop Nutcracker at the Palace Theatre (34 W. Broad St.) on Saturday, December 8, at 8 pm. Tickets are $30-$60 and can be purchased in person at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), online at www.capa.com, or by phone at (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000.

Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, The Hip Hop Nutcracker uses the traditional classic Tchaikovsky score to complement the power moves of its 12 dancers, with transitional and incidental music re-mixed and re-imagined, helping to bring a beautifully surprising and contemporary vibe to the production.

"It's been exciting to evolve the show over the last five years as audiences continue to come back to see the creative changes we make to the production," says Weber. "The dancers continue to raise the bar each year which has taken the show to new heights."

Just like the classic Nutcracker story, in The Hip Hop Nutcracker Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann's beloved story from traditional 19th-century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of a colorful and contemporary New York City. Through the modern, self-expressive gaze of hip hop culture, the dynamic performers of The Hip Hop Nutcracker celebrate the magic of the entire holiday season on the most inclusive holiday of them all, New Year's Eve, a time for new beginnings.

A hip-hop legend, Kurtis Blow was 20 in 1979, when he became the first rapper to be signed by a major label. Mercury released "Christmas Rappin'," and it sold more than 400,000 copies, becoming an annual classic. Its gold follow-up, The Breaks, helped ignite an international "Rap Attack." He released 10 albums in 11 years-his full-length debut, Kurtis Blow; his second, Deuce, a Top 50 Pop album and a big hit across Europe; Party Time featuring a pioneering fusion of rap and gogo; and Ego Trip, including the hits "8 Million Stories," "AJ," and "Basketball." In 1985, he released America, featuring "If I Ruled the World," a Top 5 hit on Billboard's R&B chart; Columbia/Sony recording artist Nas debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Album chart with a cover of the song in 1997. www.KurtisBlow.com

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