Segerstrom Center For The Arts Announces The 2021 Children's Casting For American Ballet Theatre's THE NUTCRACKER

Segerstrom Center for the Arts announces the casting of students from the William J. Gillespie School to perform alongside the world-renowned American Ballet Theatre dancers in the return to their annual holiday engagement.

The Nutcracker will feature 48 young dancers performing December 10 through 19 in Segerstrom Hall. This year marks the 6th time the Center has provided these aspiring professionals an unparalleled performing experience in Southern California's grandest production of the holiday classic.

After a year of uncertainty, Principal Teacher and Coordinator of the Children's Division, Sarah Jones shared, "After a year of virtual training, the ABT Gillespie students are ready to shine in ABT's performances of The Nutcracker. From virtual training, to pods of socially distanced classes, to returning full time in the studios, the students have pivoted time and time again to ensure their training and health are both a top priority. This year's production of The Nutcracker will be even more spectacular because of the enthusiasm these young dancers bring to the performance. The students will truly be ecstatic to be on stage, no acting required."

Director and Principal of ABT Gillespie School, Alaine Haubert, echoes Sarah Jones' testimony to the hard work the children have demonstrated throughout this time with joy and excitement for a return to live performances: "The students, faculty and staff of the ABT Gillespie School are thrilled that the Company will be returning to perform The Nutcracker in December! It is such an incredible opportunity for our students to be onstage with some of the world's most beautiful ballet artists."

Principal children include Trinity Mijares and Brooke Treska as young Clara, Sawyer Sublette and Declan Wilding Cran as Nutcracker Prince, Carson Triplett and MacCallum Simanski as Fritz, and Katrina Carney and Indiana Foley as Little Mouse.

ABT Principal casting includes Hee Seo as Clara, the Princess and Cory Stearns as The Nutcracker Prince on opening night, December 10. Additional casts include Skylar Brandt, Devon Teuscher, Isabella Boylston, Christine Shevchenko, Catherine Hurlin, Thomas Forster, Herman Cornejo, Joo Won Ahn, James Whiteside and Aran Bell.

Complete Children's Casting for The Nutcracker at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Artists and program are subject to change.

Matisse Braun - Newport Beach Sienna Burnette - Huntington Beach Katrina Carney - Buena Park Charissa Catanus - Irvine Koko Chang - Newport Beach Emma Clendenen - Santa Ana Atticus Cunningham - Irvine KaiLi Dang - Buena Park Autumn Dym - Newport Coast Jordan Espero - Newport Beach Emma Evans - Newport Coast Indiana Foley - Cypress Rosey Francis - Corona Quynh-Anh Genovese - La Jolla Kayla Hardesty - Irvine Maya Hatziris - Newport Beach Cypress Hess - Huntington Beach Ellington Hess - Huntington Beach Kotoko Higuchi - Irvine Emma Jafa - Irvine Nina Kabutey - Irvine Sakura Kimura - Irvine Kotaro Kimura - Irvine Savannah Koch - Irvine Madeline Lee - Irvine Haven Lee - Eastvalle Jack Loo - Redondo Beach Olive Masud - Anaheim Anna Mendolo - Pasadena Trinity Mijares - Daly City Kiana Mitra - Irvine Imogen Parks - Irvine Harper Pelton - Newport Beach Charlotte Powers - Cerritos Kiyoko Salazar - Orange Sophia Silva - Garden Grove MacCallum Simanski - Irvine Samara Singh - La Palma Ashley Sisneros - Cypress Sawyer Sublette - Mission Viejo Emma Tassev- Tustin Dahlia Tortoc - Orange Brooke Treska - Newport Beach Carson Triplett - Trabuco Canyon Sage Walker - San Clemente Sarah Wegner - Newport Beach Emma Weisenberger - Garden Grove Declan Wilding Cran - Los Angeles Gisella Zembruski - Laguna Beach

Single tickets for American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker start at $30 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.

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 that will be performed live by Pacific Symphony. 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 awardwinning designer Richard Hudson (Disney's The Lion King) and lighting is by Jennifer Tipton.

This engagement of The Nutcracker begins a new three-year partnership of the co-presented annual production of Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker and continues with World and West Coast Premieres and engagements each spring through 2024 combining the resources of America's National Ballet Company and one of the nation's leading presenters of dance. Most recently, the Center presented Uniting in Movement, in April of 2021, a unique dance project bringing 18 ABT dancers together for safe collaboration and an exhilarating performance of new works by Jessica Lang, Lauren Lovette, and Darrell Grand Moultrie. The three-year partnership between American Ballet Theatre and Segerstrom Center for the Arts will include three Premiere works. Beginning March 2022, ABT and the Center will present a mixed repertory program to include a World Premiere by Alonzo King and West Coast Premieres of Ratmansky's Bernstein in a Bubble and Lang's ZigZag, featuring songs recorded by Tony Bennett.

In March 2023, American Ballet Theatre will give the North American Premiere of Like Water for Chocolate at the Center. From the award-winning team of choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and composer Joby Talbot, with costumes by Bob Crowley, this co-production with the Royal Ballet is inspired by Laura Esquivel's bestselling novel of the same name.

Learn more at SCFTA.org.

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