Long Beach Ballet 'The Nutcracker' Set for Dec 12, 13, 19, and 20

The Long Beach Ballet will continue its annual holiday tradition this December with six performances of The Nutcracker at the Long Beach Terrace Theater on December 12th & 13th, and December 19th & December 20th. As always, the production bursts with special guest performances and additional surprise treats the entire family will love.

The Long Beach Ballet's Artistic Director, David Wilcox, pulled out all the stops for the 33rd production of the classical tale. This production boasts a full symphony orchestra, a flying sleigh, a real live horse, onstage pyrotechnics, and a cast of over 200. The enchanting scenery was created by former Disney designers Elliot Hessayon and Scott Schaffer, the detailed costumes designed by Australian artist Adrian Clark, and special effects by renowned magician Franz Harary.

This year's guest artists in the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker Prince include Vanessa Zahorian, principal ballerina with the San Francisco Ballet, Seth Orza, principal male dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Sarah Ricard Orza, soloist with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Also featured this year will be the artistic director David Wilcox's daughter Megan. Having grown up with her father's production since the age of four, Megan recently received international acclaim and spent last year dancing with the Dresden Ballet of Germany. She will dancing the role of the Dewdrop Fairy.

The Long Beach Ballet is one of just two ballet companies in the country to use two harps in their symphony to ensure the performance sounds exactly as Tchaikovsky intended it to.

Wilcox is excited to present a special rendition of the beloved Holiday tale. A former ballet virtuoso himself, he now brings his power, strength, grace and artistry to the production which features new surprises and classic entertainment.

"I like using the beauty of the classical art form of ballet, which has taken 500 years to develop to the level that it is today, to form a production that's enticing and exciting. I have pyrotechnics, I have magic; I've got everything I can think of to make it thrilling. This production is not just for people who like ballet. You can hate ballet and you'll still like this production," he adds.

The Long Beach Ballet's Nutcracker has been seen by millions of people worldwide, including live audiences totaling more than 400,000 in Long Beach, 70,000 in Pasadena, hundreds of thousands throughout Asia (as performed by the Chinese Guangzhou Ballet), and millions more on television.

Show times are Saturdays, December 12th and 19th at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sundays, December 13th and 20th, at 2 p.m., at the Long Beach Terrace Theater. Tickets are now on sale through the Long Beach Ballet "Hotline" at (877) 852?3177, at all TicketMaster outlets, and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office. Family?friendly ticket prices are $31.00 to $68.00 with a special VIP Package also available. Discounts are available for children, seniors and groups of 15 or more.

ABOUT THE LONG BEACH BALLET
Long Beach Ballet is one of Southern California's leading classical ballet institutions. The academy's reputation is based on excellence, dedication and passion for the art. Students from this academy have gone on to join companies like San Francisco Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and Dresden Ballet. For more information visit: http://www.longbeachballet.com/

DAVID WILCOX, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE LONG BEACH BALLET
Los Angeles native, David Wilcox began studying the dance at the age of eleven. He continued his studies in London and at the age of nineteen began his professional career in Germany where he danced with the Berlin Ballet, the Nuremberg Ballet and the Heidelberg Ballet. In 1981, he co?founded Long Beach Ballet which became Southern California's most successful ballet company for 15 years. Many of Wilcox's students have gone on to join companies like San Francisco Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Milwaukee Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Semper Opera Ballet in Dresden Germany. He has produced and directed nine ballet tours to Asia and has staged three full?length ballets for the Classical Ballet of Guangzhou, China: The Nutcracker, La Bayadere and Cinderella. He lives with his wife and daughters in Long Beach.

Long Beach Ballet Nutcracker.
Photo Credit Katie Ging.

Long Beach Ballet Nutcracker.
Photo Credit Katie Ging.

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