Kick Off The Holiday Season With THE NUTCRACKER At The Eissey Campus Theatre

Just in time for the holidays, Paris Ballet and Dance is bringing the spellbinding magic of The Nutcracker to the Eissey Campus Theatre!

With performances slated for Saturday, November 20 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 21 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., tickets are $35 and selling fast.

Set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's lasting and memorable score, the full-length production will feature thrilling choreography by the school's founder and director Jean-Hugues Feray (a former principal dancer with many international companies, including Ballet Florida and National Ballet de Marseille), and showcase the talents of 75 young dancers, ranging in age from 3 to 18.

"Paris Ballet and Dance's production of The Nutcracker is the perfect show to enthrall, inspire and kick off the holiday season," Feray said. "It's a beautiful story and it is truly a must-see show for all ages."

Now in its 11th year, the annual production has become a beloved family holiday tradition for many locals, featuring dazzling costumes, extraordinary sets (including a growing Christmas tree that triples in height onstage) and phenomenal special effects. Audiences will be transported to an enchanting winter wonderland of sparkling snowfall, colorful flowers and splendid sweets.

The production will feature pre-professional dancers from both Paris Ballet and Dance and the school's prestigious not-for-profit Paris Ballet Conservatory, an elite training program for students preparing for dance careers.

Celebrating the school's graduating students, dancers include Jupiter resident Devon Luxton (Sugar Plum Cavalier/Arabian Pas de Deux), 17, who has been a finalist for the esteemed Youth America Grand Prix international ballet competition four years in a row, as well as Jupiter resident Crina Ciolacu (Sugar Plum Fairy/Arabian Pas de Deux), 17, Palm Beach Gardens resident Andrea Medina, 17 (Snow Queen/Dew Drop Fairy), and Jupiter resident Clare Keavy (Sugar Plum Fairy/Arabian Pas de Deux), 16. All are graduating this year and are in the process of either auditioning for professional dance companies or major colleges with dance programs.

"This is a unique chance to see many of these dancers perform before they launch their professional dance careers or continue their training in college," Feray said. "I am very proud of the hard work that all of our talented and dedicated students continue to put into their craft. I can't wait for audience members to see how exceptional our young dancers are."

This is the company's first year performing The Nutcracker at the 750-seat Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens, which offers a professional stage, unmatched lighting, a state-of-the-art sound system, ample parking and spacious seating.

Based on the Alexandre Dumas adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffmann's 1816 tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, the timeless ballet tells the story of a young girl named Clara who is given a magical Nutcracker doll on Christmas Eve. After encountering and defeating the Rat King, her beloved Nutcracker comes to life as a real, handsome prince who guides her on an astounding journey through the incredibly bright and fantastic Land of Snow and Kingdom of Sweets. Since the '40s, the ballet has grown exponentially in popularity and now serves as an iconic holiday tradition throughout the world.

"[The Nutcracker] has become an American institution," wrote Alastair Macaulay in The New York Times. "It's amalgam of children, parents, toys, a Christmas tree, snow, sweets and Tchaikovsky's astounding score is integral to the season of good will that runs from Thanksgiving to New Year."

The Nutcracker will take place Saturday, November 20, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 21 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Eissey Campus Theatre, located at 11051 Campus Drive in Palm Beach Gardens. All tickets are $35. For tickets, call (561) 207-5900 or visit the Eissey Campus Theatre Box Office.

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