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President: Rob Schimmelpfennig Executive Vice President: Judy Robson Vice President: Mike Fedler Vice President: Bill Kline Treasurer: Rich Vanek Secretary: Debbi Waring BOARD MEMBERS: Baerbel Baginski, WSL Steve Candella Neroy Carter Arnie Esterer Adele Herzog Mary Ellen Higley Ken Johnson Mark Jones Randy Jones Gloria Kaull Kim Laurello Ed Looman Chris McClure Tom Picken Scot Sinkler Linda VanBuren Joseph Varckette Ellen Winer Phyllis Duffy-Zala | ||||
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 2928 West 13th St. Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 phone: 440-964-3396 |
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Posted: Tuesday, December 09, 2003
Annual "Nutcracker" Returns to AAC  The holiday season is here, and with it comes the annual presentation of Ballet Theatre Ashtabula’s “The Nutcracker” at the Ashtabula Arts Center.
The ballet will open on Friday, December 5, and run for three weekends, with matinee and evening performances available throughout the run of the show. A holiday tradition for many families in the area, “The Nutcracker” transports us all into the most magical of all places during the holiday season - the world as seen through the eyes of a child.  The ballet opens in the grand home of Doctor Stahlbaum and his family, where preparations are underway for a grand holiday party. The guests arrive, children meet and dance about, and eventually the magical Herr Drosselmeyer appears. The godfather of young Clara, Herr Drosselmeyer has brought her a very special Christmas gift: a Nutcracker doll.
Eventually the party winds down and the guests depart for their homes. The family retires to bed - except Clara, who cannot bear to leave her new doll. Midnight comes, and, with the magical hour and the aid of Herr Drosselmeyer, the night becomes Clara’s own vision of wonder and beauty. First, strange things begin to happen in the Stahlbaum house. Mice scurry out from all corners of the room. The room itself actually changes in size, as the walls move up and outward. The Christmas tree grows to an enormous height within the room. Suddenly, Clara’s Nutcracker doll comes to life and becomes the leader of an army of toy soldiers.  The Evil Mouse King appears, and threatens both Clara and the Nutcracker with his army of wild mice. Cannons roar and lights flash as the mice and soldiers do battle on the stage.
But, with Clara’s help, good triumphs over evil and he Nutcracker manages to defeat the Mouse King. As the mice flee with their leader’s remains, the Nutcracker transforms into a gallant Prince, who whisks Clara off on a journey to the Enchanted Kingdom. There the pair is treated to solo and ensemble dances by dancers in beautiful costumes, beginning with the dance of the Snowflakes in the Enchanted Forest. Some of the other performers include the Arabian, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Marzipan Shepherdesses - and of course Mother Ginger and her darling Bon Bons - all of whom appear to entertain the young couple. “The Nutcracker” is based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s book “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” and was first performed in Russia in 1892. Composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky was commissioned by choreographer Marius Petipa to write the music for the ballet in the 1930s, and the first American full-length Nutcracker ballet was performed by the San Fransisco Ballet in the 1940s. 
Ballet Theatre Ashtabula has been performing this particular version of the ballet since 1989, although artistic director and AAC Dance Coordinator Shelagh Dubsky has been a part of the annual holiday production for about 20 years. “The Nutcracker” will run for a total of twelve performances at the Ashtabula Arts Center, beginning with a 7:30 p.m. show on Friday, December 5. Evening performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on December 5, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20, and 2:00 p.m. matinees will be held on December 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21. The December 6 show is already sold out, and the matinee performance on December 13 is nearly full also. Ticket reservations are strongly recommended, and can be made by calling the Arts Center. | ||||