Student-driven production of 'The Nutcracker' debuts in Marietta Thanksgiving weekend

Nov. 24—It is a basic fact of the American holiday timeline that after visions of turkey and stuffing at Thanksgiving come visions of sugarplums and fairies in productions of the classic Christmas ballet "The Nutcracker."

The Marietta-based Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre will show their annual version of the 1892 Tchaikovsky ballet this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Jennie T. Anderson Theater.

Ashleigh Whitworth, the show's artistic director, danced in GMDT productions of "The Nutcracker" in the same theater. She described the annual production as a tradition passed down through generations of dancers at the Georgia Dance Conservatory on Marietta Square.

The bulk of the ballet's cast is comprised of 125 students, ranging from second graders to high school seniors, from the dance school.

"Every year as they graduate there's something very special for them to look forward to, maybe the first time they perform en pointe, or the first time they perform in a demi-soloist role, or a soloist role, or even their first time in a pancake tutu," Whitworth said. "It's very fulfilling."

Associate artistic director Gray Stoner, who co-owns the dance conservatory with Whitworth and also grew up dancing there, said the students pride themselves on putting together a serious ballet.

"You don't have to go downtown to see a professional production. It's right here in your back yard," Stoner said.

This year the company will debut original choreography by Whitworth for the "Waltz of the Snowflakes" and the "Waltz of the Flowers."

"It's to keep that balance between honoring the tradition, serving up something people have come to know and love, and keeping them on their toes," Whitworth said.

The story of the ballet follows the young girl Clara, who is led on an adventure through a winter wonderland by a magical nutcracker she receives on Christmas Eve.

The show's youngest dancers, all in their first year of dancing with the company, play the role of dancing gingerbreads. Gingerbread Molly Orr, a second grader who lives in Marietta, said she was excited to be on stage in such a large production.

She also said she was nervous, but has learned how to handle the stage fright.

"I usually take deep breaths and think of how many people will be clapping for me," Orr said. In future productions, she hopes to dance the part of Clara.

For high school seniors in the company this season of "The Nutcracker" will be their last.

Kathryn Tillis, a 17-year-old senior from Kennesaw, started dancing in "The Nutcracker" as a gingerbread when she was 7. Now, she is dancing the solo parts Dewdrop Fairy and Firebird, as well as joining in the Waltz of the Flowers.

"It's bittersweet because it's the last one, and we've all been in the company since we were little," Tillis said about her fellow graduating seniors.

The seniors in the company who spoke with the MDJ all agreed there would be tears at the final curtain call.

On Friday Nov. 25 and Saturday Nov. 26, showtimes are at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday's shows are at 1 and 5 p.m.

Tickets start at $20 and are available at georgiametrodance.org/tickets.